Affirmative Action and Diversity Repurposed work from class HRM315-1301B-09 Professor Barbara Costa

Tina Phillips

HRM315-1302A-07

Managing Human Resources

Professor Derrick Nelson

Individual Project 1 April 15th, 2013

Affirmative Action and Diversity Repurposed work from class HRM315-1301B-09 Professor Barbara Costa

Affirmative Action Refers to quite a few federal laws that require Federal contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to make certain that all individuals have an equal opportunity for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or status as a veteran. Diversity Refers to the broader community assessment of appreciating the contributions of all employees. Managing diversity facilitates the community to garner the finest profit from its diverse workforce. Elements of a Culturally Diverse Workforce For a culture to tolerate, revolutionize must come from inside the company. Core beliefs and values form the groundwork for lasting change. The impact of workplace diversity initiatives originally depends on pinnacle administration of making a obligation to reallocate the culture and to cultivate ways to lodge, give power to and encourage each employee. I have composed a list of basic cultural elements that I fell are essential for change: Values help build admiration and conviction Heroes character models of victory from diverse assemblages Stories and Legends about outstanding employees and the new ways of succeeding in the corporation Rituals help inflate unusual and new ways of intermingling and operating things Ceremonies distinguishing employees from diverse groups, are momentous to everyone

Affirmative Action and Diversity Repurposed work from class HRM315-1301B-09 Professor Barbara Costa

Symbols or Slogans help to correspond to an all-encompassing view.

Challenges Taking full lead of the benefits of diversity in the workplace is not without its challenges. Some of those challenges are: Communication Perceptual, cultural and language barriers need to be triumph over for diversity programs to accomplish something. Ineffective communication of key objectives end result is confusion, lack of teamwork, and low morale. Resistance to change There are always employees who will refuse to accept the fact the social and cultural makeup of their workplace is changing. The weve always done it this way mentality silences new ideas and inhibits progress. Implementation of diversity in the workplace policies - This can be the overriding challenge to all diversity advocates. Armed with the results of employee assessments and research data, they must build and implement a customized strategy to maximize the effects of diversity in the workplace for their particular organization. Successful Management of diversity in the workplace Diversity training alone is not sufficient for your organizations diversity management plan. A strategy must be created and implemented to create a culture of diversity that permeates every department and function of the company. Steps Diversity and equality in the workplace are vital to a healthy, growing company. Employing people of all genders and races can make an organization stronger. If you hold a

Affirmative Action and Diversity Repurposed work from class HRM315-1301B-09 Professor Barbara Costa

position of influence in your company, you can help to ensure that your company is treating people equitably and had appropriate diversification. Diversity includes not just race, but also gender, religion, mental abilities, sexual orientation and culture. By taking these steps you will help your company improve. Objective 1o Analyze your current employee population. . Calculate the ratio of women and minorities in management positions as well as the overall minority employment percentage for the company. Other aspects of diversity might be harder to measure, because employees might fit into multiple categories. Objective 2 o Form a committee. The group should be diverse in nature and be made up of volunteers. The committee should meet regularly to discuss ideas to increase diversity and promote equitable hiring in your organization. Set definite goals, and develop strategies to meet the goals. Objective 3 o Review or write a company equally employment policy. Make certain your organization is in compliance with federal laws. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission watches for harassment, unfair treatment, retaliation and whether a company refuses to provide reasonable workplace accommodations to employees in need. Have a labor attorney review any policy before implementation. Set up a periodic review to ensure your policy remains up-todate. Objective 4

Affirmative Action and Diversity Repurposed work from class HRM315-1301B-09 Professor Barbara Costa

o Recruit deliberately for new and open positions. When recruiting for jobs, advertise in ethnic newspapers, enlist the help of local universities, and encourage minorities and women to apply. Create incentives for current employees who recommend prospective employees who meet your companys standards. Objective 5 o Train current employees on diversity issues in the workplace. You should train all employees in sensitivity to diversity issues. Give support to new employees by establishing a mentoring program. Objective 6 o Set consequences for racial discrimination and unacceptable work environments. Include progressive disciplinary procedures that your company will follow if one employee files a complaint against another employee. Counseling, probation and termination are all options. Create an environment that encourages open communication and candor. Monitoring Every company should develop systems of measures to continually monitor the effectiveness of their diversity initiatives and make adjustments as needed. The results should be shared and discussed with senior managers and supervisors. Regularly monitor the company workforce profile. Periodic analysis of the resulting data will help determine progress and successes. In turn, the data may be used to adjust recruiting strategies and other workforce planning initiatives as needed.

Affirmative Action and Diversity Repurposed work from class HRM315-1301B-09 Professor Barbara Costa

Monitor existing career development systems and programs to ensure that cultural bias is not a factor in participation rates. Evaluate and re0engineer career development systems and programs to better achieve the companys diversity goals.

Work with EEO/Civil Rights office to monitor agency numbers and trends regarding formal EEO complaints.

Monitor the number and diversity of applicants and participants in developmental opportunities and assess the effectiveness of the publicity efforts.

Affirmative Action and Diversity Repurposed work from class HRM315-1301B-09 Professor Barbara Costa References Thomas, R.R. (1991). Beyond race and gender: Unleashing the power of your total work force by managing diversity. New York: American Management Association. Hayles, R., & Mendez R. A. (1997). The diversity directive: Why some initiatives fail and what to do about it. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.