Ch 2 - Diversity and Inclusion at Work

Diversity? Inclusion? Explain why diversity and inclusion go hand in hand?

Diversity: The ways in which people are similar or different from each other

• sex, gender identify, race, age, education, tenure, physical abilities, etc

• matter of fact

Inclusion: The degree to which individuals can bring the aspects of themselves that make
them unique while also being treated as insiders

What are the benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

• Higher creativity in decision making

• Better understanding and service of customers

• Higher job satisfaction

• Higher stock prices

• Lower litigation expenses

• Higher company performance

List the protected characteristics and know the laws that grant those protections:

• The age discrimination act of 1975 gives protection against age discrimination (40
  and older)

• The Title VII of the civil rights act of 1964 gives protection against discrimination
  on the basis of gender, race, national origin, color, and religion

• The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination of otherwise
  capable employees based on physical or mental disabilities

Three laws prohibit sex discrimination:

• The Equal Pay Act (1963)—prohibits discrimination in pay based on sex

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964)—prohibits discrimination in all
  employment-related decisions based on sex

• The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2009)—gives employees 180 days to
  file a claim regarding a paycheck

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Diversity in the Workplace

• In 2019, only 21 states and DC had laws prohibiting discrimination in
  employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity

• On June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court made discrimination in employment decisions based on sexual orientation and gender identity illegal by extending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect gay, lesbian,
  and transgender employees

• 91% of the Fortune 500 companies have implemented non-discrimination
  policies that include sexual orientation and gender identity

What is the similarity-attraction phenomenon? Understand the difference between
surface-level diversity and deep-level diversity, and give examples of each

Similarity-attraction phenomenon: The tendency to be more attracted to individuals
who are similar to us

Issues facing the progress of diversity and inclusion in the workplace; define and explain:

• stereotypes

• unconscious bias

• glass ceiling

• glass cliff

• pay gap

What tools can organizations use to foster diversity and inclusion in the workplace? List and explain

• Work on building an inclusive culture

• Implement diversity training programs that are effective

  • A study of over 700 companies found that programs with a higher perceived

    success rate were those that occurred in companies where top management believed in the impor-

    tance of diversity, 

• Review recruitment practices

  • By building relations with these occupational groups, organizations may

    attract a more diverse group of candidates to choose from.

  • Hiring based on a vague description

    of culture fit is also potentially problematic, as it may result in a tendency to hire people who are

    similar to the existing composition of the 

• Idiosyncratic deal

  • I-dealsa re negotiated agreements between employees and managers that benefit the employee and the organization

  • Flexibility deals help with productivity at home

• Affirmative action programs.

  • With affirmative action programs, you need to understand the legal limitations of those programs; also know where they are required and where they are voluntarily implemented

Cultural diversity: what makes cultural diversity? Define an expatriate

Presence of a variety of cultures, traditions, languages, and beliefs within a society, essentially meaning a mix of different people

Hofstede’s cultural dimensions:

▪ Individualism vs. collectivism

Individuals is cultures which people define themeselves as individuals and form a looser ties with their group

Collectivism are cultures where people have stronger bonds to their groups and group membership forms a person’s self-identity

▪ Masculinity vs. femininity

Masc: Value compeitiveness, material aquisition

Fem: Value good relationships, caring for the weak and quality of life
▪ Power distance

Low: A society that views an unequal distr. of power as relatively unacceptable

High: A society that views an unequal distribution of power as relatively acceptable

▪ Uncertainty avoidance

Low: Cultures in which people re comfortable in unpredictable situations and have high tolerance for ambiguity

High: Cultures in which people prefer predictable situations and have low tolerance for ambiguity

▪ Long term. Short term oriented

Note: while it might be useful to check the countries as examples for each of the
above dimensions, I will not ask you to know where the countries stand on each
of the cultural dimensions; i.e. I will not ask something like “is Denmark low or
high on uncertainty avoidance?

Culture is often described as tight or loose; what is that referring to?

Strenth of social norms that reside in a culture.

• Tight cultures norms are pervasive, visible and society does not tolerate deviance

• Loose cultures, the norms ar edivergent and there is tolerance for behavior that deviates from the norm

Surface-level diversity

Traits that are highly visible to us and those around us, such as
race, gender, and age

Deep-level diversity

Diversity in values, beliefs, and attitudes.

Stereotypes:

Generalizations about a particular group of people

Unconscious (or implicit) biases:

Stereotypes about specific groups that are held outside
of conscious awareness

Glass ceiling

The situation that some qualified employees are prevented from advancing
to higher level positions due to factors such as discrimination. Glass ceiling is often
encountered by women and minorities

Glass cliff:

Tendency of women and minority members to be promoted to leadership
positions in poor performing, struggling firms.

I-deals:

Negotiated arrangements between employees and managers that benefit the
employee and the organization.

Affirmative action:

Policies designed to recruit, promote, train, and retain employees
belonging to a protected class.

1. Simple elimination of discrimination: Least controversial and favored by employees

2. Targeted recruitment (not selection): Ensures that the candidate pool is diverse and viewed as fair by most employees

3. Tie-breaker: Preference given to a minority candidate when all other characteristics are equal and viewed as less fair by employees

4. Preferential treatment: Involve hiring a less-qualified minority, candidates and are illegal; this would still be illegal. Characteristics like sex, race, gender are protected characteristics

Culture:

The values, beliefs, and customs that exist in a society.

Expatriate:

Someone who is temporarily assigned to a position in a foreign country

Individualistic cultures:

Cultures in which people define themselves as individuals and
form looser ties with their groups.

Collectivistic cultures:

Cultures where people have stronger bonds to their groups, and
group membership forms a person’s self identity.

Power distance:

The degree to which the society views an unequal distribution of power
as acceptable

Uncertainty avoidance:

The degree to which people feel threatened by ambiguous,
risky, or unstructured situations.

Masculine (aggressive) cultures:

Cultures that value achievement, competitiveness, and
acquisition of money and other material objects

Feminine (nurturing) cultures:

Cultures that value maintaining good relationships,
caring for the weak, and emphasizing quality of life.

Global mindset:

global mindset: A person's openness to learning about other cultures
and communicate effectively in different cultural contexts.

Ethnocentrism:

he belief that one’s own culture is superior to other cultures one comes
across.

What are challenges to achieving diversity and inclusion?

• Similarity-attraction phenomenon

  • Surface-level diversity phenomenon

  • Deep-level diversity

• Fault lines

  • attribute along whith which a group is split into subgroups

• Stereotypes and Unconscious BIases

Spacific Diversity Issues: Gender

• Sex diversity in the workplace

• Earnings gap

• Glass ceiling

• Glass cliff

• Sexual harassment

Specific Diversity Issues: Race

• Racial discrimination

Specific Diversity issues; Age

• Age discrimination

Specific Diversity Issues: Religious

• Accomodate religious preferences

Specific Diversity Issues; Disabilities

• Discrimination against people with physical and mental disabilities

• The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

Specific Diversity Issues: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identify in the Workplace

• LGBTQ employees in the workplace face many barriers

• In 2019, 21 states as well as the District of Columbia had laws prohibiting discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation and gender idetnity

Tools for Creating an Inclusive Workplace

• Inclusive Workplace Culture

• Diversity Training Programs

• Recruitment Practices

• Idiosyncratic Deal (i-deals)

• Affiramtion Action Programs

Are these questions legal?

• Is it job related?

• What is your maiden name?

  • Illegal

• Do you have children?

  • Illegal

• Can you work nights and weekends?

  • Legal

• Is English your first language?

  • Illegal

• Have you been arrested?

• Have you been been convicted of an offense for which no pardon has been granted?

  • Illegal

Managing cultural diversity

1) Develop a global mindset

2) Avoid Ethnocentrism

3) Listen to Locals

4) Recognize that culture evolves

5) Do not always assume that culture is the problem

If asked potentially illegal questions

• Refuse to answer

• Answer in a short, concise way

• Answer the intent or concern

• Evaluate the situation

• Walk away from the interview