MARKETING AFRICA MAL 18/17 mal 18:17 online | Page 87
the workplace plan: The personal
commitment of executive and
managerial teams is a must. Leaders
and managers within organizations
must incorporate diversity policies
into every aspect of the organization’s
function and purpose. Attitudes toward
diversity originate at the top and filter
downward. Management cooperation
and participation is required to create a
culture conducive to the success of the
organization’s plan.
Strategies for managing Diversity in
the Work Place
Ward off change resistance with
inclusion: involve every employee
possible in formulating and executing
diversity initiatives in the workplace.
Foster an attitude of openness in your
organization: encourage employees
to express their ideas and opinions
and attribute a sense of equal value
to all. Promote diversity in leadership
positions: this practice provides
visibility and realizes the benefits of
diversity in the workplace. Utilize
diversity training: use it as a tool to
shape the diversity policy.
Launch a customizable employee
satisfaction survey that provides
comprehensive reporting: use the
results to build and implement
successful diversity in the workplace
policies. Avoid allowing tenure,
ethnic background or any other
kind of category into the human
resources policies. Managing a diverse
workplace begins with strong policies
of equality from the company. Rate the
qualifications of the candidate based on
the quality of his experience, not age or
any other category, when hiring. Hold quarterly trainings for
the entire staff on the benefits
of diversity in the workplace.
Encourage discussions at these
meetings on how the company can
better manage workplace diversity.
Gain senior leadership commitment.
Support local/community
diversity groups. Promote open
communication and dialogue to
overcome behavioral resistance,
improve understanding and gain
acceptance of diversity as a cultural
norm
Encourage diversity when creating
teams and special work groups
within the company. If a manager
creates a work group that does
not utilize the skills of the most
qualified employees, then the
group should be changed to
include all qualified staff members.
Treat complaints of favoritism or
discrimination seriously. Encourage
employees to report all instances of
discriminatory behavior, and have
a definitive process in place for
investigating and dealing with these
issues. As economies become increasingly
global, our workforce becomes
increasingly diverse. Organizational
success and competitiveness will
depend on the ability to manage
diversity in the workplace effectively.
Dr. Kellen Kiambati holds an MBA
in Strategic Management from the
Kenya Methodist University and a
PhD in Business Administration with
a focus in Strategic Management from
JKUAT. She is a member of the Institute
of Human Resource Management
of Kenya. She can be reached via:
[email protected].