Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
In today’s rapidly changing global market, many organizations pay greater attention to cultural diversity, which has become an essential business concern. Workforce diversity refers to differences between individuals, including national origin, religion, language, age, color, and even skills and attitudes. As we know, people differ in all kinds of visible and non-visible aspects. Therefore, cultural diversity is a complex phenomenon to manage, and it is not easy to control people within an organization. So, there are many challenges that organizations face because of cultural diversity.
However, these cultural differences, when utilized well, contribute a large number of benefits to the organization, leading to more productivity, increasing competitive position, improving customer service, valuing diversity within employees, and broadening the commercial image of the company. Having a diverse workforce in an organization opens new ways for problem-solving and can supply multiple solutions to problems in service, sourcing, and allocating resources (Greenberg 2005). A diverse workforce has people from different backgrounds with different ideas, beliefs, and ways of thinking. In order to run a business successfully, people with those differences, including skills and experiences, are needed since people are the most important assets of an organization. Workers with diverse backgrounds also bring unique experiences and perceptions to the groups and work teams, which strengthen team productivity and responsiveness to changing conditions. According to Ingram, each employee in a diverse workplace also possesses unique strengths and weaknesses derived from their culture, in addition to their individuality.
Therefore, when managed properly, diversity in the workplace can leverage the strengths and balance the weaknesses of each worker, improving the performance of each employee and the team. Moreover, as a whole, it creates more innovative ideas, which lead to the company’s growth and increased productivity. Cultural diversity in the workplace also increases a company’s competitive position in the market. Every company in the world always tries to create and capitalize on competitiveness, ensuring productivity and long-term survival. Presently, the competitiveness of companies in the markets has increased so much that the need to gain advantages in competition has become more essential than ever before. A diverse cultural workforce helps the company to
Adapt to the changing market easily. Also, since most of our societies are multicultural, the company needs to become familiar with the societal aspects of thinking in order to achieve its goals and targets. Globalization of people in a company approaches society’s thoughts easily. It opens many ways to view the world differently from diverse angles and perspectives. Therefore, the company can easily find out the needs and wants of the customer. As a result, without much difficulty, the employees will be able to supply the services according to the desires of the customers, making the company more recognizable in society. To stand out in a crowded field of competitors, customer service is a very serious factor. World-leading companies take more market share by providing remarkably better customer service.
Hence, the importance of cultural diversity is very much needed in order to have high-quality customer service. A multi-skilled, diverse workforce creates more opportunities to understand and satisfy the needs of your community, making better and more responsive services. Also, language and cultural competencies are very valuable to companies these days. Organizations having employees who speak different languages can easily communicate with customers and suppliers. Moreover, being identical in cultures between clients and employees of organizations helps the employee to communicate skillfully, creating a healthy understanding of the matter. Therefore, organizations with cultural diversity can easily access overseas markets, building a high level of connection within the market. Furthermore, working environments that respect and value diversity are free from discrimination and harassment and also create an environment that respects each other regardless of color, race, and religion.
It also generates an atmosphere where employment decisions are based on merit and performance, and the belief in diversity encourages staff to work in their areas of strength. As a result, employees have equal chances to participate and maximize their potential to perform at the highest level of their ability, resulting in improved job satisfaction and commitment through greater participation in decision-making. This helps employees stay longer, minimizing employee turnover rates, and also reduces employee absenteeism within the organization, equating to cost savings for the organization. Moreover, employees from different backgrounds can make a company attractive to both prospective clients and future employees, broadening the organization’s commercial image. According to Goessl (2008), global relationships are an important aspect that should be considered when engaging in business on the international level. When you have a diverse group of employees, you will be able to reach out on a worldwide level easily because you will have a better understanding of different cultures when engaging in business. In today’s global market, this is an important component that should be considered when doing business.
Therefore, a diverse workforce indicates the changing world and the marketplace, and people from different backgrounds contribute great value to organizations. Valuing diversity and respecting individual differences promotes the workplace by creating competitiveness and increasing work productivity. Diversity management benefits the organization and employees by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges. However, today, most workplaces are made up of diverse cultures, so organizations need to learn how to adjust to be successful by managing and utilizing the differences well and accordingly.
End Text References
Greenberg, J. (2005). ‘Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions’. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Diversity-in-the-Workplace:-Benefits,-Challenges-and-Solutions&id=11053
Ingram discusses the advantages and disadvantages of diversity in the workplace in her article, which can be found at http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-diversity-workplace-3041.html.
Goessl, L. (2008). The Benefits of Cultural Diversity in the Workplace.” Retrieved from http://www.helium.com/items/1184196-benefits-of-cultural-diversity-in-the-workplace.
