Chapter 2: Diversity in Organizations

What are three distinct components of an effect diversity program?

1. They teach managers about the legal framework for equal employment opportunity and encourage fair treatment of all people regardless of their demographic characteristics. 2. They teach mangers how a diverse workforce will be better able to serve a diverse market of customers and clients. 3. They foster personal development practices that bring out the skills and abilities of all workers, acknowledging how differences in perspective can be valuable way to improve performance for everyone.

Age

ADEA prohibits discrimination against people 40 and older. The percentage of older employees in the workforce is growing. Stereotypes: behind the times, grumpy, inflexible, less adaptable, less motivated to learn new technology. Reality: performance gets better with age, better job satisfaction Why would an organization want age diversity? More experience to train younger employees, different perspective, etc.

What general of types of diversity did we discuss in class?

Age Sex Race and ethnicity Religion

Ability

An individual's capacity to perform the various tasks of a job.

General mental ability (GMA)

An overall factor of intelligence, as suggested by the positive correlations among specific intellectual ability dimensions.

Surface-level diversity

Differences in easily perceived characteristics, such as, gender, race, ethnicity, age, or disability, that do not necessarily reflect the ways people think or feel but the way that may activate certain stereotypes.

Deep-level diversity

Differences in values, personality, and work preferences that become progressively more important for determining similarity as people get to know one another.

What are some types of discrimination in the workplace?

Discriminatory policies or practices Sexual harassment Intimidation Mockery and insults Exclusion Incivility

Hidden disabilities

Hidden disabilities include sensory disabilities, autoimmune disabilities, chronic illness or pain, cognitive or learning impairments, sleep disorders, and psychological challenges. Disclosure of disabilities would improve job satisfaction because it would then allow for accommodations.

Positive diversity climate

In an organization, an environment of inclusiveness and acceptance of diversity. This can lead to increased sales, less stress, and more OCBs.

Stereotyping

Judging someone on the basis of the group to which the person belongs.

Cultural identity

Link with the culture of family ancestry or youth that lasts a lifetime, no matter where the individual may live in the world.

What are two general approaches to diversity management?

Melting pot - everything combines into something coherent Salad bowl - explicitly recognizing the differences

Discrimination

Noting of a difference between things; often we refer to unfair discrimination, which means making judgement based on stereotypes regarding their demographic groups.

Biographical characteristics

Personal characteristics-such as age, gender, race, and length of tenure-that are objective and easily obtained from personnel records. These are examples of surface level diversity.

What are the negative outcomes of discrimination in the workplace?

Poorer performance Increased turnover Stress

Race and ethnicity

Race is the heritage people use to define themselves. Ethnicity is the additional set of cultural characteristics that often overlap with race. Racial discrimination still persists today.

Religion

Religion is a nonissue for many countries of the world. Islam is one the most popular religions in the world.

Tenure

Tenure - time spent in a job, organization, or field. Seniority - time spent a particular job, the evidence demonstrates a positive relationship between seniority and job productivity.

Disabilities

The US has the American with Disabilities Act to prevent discrimination.According to the ADA, employers are required to make reasonable accommodations so their workplaces will be accessible to individuals with physical or mental disabilities. The ADA classifies a disabled person as anyone who has any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The EEOC is the federal agency that is responsible for enforcing employment discrimination laws.

Intellectual abilities

The capacity to do mental activities-thinking, reasoning, and problem solving. Number aptitude, verbal comprehension, perceptual speed, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, spatial visualization, memory.

Physical abilities

The capacity to do tasks that demand stamina, dexterity, strength, and similar characteristics. Dynamic strength, trunk strength, static strength, explosive strength, extent flexibility, dynamic flexibility, body coordination, balance, stamina.

Stereotype threat

The degree to which we internally agree with he generally negative stereotyped perceptions of our groups.

Diversity management

The process and programs by which managers make everyone more aware of and sensitive to the needs and differences of others.

What is Title VII?

Title VII is of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment or promotional decisions on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion. It generally applies to employers with 15 or more employees.

Sexual orientation and gender identity

U.S. federal law does not prohibit discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation, but there are many states and municipalities that do. The EEOC has held that sex stereotyping violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act under sex.

Sex

Women comprise approximately half of the workforce. There are still a lot of pay disparities today. (i.e. Walmart) Men and women think differently.

What are the levels of diversity?

surface-level diversity and deep-level diversity