Abstract
Since time immemorial, there has been the existence of prejudices among the different racial groups in the world. These prejudices more often than not result in violence and discrimination against some groups of people, leading to social segregation into groups. However, these differences can be tuned to the advantages of the society, rather than being wired to violence against each other. Organizations can reap the benefits of the diversity in the labor force as shown in the paragraphs below.
Advantages of Multi-Cultural Society and Labor Force
Violence between different cultural groups has been reported for a long time since time in history. The minority groups such as the Africans, Hispanics and the Native Americans (Indians) have been sidelined and considered to be economically non-viable. For log, they have been relegated to the menial jobs and other chores that do not need much intelligence and skill. They were just servants. However, current discoveries have shown that these people have equally valuable characteristics as the Whites, and if organizations tapped these diversities, then they would launch their success to the limits.
Grobman (1990) observes that for a long time, the Jews were termed as inferior due to their physical characteristics. This propelled the hatred that Hitler propelled against them, since he felt they were of no use. On the other hand, the Africans were termed as lazy, non-intellectual and violent. The Hispanics and Mexicans were perceived as violent and unruly while the Indians were seen as lazy. He further observes that the women were not believed to be of any economic importance in the society. These prejudices made the Caucasians mistreat these groups and sideline them, hence inhibiting the potential contained therein.
Smith et al (n.d) observes that diverse cultures bring in a blend that can be very beneficial in the workplace, only if the management was keen enough to conveniently tap the benefits. These diversities include ethnicity, age, military experience, family status, educational background, race, sexual orientation, social class, work experience, spiritual practice, mental and physical abilities as well as asset and property ownership among others. After an organization establishes its goals and objectives, it can then constitute a heterozygous group combined of members with different abilities and skills. The people would complement each other, thereby leading to accomplishment of the task at hand, much to the benefit of the organization as well as the individuals themselves. For instance, it is notable that a common interest, the need for cheap labor, led to the meeting of the Africans and Indians in the Caribbean (Hookumchand, 2000). If such common interests are pursued, they can lead to formation of a cohesive work force. People with a similar interest can create a unity of purpose where everyone seeks his own satisfaction but ends up being a part of a team that accomplishes a given venture.
In order to make the most of diversity, Smith et al (n.d) calls for a proper management organization. The management should be very keen when hiring so as to ensure that those recruited are a representation of the entire population. The individuals within the organization should be encouraged to recognize and respect the cultural diversity in the work setting. This should be enhanced through effective communication strategies within the organization. There should be the notion of unity in diversity, where the people are different but considered the same. By respecting each other, the workers would help to maintain good working relations which will help the different individuals to maintain the commitment at work. This would effectively promote the productivity at work. In conclusion, it is notable that diversity can be utilized to the benefits of the society. It all depends on how well the differences are managed so as to deliver the desired results.
References
Grobman, Gm. (1990). Stereotypes and Prejudices. Retrieved on 12th Dec. 2011 from http://remember.org/guide/History.root.stereotypes.html
Hookumchand, G. (2000). Conflict between East-Indian and Blacks in Trinidad and Guyana Socially, Economically and Politically. Retrieved on 22th Dec. 2011 from http://www.guyana.org/features/conflicts_indiansandblacks.html
Smith, B., Miller, A.W., Archer, T. & Hague, C. (n.d). Working with Diverse Cultures. Retrieved on 12th Dec. 2011 from http://ohioline.osu.edu/bc-fact/0014.html
