Managing Diverse Employees

Diversity management has been a common phenomenon in the contemporary business operations. It incorporates development of programs that suits the various employees, offers support to minority groups, and resolve conflicts among the employees. Small scale business operations, which are characterized by small number of employees, may not experience issues relating to diversity management until when the workforce has grown in number and include employees from diverse cultures, different national origin or sexual orientation. However, with the current competition in the economy, diversity in the workplace is crucial in most of forward-thinking organizations, if not all. In fact, I believe that cultural differences among the workforce are vital to the Human Resource’s strategy in achieving the company’s goals and objectives.

Every manager is proud when the organization is successful. Studies have shown that diversity in the workplace necessitates positive implications in the company’s activities. When diversity is upheld in the organization, HR will have to change its strategy in an attempt to incorporate the diverse cultures. Collaboration that exists among diverse population in the workforce can harness creativity and innovativeness in the organization. Employees normally appreciate when cultural differences are naturally inculcated into the organization’s policies and strategies. When the HR changes its approach, it would ensure that additional expense, normally in the form of consultant fees, are minimized when recruiting employees into the organization. For instance, cultural differences may imply that the HR outsources diversity management; thereby reducing costs of hiring, training and retaining employees. In addition, changing the approach would ensure that the skills and knowledge of different cultural groups are ‘tapped’ by the organization (Barak 49). As the focus is to increase revenue outlay for the company, having a wide scope of employees with varied skills would increase the organization’s profitability level. Cultural difference in the workforce would imply that the organization solicit the services of a consultant—a changed approach that the HR need to comply. As the consultant would be within the employees’ reach, employees’ conflict would be minimized, and they would concentrate on improving the production of the company. Finally, the company’s reputation in the society would be safeguarded.

Of course, it is normal for some people to disagree with me on the issue of managing diversity in the workforce. Some of the opponents argue that it is boring for the employee to be reminded, by the HR, on diversity in the workplace. In addition, some of the employees may perceive that the mandatory training on diversity is not a solution to cultural differences in the organization; therefore, they purport that the new HR initiative is useless. Organizations always strive to minimize the cost outlay of its operations, and the change in HR approach would require hiring of consultants to oversee diversity management. Such an initiative is a burden to small scale business operations, as they do not have the required amount to meet the cost of these experts (Barak 125).

No matter how different people may have varied perception on the matter, cultural differences in the workplace are inevitable. Whether one considers the effect that the changes in HR approach would have on the cost outlay, boredom on employees, or the ‘useless’ training on diversity, we all agree that the current economy needs diversity management approach in an attempt to realize competitiveness. The change in HR’s approach, in regard to cultural differences, is not only crucial in the company’s performance, but also on the reputation of the organization.

Work Cited

Barak, Michalle. Managing Diversity: Toward a Globally Inclusive Workplace, New York: SAGE, 2010. Print.