Benefits of diversity

Numerous firms have realized over time how diversity has a significant impact on their ability to produce at high levels, meet their goals, and succeed globally. The concept of diversity describes the presence of many types of people at work. People of various ages, colors, sexes, ethnic backgrounds, cognitive backgrounds, educational backgrounds, and qualifications are the differences that are meant by the term "diversity." The essay will assess the advantages that workplace diversity brings about and the supporting evidence that it is essential to the success of any firm (Gruenewald & Smith, 2014).
Benefits of Workplace Diversity
Creativity
Diversity at work fosters innovation and creativity inside the company. This is made possible by the diverse backgrounds that the labor force comes from. One of the best diversity aspects that can be applied in this is education as well as cultural differences. As a result of such differences, the organization benefits from a variety of alternatives either to solve a problem or to improve a product or service at the company. Similarly, if any organization were to implement the workplace diversity effectively, the problem resolution abilities, marketing perspective and other areas that require creativity would experience significant success. On the other hand, the difference cultivates more teamwork practices as each member in the workplace wants to learn something new as well as contribute their part of the different perspective that they hold.

Increased Productivity

According to Lyons, and Kuron (2014) production levels in the organization increases is developed by the different abilities that every member holds in the organization. For example, members of different age limits pose different qualities that benefit a firm such as young and energetic employees are well vast in technology and its implementation to solve the organizational crises or problems. Older and experienced employees possess the good skill and pose better managerial abilities on the other hand. As a result of the two diversities, an organization is bound to increase its level of output based on the implementation of the two, working towards one single goal. Additionally, employees from different backgrounds such as the Asians particularly the Chinese people are well vast regarding skills and innovation, while the Europeans, particularly the Germans are well known for their administration skills and techniques. As a result, if an organization was to recruit its staff members based on such a perspective, objective attainment of the companies could be easily achieved compared to an organization that depends on one background for its departmental roles.

Increased Customer Satisfaction

Konrad (2003) explains that through diversity, an organization can increase customer satisfaction either on service delivery or through its product. This satisfaction factor is developed by the precise understanding of the organization's target market with regards to real-time updates and quality of the service or product. According to Konrad (2003), a well diverse workforce consists of all races age and also education background, as a result of such qualities in the organization, the possibility of attaining customer satisfaction is easily achieved. For example, different age groups have different tastes as well as wants when it comes to service delivery. This could be achieved by the young employees who can advise the organization on the best product; it's timing as well as how to reach their target markets. This also applies to other differences brought about by work diversity such as color, race, culture and many more.

Language Skills

In the increasingly global market where ever organization aims at internationalizing its services as well as its product, communication skills are one of the major factors to consider. Additionally, language skills are also an essential requirement for local business. For example, in the modern world, it has become more of a common village brought about by the increase transportation and its efficiencies as well as the international business platform. As a result, the organization needs to have employees who can understand every customer based on the language and also culture. According to Guillaume, Dawson, Otaye‐Ebede, Woods, and West (2017) this is because if a customer is served on a more personal way in terms of understanding them, the customer is bound to be more loyal compared with a customer who is served on a different platform where understanding their language, preferences, as well as their background, would be, in regards to customer loyalties.

High levels of Workforce and Talent Retain

According to Ely, and Thomas (2001) one of the challenges that most companies are facing is the ability to retain good and skilled employees. This is developed by the increased competition in the employment sector where every individual wants to fill respected, and their efforts acknowledged by their employers. However, organizations that effectively implement the work diversity policy are considered to have fewer workforce turnovers as they can retain their employees. Additionally, diversity develops the persecution the organization is a good employer which makes the community perceive the organization in a better way. As a result of this positive perception the organization’s services and product increase their demand because of the increased brand value from the community at large.

Adaptively of the Organization and its Employees

Through the implementation and practice of workplace diversity in an organization, the adaptability levels are increased. This applies to both the organization on new markets or through introducing new services. The advantages are developed because of the understanding of the target market as well as the new markets presumption of the organization. On the other hand, adaptability is increased for the new employees at the company; this reduces the time and financial resources where new employees are trained and oriented into the organization. This is achieved because the workforce shares a lot of differences to the point that work is fun, as well as every employee, has a new thing to learn daily, meaning that the new employee shared the same platform as the old or current employees of the organization.

Unifying Factor

Ely and Thomas (2001) explain that diversity in the workplace acts as a unifying factor. This is because due to the differences from the employees, there is a lot to share, learn as well as teach, to which it developed communication, friendship as well as the connection between the employees. Due to the developed relationship employees develops a friendly environment for the organization and all its stockholders which later increases the organization productivity because of the created environment.

Mutual Respect

Mutual respect at the workplaces increases based on the implementation and practice of diversity at the workplace. According to Kirby, and Richard (2000) the difference between organizations that practices workplace diversity in comparison with another that does not accept diversity, the organization that never put into practice the diversity policies, most of its employees are too comfortable to each other than the value of respect is diminished. However, through workplace diversity, every member exercises respect based on how they perform their duties to how they communicate with each other. This is because diversity incorporates different background and cultures mining that even how one chooses there words while communicating is done very carefully. As a result of the differences, the situation develops mutual respect at the workplace.

Marketing Advantage

According to Konrad (2003) an organization that practices work diversity develops an opportunity to showcase to the public, there products and services. This organization that practices workplace diversity will seem more appealing, particularly if the practices of the organization are centered on the collaboration and unique thoughts that a diverse workforce brings to the table. Something that organizations will need to focus on, as it can rapidly turn into a missed open door. An organization has to embrace the diversity of the employees and consideration as a major aspect of its way of life, to take advantage of the competitors.

Challenges Faced while Implementing Diversity at the Workplace

Apart for the benefits that work diversity develops in an organization, intending companies to implement the policies must prepare for the following challenges in the implementation process;

Resistance from the Employees

Some of the employees might develop the fear of the unknown such as losing their jobs to create room for the balance ration with regards to diversity. On the other hand, employees might develop resistance based on the fear of change.

Communication

Diversity at the workplace could also develop communication problem based on the fact that it develops communication breakdown due to the difference in understanding at the organization

Managing diversity

According to Ely and Thomas (2001), the problem is that employees are very one sided if one of them is scrutinized or for example, their contract is terminated. As a result, it develops a lot of rumors as well as politicizing the situation. It is a challenge for many organizations to manage diversity, which mean any company intending to implement diversity it must formulate and implement effective strategies to control as well as administrate workplace diversity.

Conclusion

Workplace diversity is one of the major driving forces for the most organization based on the benefits that it contributes. On the other hand, companies that don’t practice workplace diversity, face a lot of challenges in keeping up with the competition, understanding their target market as well as keeping up with the modern day business environment such as, management diversity marketing approaches and also negotiations with other companies.

According to Pelled, Eisenhardt, and Xin (1999), recent statistics show that the diverse workforce have better employee retention, and also their production levels are high compared to non-diverse workplaces. On the other hand, the aggregate involvement and information that diversity at the workplace offers can upgrade associations with the group enhance your organization's capacity to identify with clients, enhance general creativity and better its capacity to adjust and adapt to significant changes. Additionally, through the teamwork element developed by workplace diversity, the employees and the organization, in general, are well positioned in countering any problem or challenge the organization might face in the long run.

In conclusion, workplace diversity can strengthen and improve problem-solving strategies at the organization. This is brought about by the increased solution varieties based on the various ideas generated by employees. Moreover, as a business consultant, I believe it's critical to have various employees who are capable of conveying distinctive perspectives to the table when you're doing credit examination. On the off chance that the organization has ever staff member who thinks on a similar way and has a similar foundation, there is a higher chance that the organization will always fail from the uniform idea generation on countless times. Keeping a differing workforce is critical, particularly today when more individuals than any time in before understanding their rights, know the labor law very well as well as the speed to which communication is made. For example, if a particular organization violates labor and constitutional or human rights the speed to which its brand name can be tarnished is very intense and fast, which later could contribute to legal penalties of the organization losing out on its target market.

















References

Ely, R. J., & Thomas, D. A. (2001). Cultural diversity at work: The effects of diverse perspectives on work group processes and outcomes. Administrative science quarterly, 46(2), 229-273.

Ely, R. J., & Thomas, D. A. (2001). Cultural diversity at work: The effects of diverse perspectives on work group processes and outcomes. Administrative science quarterly, 46(2), 229-273.

Gruenewald, D. A., & Smith, G. A. (Eds.). (2014). Place-based education in the global age: Local diversity. Routledge.

Guillaume, Y. R., Dawson, J. F., Otaye‐Ebede, L., Woods, S. A., & West, M. A. (2017). Harnessing demographic differences in organizations: What moderates the effects of workplace diversity?. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(2), 276-303.

Kirby, S. L., & Richard, O. C. (2000). Impact of marketing work-place diversity on employee job involvement and organizational commitment. The journal of social psychology, 140(3), 367-377.

Konrad, A. M. (2003). Special issue introduction: Defining the domain of workplace diversity scholarship. Group & Organization Management, 28(1), 4-17.

Lyons, S., & Kuron, L. (2014). Generational differences in the workplace: A review of the evidence and directions for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(S1).

Pelled, L. H., Eisenhardt, K. M., & Xin, K. R. (1999). Exploring the black box: An analysis of work group diversity, conflict, and performance. Administrative science quarterly, 44(1), 1-28.