Introduction
Diversity in the workplace refers to differences that take place and exist between people within an organization. Diversity may sound simple but it encompasses gender, race, ethnic groups, people of different ages, styles of cognitive behaviors, functioning within the organization and educational background among others. However much diversity may involve how people perceive themselves, it also includes how these same people perceive others. It is therefore advisable that employees in an organization should be handled properly by use of communication, adaptability and how changes take place within organizations. Most organizations are presently expecting to experience an increased diversity in the coming years as it is good for operations in organizations. Moreover, most organizations that are successful have recognized an immediate action for diversity and are even willing to spend the available resources for enhancing diversity in workplaces. This paper explores on diversity within workplace and how to manage it.
Discussion Question
It is important for managers to understand management of diversity from both legal and managerial perspectives. This is because the success of organizations depends on how it is competitive and how it can embrace diverse functions and activities. Based on managerial and legal perspectives, managers should understand diversity because it assists in handling issues of diversity in the workplace, implementing plans of diversity and benefits that come with diversity. Managers must understand that diversity brings an increased adaptability especially on the side of employee workforce. Increasing an adaptable behavior and functions supply organizations with greater solutions variety and resources that can be used to solve problems. Employees who come from diverse backgrounds get to bring their individual talents and experiences by suggesting ideas that are flexible and adaptable in the fluctuation of markets and demands for customers. Organizational diversity results to a broader services range and managers must understand both the managerial and legal opportunities of it. In the process of diversity, an organization often experiences a diverse skill collection and several experiences therefore allowing the organization to provide for customers globally (Marshall, 66). The broader service range will often encompass different languages and diverse understanding of different cultures. Managers must know that diversity brings an increased variety of viewpoints and a workforce will feel comfortable when they communicate their varied viewpoints. This will obviously provide a larger pool of ideas and experiences that can be of benefit to the organization. Varied viewpoints then assists organizations in drawing from pools of meet business strategies and meet the needs of consumers most effectively.
. If you were a diversity educator, how would you frame the importance of understanding and abiding by the legal dimensions of diversity within the larger framework of managing diversity in organizations?
Educators in organizations should importantly have a clear understanding of the importance of diversity both in legal and managerial bases. Organizations and companies that clearly encourage diversity in the involved workplaces carry out a better executive execution that managers should really view both in the bases of legal and managerial points. A more effective execution inspires employees to perform and apply their highest abilities applicable. Strategies that are wide in organizations can be easily executed and this will result to higher productivity, better profits and returns from investments.
The diversity may as well have some disadvantages that managers in organizations should be at a position to understand in all perspectives. Within the workplace, communication can be a problem and therefore leaders should come with reasons to reduce diversity. Cultural, perpetual and language barriers come with diversity and therefore managers may have the reason to overcome it so that programs can succeed. Managers should understand that communication as a challenge can be very confusing and lower down the morale for working and therefore in such cases diversity can be avoided. Diversity may also cause resistance to changes and mentalities will come up knowing what they have always done (Couser & Gregory, 427). Implementing policies of diversity in the workplaces is also another problem and managers must understand this in all perspectives. There can be an overriding challenge to diversity advocates and employee assessment functions. Customized strategies should then be maximized and effects of diversity balanced so that such organizations face their diversity positively. Training diversity alone is not an issue and may never be sufficient for management plans of diversity. Managers should always create a strategy and a diverse culture that permeates all departments to function well in the organization.
Assignement#1
What was the power company really trying to do? How can a company demonstrate that employment screening procedures serve legitimate business purposes?
The company was trying to give importance of employee screening before giving jobs. Employment screening from all perspectives have agencies that enter into the information field to offer screening services. Screening for legitimate business purposes serves employees and employers with types of information that are permissible by the law. The information available and its sources are important for processes of hiring and some form of legal ramifications. Screening provides businesses with systems that can assist in corporation of wide employment services and programs that preserve defenses. An all or nothing approach screening applies approaches to employment with a basis on categories and classes. With the process of screening, applicants can be equally treated and resources never get to be expended on positions that are of low risk. Same class employees can then be selected by use of a manner that is non-discriminatory and subject to criteria of selection. Screening programs in organizations considers legitimate services for fulfilling employment screening that limits liability. Checks for criminal history in comprehensive screening programs provide benefits for histories. The service additionally integrates into existing programs of human resources and an easy way of administration.
Records for motor vehicles in screening are acting as beneficial sources for offering unique opportunities among applicants. Skills and qualifications that are acquired in pervious employments are legitimate and can be proper for businesses. The previous employment information then give a developed series for qualifications. Identification for employment confirms causal attitudes and a base of honesty for any employee who may present false information. License verification for qualifications provides legitimate confirmation of skills those expertise in given fields. Verification for skills should meet some standards because harm caused either because of liability may harm the employee who is not qualified. Credit reports for employees give financial history and more information for specific candidates who are may be responsible for handling cash in their work. The credit employment details is more important and beneficial now that today’s workforce is mobile. Employees of businesses are required to sign disclosure forms that grant the authorization of performing background checks.
Under this rule, when can a company discipline, terminate, or refuse to hire an
Employee?
In the procedure of employment screening, there can be cases where a company can refuse to hire an employee or terminate the employment. Employers are restricted to using medical and disability data when hiring and false information may lead to termination of contracts. Lack of evidence based on this vital information about illnesses and disability may also make an organization not to employ someone. Searches for civil records identify malpractices and any employee can be sent home because of such malpractices in the course of employment. Before employment, the malpractices may also give a bad name leading to disqualification and unemployment. Due diligence and litigation concerns of extensiveness recommend where a specific job can be considered sensitive (.Kathryn et al, 73) Records for motor vehicle management give more about an employee. In low cost source organizations, alcohol related infractions can be used to track problems that are related to the driving sector. Any employee whose job may be driving related is at risk in the motor vehicle records because poor records may not offer vehicles and at the same time deny access to vehicles and employment. Negative confirmations in the previous employment are crucial for hiring. Bad behaviors do not give options and opportunities as compared to when the records are positive and attracting. Employees are then requested to have their license of professionalism verification so that the levels of qualification are presented positively and evidently. Issues of integrity in the process of hiring regard educational achievements and all information should be presented clearly. Falsified or misinterpreted information may lead to disqualification during the hiring process and loss of employment later after hiring.
Information on employment is required for credit information in the process of hiring employees and unacceptable criteria can easily be identified. In case the process of employment is discontinued then the applicant should and at times must be notified. A copy of the report for termination can be given to the employee as per request. Employer should then notify the applicant when employment is denied. Administrative services then diffuse employees with diffusive and potential litigation. Employer’s benefit in this case administrates processes that rely on records from the public. Information can be both accurate and inaccurate but the applicant should exactly retain the right to dispute any information that is reported inaccurately.
What impact do you think the court’s ruling has had on religious universities such as Brigham Young University or the University of Notre Dame
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints has often relied on protection law for its judgments that are honored. In its principles and practice, the church has had a significant exception for laws that are anti-polygamy and marriages that are plural have been discontinued. The ruling has had impacts on universities that reach trial for acquitted lack of evidence and church leaders have had ecclesiastical courts. The University of Notre Dame has opposed law suits based on religious information presented. Latter day saints in their territorial juries control church members from abroad. More universities have given freedom of religion and that of belief and stopped hindering of migration from one church to another. There is freedom of belief and that of democracy and therefore every scholar and students in universities want such freedom to be exercised. Multi marriages may be permitted both in the Bible and Quran yet territorial juries are told to control most of its property. Court actions through the universities are used to invoke sections for the fight of freedom and religious discrimination. Laws and beliefs purpose the discrimination of advancing religion and this church opposes that. University students, professors and lecturers therefore want a free world of invoked thoughts and flexible agreements.
General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc. v. Cline: Do workers who are under the age of 40 have any Recourse against age-based discrimination? Should they?
Workers in organizations who are under the age of forty also have opportunities and sense of applying diversity in the organizations of work. Age discrimination in the employment act shows that employees who are younger are protected from people who discriminate them and are above the age of forty. In any aspect of employment, the law forbids discrimination and may be a serious issue when noticed. The law protects workers who are below the age of forty and any other aspect of discrimination in the process of employment. It is therefore possible that those workers who are below the age of forty are protected and discrimination reduced. Those who are discriminate against can report such cases for consideration and taking of actions.
PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin: Does a golf cart give a golfer an advantage over competitors who are required to walk?
The PGA mentions that golfer experiences fatigue and this is important therefore there is no importance of a golf cart. Martin is strongly opposed by the PGA because fatigue is an important part of tournament activities and the case against Martin has been heard in the court severally. Martin who is presently twenty eight years has a syndrome of disability that restricts his blood flow and feels pain during walks. He is in danger to walk an entire lengtha of races and probably that is why he proposes for a golf cart.
Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.: Does the Oncale finding challenge your stereotypes of sexual harassment?
There is an arising issue of discrimination that is based on gender and identity. Challenging societal and legal factors of sexual discrimination expand according to how the judiciary interprets it. Oncale funding does not challenge my sexual harassment stereotyping because it is an issue that should be sorted in the society and stopped at all costs. Sexual harassment is defined to be bad and most unwelcome in the society with disadvantages to victims and at times even the doers. Tribunals against sexual harassment have been reported and there are both subjective and objective forms of harassment established. It should then be understood that any funding provided to assist in handling of the issue of sexual harassment is welcome. Moreover, sexual harassment is not a stereotype like people think but it is real and most societies do not welcome it.
Assignement#2
What constitutes an integrated approach to managing diversity?
Which of the diversity components, in your opinion, is most important when managing diversity?
In my own opinion, societal factors are the most important component of diversity at the University of Toledo when it comes to management of diversity. Societal factors are a wide subject and will cover a wide range of issues that can both be handled and corrected with diversity. The society encompasses of many people with different characteristics, abilities, suggestions, behaviors and ideas. It is therefore clear that considering issues in the society will allow an organization to understand clearly all procedures that can be done in the society coincides with organizations. Beliefs, socioeconomic factors and behavioral models all feature in the society and they important for organizations to harbor. Society is then one of the most imaginative and productive thinkers and they can really contribute to the diversity and effective functioning of an organization. The society then defines and develops alternatives that an organization may need when it comes to diversity and issues of handling diversity problems. The university is reported to apply and explain to the public reasons why diversity has not been a fulfilling promise in their understanding paradigm.
Analyze the organization in which you work in terms of its diversity management initiatives. Which diversity components does your company currently implement? Not implement? What are your company’s strengths and weaknesses in light of the integrated approach to managing diversity?
Works Cited
Kathryn A. Canas/Harris & Sondak Opportunities and Challenges of Workplace Diversity, Third Edition. Pearson (ISBN-978-0-13-295351-1)
Fassinger, Ruth E. "Workplace diversity and public policy: challenges and opportunities for psychology." American Psychologist 63.4 (2008): 252.
Marshall, A. L. "Challenges and opportunities for promoting physical activity in the workplace." Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 7.1 (2004): 60-66.
Ashford, Susan J., Elizabeth George, and Ruth Blatt. "2 Old Assumptions, New Work: The Opportunities and Challenges of Research on Nonstandard Employment." The Academy of Management Annals 1.1 (2007): 65-117.
Couser, Gregory P. "Challenges and opportunities for preventing depression in the workplace: a review of the evidence supporting workplace factors and interventions." Journal of Occupational and environmental medicine 50.4 (2008): 411-427.
