DIVERSITY

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DIVERSITY

• The Advantages of Diversity to an
  Organizationand How Diversity may be Difficult
  to Implement

TEAM MEMBERS Roberto Ferrante Nathan
Whalen Jennifer Normand Brenden Tyler
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What is DIVERSITY?

• Human qualities that are different from our own
  that are present in other individuals
• AGE
• ETHNICITY
• ANCESTRY
• GENDER
• PHYSICAL ABILITIES/QUALITIES
• RACE
• SEXUAL ORIENTATION
• EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
• GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
• INCOME
• MARITAL STATUS
• RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
• WORK EXPIRENCE

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How Is Diversity Advantageous?

• A company with a diverse workforce has many
  strategic advantages, the most important,
  perhaps, being a healthy environment for all its
  employees. Demonstrating social awareness and
  responsibility as a corporate citizen speaks
  volumes about a company to its customers,
  shareholders, employees and communities where
  they live. Diversity reflects the companys
  progressive nature and open, innovative thinking
  
• (REF-McCormack).

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Diversity Offers Increased Organizational
Productivity!

• Equally respective environment
• increased productivity
• extra effort in for their employer
• A diverse workplace is one which promotes equity
  and respect

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Diversity Offers More Effective Problem Solving!

• Diversity incorporates many different life
  experiences and challenges into the workplace.
• greater scope of opinions and suggestions to the
  decision making process
• diverse perspectives and open minds to come up
  with better solutions

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Diversity Offers More Convenient Accommodation
For Global Commerce!

• Globalization on the rise
• strategic diversity in your organization
• important business advantage
• Diverse perspectives
• Unique ideas

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Diversity Can Enhance Corporate Image!

• reflection of Canadian society
• new demographic reality
• hanging face of workers
• attract a wider range of employees as well as
  possible business clients

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Diversity Offers Greater Employee Motivation!

• equal opportunity to all the different employees
• greater motivation and productivity out of the
  employee
• strong correlation between diversity and employee
  motivation
• respected and valued for being different will
  foster productivity

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Diversity Offers Greater Organizational
Innovation and Creativity!

• open-minded work environment in which a wide
  variety of opinions and experiences are brought
  forth
• different backgrounds
• different experiences
• different attitudes
• success and sustainability of a creative research
  environment

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Difficulties With the Implementation of Diversity

• Systemic Discrimination The exclusion of any
  member from any group due to the application of
  employment policies or practices that are based
  on criteria that are not job related

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Senior Managements Commitment to Diversity

• If not committed a diversity initiative will fail
  
• An organizations leaders must link the overall
  business strategy with the diversity program they
  are implementing
• This includes linking the successful management
  of diversity with promotions and other forms of
  compensation
• Changing the culture of the organization

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Performance Barriers

• Reduction in effective communication
• With diversity comes the increased chance that
  discrimination or conflict may occur
• Employees may not be as committed to a group or
  organization
• Lengthened forming and storming stages of
  teamwork can reduce performance

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Education of Managers and Employees

• Diversity education can teach new stereotypes as
  they attempt to erase old ones
• encompasses race, gender, ethnicity, age, working
  styles, education or anything that sets employees
  apart
• Training should include teamwork, communication
  styles, decision-making, conflict resolution,
  traditional diversity training

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Communication Barriers

• Communication barriers
• Language
• Gestures
• Cultural differences
• Prejudices
• customs

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Other Difficulties

• Addressing the deeper issues of discrimination
• Matching amount of change an organization can
  accommodate with available resources
• Failure to clearly articulate why an organization
  is devoting time, effort and resources to a
  diversity initiative
• Insuring all company sponsored events and
  activities are inclusive

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CONSEQUENCES OF INGNORING DIVERSITY

• Unhealthy work environment
• Loss of productivity
• Complaints and legal actions increase costs
• Loss of Sales due to poor public opinion
• Not capitalizing on an attainable competitive
  advantage

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Diversity

• Many benefits
• Only through effective team work
• Difficulties much more abundant
• More often the case
• Dont reach full potential