Consulting Services: Workplace Diversity

Implement Workplace Diversity Initiatives

Shifting workforce demographics are bringing changes to today’s workplace. As the workforce changes, the people management issues change. For example, the number and diversity of languages, cultural differences and religious differences present opportunities for new ways of communicating. Differences also foster creativity, new ideas and improvement. Unfortunately differences can also present opportunities for misunderstanding.

Don’t overlook the unique talent that each individual brings to the workplace. It is the root of workplace diversity and an important people issue.

Through an assessment of your business and people issues, GEMS Group can help you to develop a positive corporate culture built on inclusion and respect. We can

• Conduct climate assessments
• Design diversity management initiatives
• Design and implement HR programs
• Develop tools to measure progress and success

Consider the following core values that characterize respectful work environments. Establishing such a culture action and commitment. Maintaining it requires continual care.

• There is a high comfort level with diversity and differences
• Disagreements are not judgmental
• All values are understood and appreciated
• Stereotypes are checked and challenged
• Problems are resolved constructively
• Accomplishments are shared
• Supportive behavior prevails
• Disrespectful behavior is not tolerated

Recommended Action Items for Workplace Diversity

• Build your diversity initiative on the cornerstone of inclusion and respect.
• Recognize that your workplace diversity initiative is a process and not an event.
• Ensure that your workplace diversity initiative supports your organization’s business goal and is integrated throughout the organization.
• Understand the change nature of the workforce, and develop programs, strategies and processes that reflect these changes into your workplace diversity initiative.
• Recognize that the changing nature of the marketplace affects your customers and clients and address these changes in your workplace diversity initiative.
• Monitor and understand changing legal and regulatory constraints and audit these changes against your workplace diversity initiative to assure compliance is maintained.
• Challenge impending government changes that will increase burden and limit your flexibility to respond to changing workforce and market trends.
• Recognize that equal employment opportunity and affirmative action continue to exist and that they can complement your diversity efforts.
• Partner with schools and outreach agencies to narrow the skills gap and address language barriers.
• Assess the diversity issues within your organization with respect to societal issues such as race, gender, and socio-economic status as well as with respect to organizational issues such as line of business, geographic region or functional specialty

Workforce Challenges for the Twenty-First Century

Workforce Challenges for the Twenty-First Century
Cornelia Gamlem, SPHR
Workplace Diversity Committee

As we prepare to enter the twenty-first century, we see increasing changes within the American workforce. During the past hundred years, the workforce moved from the farm to the factory as the industrial revolution dramatically changed the way people work. This change gave rise to a plethora of laws and regulations designed to address abuses in the labor market such as child labor, lack of protection against injury, layoff for old age and disability and systemic discrimination of groups of individuals that resulted in extreme poverty (Anthony, Perrewe, & Kacmar, 1999). As changes continue, and we move from the industrial to the information age, the challenges to Human Resource professionals increase. :>: Read More (PDF File 143 KB)

Resource:

Driving Results for Diversity Recruiting (PDF Document 249KB)

For additional information about our services contact us at info@gemsgroup-hr.com.

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