Wednesday, 08-02-2012
Posted on 2009-03-24 in Training
Diversity Management in the Workplace
Diversity Management in the Workplace
Paul Golden investigates the value to organisations of having in place a diversity management strategy...A diverse workplace should be seen as more than a regulatory requirement or a vague aspiration; it is an opportunity to create an environment that benefits a company’s staff, its customers and its bottom line.
Diversity is one of the recognised characteristics of a 'workplace of the future' and there is a growing bank of research to support the view that the more diverse a workplace is, the more creative, innovative, open and productive it is.
In a recent study, conducted jointly by the National Centre for Partnership & Performance (NCPP) and the Equality Authority, amongst 132 of Ireland's top companies, those implementing advanced diversity management practices were found to be ‘6.5 per cent more productive’ than their competitors as well as showing greater levels of innovation and experiencing lower staff turnover.
‘There is little doubt that there is a compelling business case for diversity management, in Irish business today,’ said NCPP Head of Communications, Conor Leeson. ‘Having explicit and proactive diversity polices in place also tends to enhance a company's reputation with customers and suppliers, as it is often considered to be more outward-looking and forward-thinking than its competitors. It can also be of direct benefit to employees, whether in terms of reduced stress levels, increased job satisfaction or greater organisational commitment.’
Fionuala Cregan, of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism in Ireland says that, ‘while training is an important tool for raising awareness and challenging perceptions, it must be linked to policy and behaviour to have a long-term impact. In other words, diversity management should be part of a whole organisation approach that includes policy and good practice. It is also important that training in diversity issues is provided at all levels of the organisation and that an engaging approach is taken to the formulation and delivery of diversity training in the workplace. Training should challenge perceptions but without seeking to humiliate.’
Cregan agrees that there are many benefits in a diverse workplace, for both companies and employees. ‘It shows the inclusive ethos of the company and is welcoming to minority ethnic employees and customers/service users. Research has shown that diversity creates a more cohesive workplace, reduces conflict and provides access to wider ranges of experience, talent and ideas from staff from a variety of backgrounds. It also communicates a message promoting greater equality within the wider community served by the business.’
Cregan believes it is necessary to move on from the idea of tolerance. ‘The word tolerance was once commonly used in relation to inter-ethnic and inter-faith relations. However, it is now considered inadequate as it assumes superiority of the persons who tolerate towards the supposed inferior group/person to be tolerated. Tolerance is most often used in connection with something people don’t like and as such, to tolerate another person or persons is a minimum standard and not an ideal such as interculturalism.’
Organisations of all sizes can benefit, but multinational companies are particularly well placed to reap the rewards. Many such organisations have outlined their commitment to diversity in the same way as they have detailed their policies in key areas, such as health and safety or corporate social responsibility.
A spokesperson for AIB Group (see the accompanying Case Study) said the bank recognises that its continued growth and success depends on maintaining the trust and confidence of its staff, customers, shareholders and stakeholders. ‘As an employer, we believe that valuing the diversity of all our people is an essential component of the values of honesty, integrity and fairness. Diversity is not just about gender, race, age or disability, it is also about differences in personality, beliefs, working and thinking style. Harnessing these differences creates a working environment where all our people feel valued and respected in reaching their potential, in generating and sharing ideas and in working together to drive individual, team and business success.
‘At the heart of our business we recognise the need to understand the changing nature and increasing diversity of our customers. We treat all our customers with fairness and with respect as we aim to offer the best service, the best products and the best delivery methods we can to meet their needs.’
These comments illustrate the strong economic reasons for promoting diversity in the workplace. Speaking during Anti-Racist Workplace Week 2007, Small Firms Association (SFA) Assistant Director, Avine McNally said that, ‘if Ireland is to take its place among the most advanced, competitive economies in the world, we are going to have to embrace the concept of a multi-ethnic workplace to a far greater extent.’ She continued: ‘With some 420,000 non-Irish nationals currently living in Ireland, it makes good economic sense for the small business sector to actively support diversity in Irish society and the elimination of racism in business and employment. Within the workplace every one should have equal expression and opportunity for training and advancement.’
The Small Firms Association has, in recent years, become increasingly concerned about racism in Ireland and its negative effects in the workplace. The SFA advocates that companies take practical steps to ensure equality, whether through implementing an equality policy in the workplace, taking part in anti-racist and diversity management training or having staff/customer discussion groups to learn more about minority ethnic workers and customers.
The association has called for a more proactive approach from Government agencies and others in dealing with the issue, for example the provision of codes of practice outlining best practice in employment and in the provision of goods and services.
As for the delivery of training, Joe MacAree of business psychology consultancy Pearn Kandola believes role play can be an effective tool. ‘It gives people a chance to suggest ways of developing appropriate styles and shows them what it is like to be on the receiving side of their own behaviour, helping employers address sensitive issues. It is helpful to give people a scenario that challenges stereotypes and gives them a feeling for what it is like to come from a different background.’
CASE STUDY
AIB Group employs 24,000 staff in more than 750 offices worldwide. In 2007, it launched its diversity statement, highlighting the growing importance of embracing diversity and its implications within the workplace. To support this, a training module entitled Diversity Awareness was launched.
‘Diversity is about embracing and respecting people’s differences,’ said Mary Toomey, AIB’s Head of Group Human Resources. ‘We welcome diversity in that it provides opportunities to expand our business into new geographic locations, recruiting individuals from various backgrounds and providing services to customers across the globe.’
As diversity affects all AIB employees in their daily activities, the company provides this training to all employees. This training module (which is delivered through AIB’s e-learning system) is mandatory for all staff and new entrants to the group receive it as part of the induction process.
The module’s content was developed in-house by AIB’s training team, with support from external expertise. Having a group-wide, e-learning system in place facilitates the design, delivery and tracking of training such as diversity awareness. Once training content is developed it can be delivered quickly to staff across the diverse range of locations via e-learning, which also greatly enhances tracking of completed training and production of training statistics.
