Week 2 Notes
January 18, 2023 11:09 AM
Chapter 3 - Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
What is Workplace diversity?
• The ways in which people in an organization are different and similar to one another
• Managers and organizations should view employees as having qualities in common as well as
differences that separate them
Surface Level Diversity
• Easily perceived differences that can trigger stereotypes , but dont necessarily reflect the ways
people think/feel
• Deep level diversity
• Differences in values, personality, and work preferences
Why is workplace diversity so important?
People management
• Diversity about people, both inside/outside organization
Organizational performance
• Cost savings include reducing employee turnover, absenteeism, and the chance of lawsuits
Strategic benefits
• Workforce diversity is a key to extracting the best talent performance, market share, suppliers
from a diverse country and world
Workforce Diversity
The ways in which people in an organization are different from and similar to one another
Surface Level Diversity
Easily perceived differences that may trigger certain stereotypes, but that do not neccessarily reflect the
ways people think or feel.
Deep level diversity
Differences in values, personality and work preferences
People Management
• Better use of employee talent
• Increased quality of team problem-solving efforts
• Ability to attract and retain employees of diverse backgrounds
Organizational Performance
• Reduced cost associated with high turnover, absenteeism and lawsuits
• Enhanced problem solving ability
• Improved system flexibility
Strategic benefits
• Increased understanding of marketplace, which improves ability to better market to diverse
consumers
• Potential to improve sales growth and increase market share
• Potential source of competitive advantage because of improved innovation efforts
• Viewed as moral and ethical, the right thing to do
The Changing workplace
• Gender balanced
• Multi-ethnic
• Still in transition
• Changing demographics
○ Canadian populations
○ World populations
January 18, 2023 11:09 AM
Chapter 3 - Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
What is Workplace diversity?
• The ways in which people in an organization are different and similar to one another
• Managers and organizations should view employees as having qualities in common as well as
differences that separate them
Surface Level Diversity
• Easily perceived differences that can trigger stereotypes , but dont necessarily reflect the ways
people think/feel
• Deep level diversity
• Differences in values, personality, and work preferences
Why is workplace diversity so important?
People management
• Diversity about people, both inside/outside organization
Organizational performance
• Cost savings include reducing employee turnover, absenteeism, and the chance of lawsuits
Strategic benefits
• Workforce diversity is a key to extracting the best talent performance, market share, suppliers
from a diverse country and world
Workforce Diversity
The ways in which people in an organization are different from and similar to one another
Surface Level Diversity
Easily perceived differences that may trigger certain stereotypes, but that do not neccessarily reflect the
ways people think or feel.
Deep level diversity
Differences in values, personality and work preferences
People Management
• Better use of employee talent
• Increased quality of team problem-solving efforts
• Ability to attract and retain employees of diverse backgrounds
Organizational Performance
• Reduced cost associated with high turnover, absenteeism and lawsuits
• Enhanced problem solving ability
• Improved system flexibility
Strategic benefits
• Increased understanding of marketplace, which improves ability to better market to diverse
consumers
• Potential to improve sales growth and increase market share
• Potential source of competitive advantage because of improved innovation efforts
• Viewed as moral and ethical, the right thing to do
The Changing workplace
• Gender balanced
• Multi-ethnic
• Still in transition
• Changing demographics
○ Canadian populations
○ World populations
