It seems that diversity is a great thing...most of the time. When it comes to pi

Question

It seems that diversity is a great thing...most of the time. When it comes to pizza, ice cream, potato chips, and even cars, people love having diverse options; a cheese pizza lover can readily see the value in a pepperoni pizza, and would hardly be at odds with all pizzas because of a different topping.

As of 2012, approximately 36% of the workforce is comprised of people who are not Caucasian. These include Hispanics (16%), African Americans (12%), and Asians (5%). According to census data gathered by the Diversity Resource Center, there will be no ethnic or racial majority in the United States by the year 2050. This will heavily impact the workplace, as immigrants and their children will account for 83% of the workforce growth.

"Effective" diversity training in the workplace is vital to successful working relationships, and successful organizations. The following tips can help employers, and employees, modify their behavior to foster racial awareness, respect, and inclusion:

Practice respect - When interacting with people from a different racial background, respect the difference. If a coworker has a different ethnicity, unusual accent, or a name that’s difficult to pronounce, make the effort to respect and accept differences as equally valid as your own identity.

Avoid jokes - If you’re making fun of someone's race, ethnicity, or nationality, it can only lead to harmful consequences. If you want to be witty or funny, poke fun at yourself.

Say "No" to stereotypes - The problem with stereotypes is that they can be hurtful – even when intended as a compliment. But even positive, complementary stereotypes are far from true – and usually frustrate the individual....one size does not fit all!

Get cultured -  If coworkers are of a different race, or born in another country, make the effort to learn about their race and background. Everyone should be proud of who they are, but pride should never be synonymous with superiority.

Include everyone - Whenever making business decisions, involve people from diverse races. Involving team members from all backgrounds will help ensure that your decisions will be successful in our increasingly multi-ethnic/multi-racial society.

What should diversity training look like in 2018?

Have you ever participated in diversity training? Was it beneficial? If yes, why? If no, why not?

How can the case be made that diversity in the workplace is good for the bottom line, and good for everyone (e.g, employees, vendors, customers, communities, etc.)?

Explanation / Answer

The world is a changed place now and so are businesses. They show the lost amount of diversity out of any other field and therefore should have more emphasis on diversity training than any other category or faction. In 2018, diversity training should contain both seminars and online training which will allow the most amount of rules and regulations to be understood by the entire company. It is not just the job of the employee but also the employer to take part in such training to be able to create an environment which supports diversity and allow the company to move as a single unit which is undivided and does not have any differentiation.

Personally, I haven't participated in diversity training but, I do feel that It is a necessary step that my organization requires in order to allow it to function at its best. Not only would it allow us to communicate better without work acquaintances, it will allow us to form a bond that helps everybody collaborate and work more efficiently. I have not participated in any such training due to the fact that my organization is still small in its size and diversity isn't as big a challenge as it is for a bigger corporation with multiple subsidiaries.

3. When a workforce is diverse, it allows a company to be able to function properly. This not only means in the sense of work output but harmony, a healthy work environment, harassment free conduct and proper communication. Diverse workforce allows a company to create multiple solutions from all point of views and walks of life and allows the company to be able to handle the different situation with different intensity. It is therefore good for the bottom line.

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