Diversity in Organizations

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Chapter Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
Describe the two major forms of workforce diversity. Define the key biographical characteristics and describe how they are relevant to OB. Define intellectual ability and demonstrate its relevance to OB. Contrast the two types of ability. Describe how organizations manage diversity effectively. Show how culture affects our understanding of biographical characteristics and intellectual abilities.

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Diversity

Surface-level diversity
Deep-level diversity
Diversity Management
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Biographical Characteristics
Objective and easily obtained personal characteristics. Age
Older workers bring experience, judgment, a strong work ethic, and commitment to quality.

Gender
Few differences between men and women that affect job performance.

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Biographical Characteristics (Continued)

Disability
Todays organizations have started making efforts to hire people with disabilities.

Tenure
People with job tenure (seniority at a job) are more productive, absent less frequently, have lower turnover, and are more satisfied.

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Other Biographical Characteristics

Religion
May impact the workplace in areas of dress, grooming, and scheduling. The law prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of their religion.

Sexual Orientation
In June 2009, the High Court of Delhi, in a landmark judgment, decriminalized homosexual sex between consenting adults, overturning a 149-year-old British colonial law Domestic partner benefits are an important consideration.

Gender Identity
Relatively new issue transgendered employees.
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Ability
An individuals capacity to perform the various tasks in a job. Intellectual and Physical Abilities

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Ability
Made up of two sets of factors:
Intellectual Abilities
The abilities needed to perform mental activities. General Mental Ability (GMA) is a measure of overall intelligence. No correlation between intelligence and job satisfaction.

Physical Abilities
The capacity to do tasks demanding stamina, dexterity, strength, and similar characteristics.

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Dimensions of Intellectual Ability

Number Aptitude

Memory

Verbal Comprehension

Spatial Visualization

Intellectual Ability

Perceptual Speed

Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning

See E X H I B I T 23 for details

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Nine Basic Physical Abilities

Strength Factors Dynamic strength Trunk strength Static strength Explosive strength

See E X H I B I T 24 for details

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Flexibility Factors

Flexibility Factors Extent flexibility Dynamic flexibility

See E X H I B I T 24 for details

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Other Physical Factors

Other Factors Body coordination Balance Stamina

See E X H I B I T 24 for details

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Role of Disabilities
When focusing on ability, it can create problems when attempting to develop workplace policies that recognize diversity in terms of disabilities. It is important to recognize diversity and strive for it in the hiring process. An organization needs to be careful to avoid discriminatory practices by making generalizations about people with disabilities.

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Implementing Diversity Management Strategies

Making everybody more aware and sensitive to the needs of others.
Attracting, Selecting, Developing, and Retaining the Diverse Employees

Working with Diversity in Groups

Effective Diversity Programs

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Global Implications
Biographical Characteristics
Not much evidence on the global relevance of the relationships described in this chapter. Countries do vary dramatically on their biographical composition.

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Additional Global Implications

Intellectual Abilities
Structures and measures of intelligence generalize across cultures.

Diversity Management
Diversity management is important across the globe. However, different cultures will use different frameworks for handling diversity.

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Summary and Managerial Implications

Summary:
Ability
Directly influences employees level of performance. Managers need to focus on ability in selection, promotion, and transfer. Fine-tune job to fit incumbents abilities.

Biographical Characteristics
Should not be used in management decisions: possible source of bias.

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Summary and Managerial Implications

Diversity Management
Must be an ongoing commitment at all levels of the organization. Policies must include multiple perspectives and be long term in their orientation to be effective.

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Learning

Learning Involves change Is relatively permanent Is acquired through experience

Theories of Learning (contd)

Key Concepts Reinforcement is required to change behavior. Some rewards are more effective than others. The timing of reinforcement affects learning speed and permanence.

Methods of Shaping Behavior

Positive reinforcement (giving reward) Negative Reinforcement strengthens a behavior because a negative condition is stopped or avoided as a consequence of the behavior eg.Driving in heavy traffic is a negative condition for most of us. You leave home earlier than usual one morning, and don't run into heavy traffic. You leave home earlier again the next morning and again you avoid heavy traffic. Your behavior of leaving home earlier is strengthened by the consequence of the avoidance of heavy traffic. Punishment, on the other hand, weakens a behavior because a negative condition is introduced or experienced as a consequence of the behavior Extinction: When a behavior is not reinforced it stops showing. This is called extinction

Schedules of Reinforcement

Schedules of Reinforcement (contd)

Schedules of Reinforcement

Fixed-ratio

Behavior Modification

Problem-solving Model Identify critical behaviors Develop baseline data Identify behavioral consequences Apply intervention Evaluate performance improvement

OB MOD Organizational Applications

Well Pay versus Sick Pay
Reduce absenteeism by rewarding attendance, not absence.

Employee Discipline
The use of punishment can be counter-productive.

Developing Training Programs

OB MOD methods improve training effectiveness.

Self-management
Reduces the need for external management control.