Diversity that Matters and Diversity that Should not Matter in Organizations

Diversity that Matters and Diversity that Should not Matter in Organizations

Matters: Experience, training, successes, failures, teamwork, collaboration, attitude, work ethic, willingness to participate, willingness to ask questions, to admit you do not know. Ability to learn new ways of working, respect of others, recognition of all the attributes of other individuals that should not matter.

Should not matter: Age, race, sex, religion, culture, nation of origin, culture, native language.

All personal attributes contribute to the values, the personality, the ways of thinking, these things are valued in the workplace. However, Diversity based on things that do not matter, does not matter.

		Maurice Hogarth Consultant, United Kingdom
	The Image of the Organisation Within Society I worked in an organisation which, despite having no policies or procedures or behaviours to support such an image, was considered, by the diverse population around where it was based, to be a 'white employer'. Any organisation 'wishing' to be seen as an employer of diversity must therefore, it seems, take active steps to break down such a perception. Easier said than done. If an organisation needs a particular level of learning for a particular job-role and this is possessed by only a particular cultural-racial group then it will be perceived to be an employer of this group. To what extent is an organisation responsible for the educational attainments of the population it is located within? To what extent is an organisation responsible for motivating the local population's aspirations? The promoting of diversity seems to be founded in a society's approach to education and then in its social structuring. As I infer from John Henry's posting and agree with, competence from either ability or capability are what matters when recruiting and selecting, other attributes should not matter. Unfortunately there is the part of the 'iceberg' below the water of hidden, possibly sub-conscious, possibly from ignorance, biases and prejudices within many individuals that can make it uncomfortable to have to work alongside someone who "is not one of us". It would be easier if we weren't starting from here, but here is where we are. So, if we want to manage a diverse workforce we need to work smarter (and harder) at creating comfort within a diverse society.

		John Henry Project Manager, United States
	Content of the Character Diversity matters, the recognition of racial equality matters, the difference between real diversity, and perceived dive...

		Alois Mabutho Student (MBA), Tanzania
	Identity of the Individual A person's experience, successes, failures, work ethic, teamwork, collaboration, attitude, willingness to participate, w...

		John Henry Project Manager, United States
	I Agree that Individuality and Inclusion of Divergency is the Path to Diversity Now, you specifically tell me of the correct mix of age, race, gender, religious beliefs, culture, even the very languag...

		John Henry Project Manager, United States
	One More Reality Maybe? Businesses do not exist for the benefit of their employees. People have work because they benefit the business. So if yo...

		Gandhi Heryanto Management Consultant, Indonesia
	Reactive and Proactive Diversity Management Technological advances that facilitate the creation of global economic globalization make corporations, especially multi...

		Maurice Hogarth Consultant, United Kingdom
	Another Reality @John Henry: Agreed, Apart from making a change to your comment "...If you want however to see things change for the p...