Because of increased globalization, the interaction between people of various ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities is essential. Every person participates in the global framework that is based on diversity and cross-cultural relations. This is why any organization is striving to have a diverse employee background to sustain its competitive advantage. Putting maximum efforts and finds into diversifying the workplace is a crucial step in the company’s management. On the other hand, managing diversity in a workplace is a challenge, so the management should take action toward adapting to a multicultural working environment (Green et al., 2015, p. 1).
Diversity in the workplace is essential for employers and associates. Despite the fact that the environment of the associates is interdependent, respecting personal differences in the workplace increases creativity and productivity. Furthermore, diversity in the workplace can be a tool for decreasing lawsuits and increasing the opportunities at marketing, creativity, recruitment, and business image. At times when flexibility is a key to success and competitiveness, diversity is crucial for success.
Diversity Training in the Workplace
Training on workplace diversity is a fundamental step for the improvement of employee performance by the means of creating and sustaining an environment without any cultural judgments or predispositions. Although some workers can have particular thoughts and opinions about their colleagues, diversity training will aid in recognizing foreign behaviors that may contribute to a hostile working atmosphere. Some educational activities targeted at explaining the cultural variations will offer employees a necessary level of understanding of other cultures.
The methods of workplace training include a variety of effective ways. For example, training programs bring a professional that specializes in diversity to the staff on the chosen location for a program that lasts a couple of days. In such situations, a professional can give some valuable information about the issues of diversity; however, this kind of program is expensive.
Another training method is a cultural and educational retreat to an off-site location that will allow employees to get to know each other in a non-corporate environment (Holt, n.d., para. 8). The educational facilitator can collect the needed resources and guide the interaction of employees if any issues arise.
McDonald’s Diversity Training
According to the global chief diversity officer at McDonald’s Corp. Pat Harris (2013), diversity education has been an ongoing process since the mid-70-s (as cited in Hauser, para. 2). At that time, the company has started a diversity education initiative ‘Managing the Changing Workforce’ as a start for an ongoing program that has driven the business and helped to understand diversity.
Nowadays, the dialogue and the exchange of cultural information happens through the “Intercultural Learning Lab and the Intercultural Learning Practice administered by the company’s diversity education director” (Hauser, 2013, para. 4). Furthermore, various employee networks have been developed for every racial and ethnic employee group. The company’s management wants to make sure that every employee contributes his or her best, that “they can bring their whole selves to work, and I think we’ve done a very good job of creating that environment because we do not want people to leave part of themselves outside of McDonald’s when they come to work” (as cited in Hauser, 2013, para. 5).
Workplace Policies
For sustaining the competitive advantage, a company should create all-inclusive policies on diversity and equality that are equally proofed. For creating and managing an all-inclusive environment, it is crucial to make sure that every employee can access the training and educational programs as well as development opportunities. On the other hand, some employees should be instructed on the separate provisions before them starting to take personal advantage. For making sure that some staff members are not excluded from the development opportunities, an employer should develop an equality review of the offered opportunities as well as consult the workers about the requirements and wishes they may have (Creating an Inclusive Workplace, n.d., p. 17).
Furthermore, it is crucial to make sure that every employee has equal access to the guidance and development materials provided by the employer. Creating policies on equality should include the employees’ statutory rights, for instance, one’s right on flexible hours, maternity leave, however, an employer may also include some provisions below the statutory minimum (Creating an Inclusive Workplace, n.d., p. 17).
Conclusion
An organization that employs diverse workers has better chances of providing quality services to diverse customers in the increasingly global economy. The major strategy used by the company to increase diversity in the workplace includes training and educational programs for employees to understand and respect cultural differences as well as encourage foreign language training and accepting the assignments across the borders (Patrick & Kumar, 2012, p. 15).
Thus, managing diversity in a workplace relates to a complicated process of maintaining a tolerant working environment. In such an environment, the cultural differences between the employees are recognized and respected. With the help of respect, every worker contributes the maximum efforts towards achieving a set corporate goal.
References
Creating an Inclusive Workplace. (n.d.). Web.
Green, K., Lopez, M., Wysocki, A., Kepner, K., Farnsworth, D., & Clark, J. (2015). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools. Web.
Hauser, S. (2013). Honoring Diversity the McDonald’s Way. Web.
Holt, M. (n.d.). Training in Workplace Diversity. Web.
Patrick, A., & Kumar, V. (2012). Managing Workplace Diversity: Issues and Challenges. Web.