Manage Workplace Diversity

C61571 Razi Ahmed

THHGLE09B

MANAGE WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

INTRODUCTION

The culture of India has been shaped by its long history, unique geography, diverse demographics and the absorption of customs, traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors as well as by preserving its ancient heritages, which were formed during the Indus Valley Civilization and evolved further during the Vedic age, rise and decline of Buddhism, Golden age, Muslim conquests and European colonization.

India's great diversity of religious practices, languages, customs, and traditions are examples of this unique co-mingling over the past five millennia. The various religions and traditions of India that were created by these amalgamations have influenced other parts of the world too., the real benefits of me can include:

 My three different languages speaking capabilities  Promoting my cultural behavior and ethics  I may be useful as an mediator or translator  If an problem arises for one the who is from similar culture I can talk to him personally in our own languages which makes more understanding.  Attracting, recruiting and retaining people from a wide “talent” base.  Reducing the costs of labor turnover and absenteeism.  Contributing to employee flexibility and responsiveness.  Building employee commitment, morale and “discretionary effort”.  Managing better the impact of globalization and technological change.  Enhancing creativity and innovation.  Improving knowledge of how to operate in different cultures.  Improving the understanding of the needs of current customers or clients.  Improving knowledge about the needs of new customers and clients.  Assisting in the development of new products, services and marketing strategies.  Enhancing the organization’s reputation and image with external stakeholders.  Creating opportunities for disadvantaged groups and building social cohesion.

Religion

India is the birth place of Dharmic religion such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Dharmic religions, also known as Indian religions, is a major form of world religions next to the Abrahim ones. Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the world's third- and fourth-largest religions respectively, with around 1.4 billion followers altogether.

India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion still plays a central and definitive role in the life of most of its people.

The religion of more than 80.4% of the people is Hinduism. Islam is practiced by around 13.4% of all Indians. Sikhism, Jainism and especially Buddhism are influential not only in India but across the world. Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Bahá'í Faith are also influential but their numbers are smaller. Despite the strong role of religion in Indian life, atheism and agnostics also have visible influence along with a self-ascribed tolerance to other faiths.

Society

Overview

According to Eugene M. Makar, the traditional Indian culture is defined by relatively strict social hierarchy. He also mentions that from an early age, children are reminded of their roles and places in society. This is reinforced by the fact that many believe gods and spirits have integral and functional role in determining their life. Several differences such as religion divide culture. However, far more powerful division is the traditional Hindu bifurcation into non-polluting and polluting occupations. Strict social taboos have governed these groups for thousands of years. In recent years, particularly in cities, some of these lines have blurred and sometimes even disappeared. Nuclear family is becoming central to Indian culture. Important family relations extend to as far as gotra, the mainly patrilinear lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. In rural areas it is common that three or four generations of the family live under the same roof.] Patriarch often resolves family issues.

Among developing countries, India has low levels of occupational and geographic mobility. People choose same occupations as their parents and rarely move geographically in the society. During the nationalist movement, pretentious behavior was something to be avoided. Egalitarian behaviour and social service were promoted while nonessential spending was disliked and spending money for ‘showing off’ was deemed a vice. This image continues in politics with many politicians wearing simple looking / traditionally rural clothes.

Family

India for ages has had a prevailing tradition of the joint family system. It’s a system under which even extended members of a family like one’s parents, children, the children’s spouses and their offspring, etc. live together. The elder-most, usually the male member is the head in the joint Indian family system who makes all important decisions and rules, whereas other family members abide by it .Arranged marriage have the tradition in Indian society for centuries. Even today, overwhelming majority of Indians have their marriages planned by their parents and other respected family-members, with the consent of the bride and groom. Arranged matches were made after taking into account factors such as age, height, personal values and tastes, the backgrounds of their families (wealth, social standing) and their castes and the astrological compatibility of the couples' horoscope .

In India, the marriage is thought to be for life, and the divorce rate is extremely low — 1.1% compared with about 50% in the United States.] The arranged marriages generally have a much lower divorce rate. The divorce rates have risen significantly in recent years:

"Opinion is divided over what the phenomenon means: for traditionalists the rising numbers portend the breakdown of society while, for some modernists, they speak of a healthy new empowerment for women

Although child marriage was outlawed in 1860, it is continued to be practiced in some rural parts of India. According to UNICEF’s “State of the World’s Children-2009” report, 47% of India's women aged 20–24 were married before the legal age of 18, with 56% in rural areas.] The report also showed that 40% of the world's child marriages occur in India.

Indian names are based on a variety of systems, which vary from region to region. Names are also influenced by religion and caste and may come from religion or epics. India's population speaks a wide variey of languages.

Although women and men are equal before the law and the trend toward gender equality has been noticeable, women and men still occupy distinct functions in Indian society. Woman’s role in the society is often to perform household works and pro bono community work. This low rate of participation has ideological and historical reasons. Women and women's issues appear only 7-14% of the time in news programs.] In most Indian families, women do not own any property in their own names, and do not get a share of parental property. Due to weak enforcement of laws protecting them, women continue to have little access to land and property. In many families, especially rural ones, the girls and women face nutritional discrimination within the family, and are anaemic and malnourished. They still lag behind men in terms of income and job status. Traditional Hindu art, such as Rangoli (or Kolam), is very popular among Indian women. Popular and influential woman's magazines include Femina, Grihshobha and Woman's Era.

Animals

The varied and rich wildlife of India has had a profound impact on the region's popular culture. Common name for wilderness in India is Jungle which was adopted by the British colonialist to the English language. The word has been also made famous in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. India's wildlife has been the subject of numerous other tales and fables such as the Panchatantra and the Jataka tales.

In Hinduism, cow is regarded as a symbol of ahimsa (non-violence), mother goddess and bringer of good fortune and wealth. For this reason, cows are revered in Hindu culture and feeding a cow is seen as an act of worship.]

Namaste

Namaste, Namaskar or Namaskaram is a common spoken greeting or salutation in the Indian subcontinent. Namaskar is considered a slightly more formal version than namaste but both express deep respect. It is commonly used in India and Nepal by Hindu, Jains and buddhists , and many continue to use this outside the Indian subcontinent. In Indian and Nepali culture, the word is spoken at the beginning of written or verbal communication. However, the same hands folded gesture is made usually wordlessly upon departure. In yoga, namaste is said to mean "The light in me honors the light in you," as spoken by both the yoga instructor and yoga students.

Taken literally, it means "I bow to you". The word is derived from Sanskrit (namas): to bow, reverential salutation, and respectand (te): "to you".

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. The gesture can also be performed wordlessly or calling on another god Eg: "Jai shri Krishna" and carry the same meaning. Festivals

India, being a multi-cultural and multi-religious society, celebrates holidays and festivals of various religions. The three national holidays in india, the Independence Day, the Republic Day and the Gandhi Jayanti, are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm across India. In addition, many states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular religious festivals include the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi,Durga pojai , Holi,. Several harvest festivalsOnam, are also fairly popular. Certain festivals in India are celebrated by multiple religions. Notable examples include Diwali which celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains and Buddh Purnima which is celebrated by Buddhists and Hindus. Islamic festivals, such Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Ramadan, are celebrated by Muslims across India. Adding colors to the culture of India, the Dree Festival is one of the tribal festivals of India celebrated by the Apatanis of the Ziro valley of Arunachal Pradesh, which is the easternmost state of this country.

Cuisine

The multiple families of Indian cuisine are characterized by their sophisticated and subtle use of many spices and herbs. Each family of this cuisine is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. Though a significant portion of Indian food is vegetarian many traditional Indian dishes also include chicken, goat, lamb, fish, and other meats.

Food is an important part of indian culture, playing a role in everyday life as well as in festivals. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically diverse subcontinent. Generally, Indian cuisine can be split into five categories: North, South, East,West Indian and North-eastern India.

Despite this diversity, some unifying threads emerge. Varied uses of spices are an integral part of food preparation, and are used to enhance the flavor of a dish and create unique flavors and aromas. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, such as the persains,Mughals. Though the tandoor originated in Central Asia, Indian tandoori dishes, such as chicken tikka made with Indian ingredients, enjoy widespread popularity.

Indian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines across the globe.] Historically,indian spices and herbs were one of the most sought after trade commodities. The spice trade between India and Europe led to the rise and dominance of Arab traders to such an extent that European explorers, such as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, set out to find new trade routes with India leading to the Age of Discovery. The popularity of curry, which originated in India, across Asia has often led to the dish being labeled as the "pan-Asian" dish.

. Diversity conflict

1.Through a thorough research in internet I found, In the past decade, demographic diversity has become one of the foremost topics of interest to managers and management scholars. The term demographic diversity refers to the degree to which a unit (e.g., a work group or organization) is heterogeneous with respect to demographic attributes. Attributes classified as demographic generally include "immutable characteristics such as age, gender, and ethnicity; attributes that describe individuals' relationships with organizations, such as organizational tenure or functional area; and attributes that identify individuals' positions within society, such as marital status" (Lawrence, 1997: 11). The heightened concern with demographic diversity (hereafter referred to simply as diversity) stems not only from the growing presence of women and minorities in the work force (Buhler, 1997) but also from modern organizational strategies that require more interaction among employees of different functional backgrounds (e.g., Dean and Snell, 1991). One of the most significant bodies of research to arise from this trend is a stream of field studies linking group composition to cognitive task performance - i.e., performance on tasks that involve generating plans or creative ideas, solving problems, or making decisions. The impact of diversity on cognitive task performance has been examined in studies of top management teams.

 Provides clear understanding of legislative requirements - demystifies the jargon  Tailored specifically for your organisation - directly integrates theory into practice, using your own policies and practices  Encourages greater communication and understanding between managers and staff and among staff  Provides the opportunity to explore own behaviours and adopt appropriate strategies for successful interactions  Can be utilised as part of the corporate change process By definition, conflict occurring between individuals or social groups that are separated by cultural boundaries can be considered “cross-cultural conflict.” But individuals, even in the same society, are potentially members of many different groups, organized in different ways by different criteria: for example, by kinship into families or clans; by language, religion, ethnicity, or nationality; by socioeconomic characteristics into social classes; by geographical region into political interest groups; and by education, occupation, or institutional memberships into professions, trade unions, organizations, industries, bureaucracies, political parties, or militaries. The more complex and differentiated the society the more numerous are potential groupings. Each of these groups is a potential “container” for culture, and thus any complex society is likely to be made up various “subcultures,” that is of individuals who, by virtue of overlapping and multiple group memberships, are themselves “multicultural.” This means that conflict across cultural boundaries may occur simultaneously at many different levels, not just at the higher levels of social grouping—for example, those that separate “American” from “Japanese” cultures.

Want to develop effective working relationships with diverse people at work? Start with similarities, not differences, among people when you build relationships. Diversity in the workplace adds a special richness, but also special challenges. As a human resources professional, manager, supervisor, co-worker, staff member or business owner, effective diverse work relationships are critical for your success.

We've emphasized honouring and appreciating the diverse needs, skills, talents, and contributions of people in recent years. While this is critical, don't let the pendulum swing too far in this direction. We are in danger of forgetting to honour and appreciate our similarities. By acknowledging the similarities and likenesses, we create a starting point for understanding and appreciating diversity in the work place.

When planning a roster you should take into consideration various needs raised by staff. The manager preparing the rosters should consider all the staffs cultural needs but should not bias any staff member by race, reglion, or gender and extra this ensures that a roster is being exclusivity and respect for diversity. Examples:

When you have muslim staff member in your team you consider to give him a roster day off on Fridays because of his cultural needs.

Every staff must be considered when making roster by giving equal work opportunity and workload, you should not favour any staff based on culture, religion, race or gender.

Why should negotiation with cultural groups be important for Industry now?

 Increased production related to supply and demand  Increased production related with resources  Green House  Increasing competition between companies  Cultural Heritage o Law in all States and a law of the Commonwealth o Independent of tenure and to some extent native title

Cross culture negotiation

 Preparation and planning skill  Dedication  Thinking under pressure  Verbal expressiveness  Persistence and determination  Win respect and confidence  Demonstrate listening skills

Trainning program

 Diversity Development Program  Consultation and Development Program Methods and resources used to conduct training program

 Qualified training companies  Online training programs (e-learning)  Workshops  Induction

Content of training program

 Diversity Development Program

The Diversity Development Program (DDP) is a program that celebrates UCI's diversity while also addressing the unresolved issues and concerns that exist in a diverse university community. Resolving these problems is essential to working in a harmonious atmosphere. DDP explores the significance of the participants' backgrounds, cultures, and unique experiences in defining their identity and expectations. This six-month certificate program provides a unique opportunity for staff, students, and faculty to engage in serious discussion on various topics concerning diversity.

 Consultation and Development Program

Consultations are available to departments wishing to research and plan faculty and/or staff development programs in the areas of diversity, cultural competency, and conflict management. Please contact OEOD for information on resources, concepts, and models that are available to meet departmental training needs.

Activity /Task

Cultural Awareness Workshop

The Cultural Awareness Workshop focuses on organizing collaborative efforts to improve communication and develop effective working relationships between cultures by examining changing demographics, diverse cultures, and differing manners of communication.

This workshop addresses multicultural issues in the workplace with special emphasis on intercultural communication. The backgrounds, cultures, and unique experiences of participants are highlighted in the context of intercultural relations and understanding of diversity.

Numbers and duration of training programs Taking 5 people from each department taking to consideration that each session cannot have more than 25 staff members. Each training program will be one week.

Outcome of each training session  Emphasis on skill development and refinement is maintained throughout the training program.  Each part of the training program builds on the preceding phase

Goal of training

The goal of training a person is to impart a skill. In other words, the desired outcome of the training process is that the learner is sufficiently skilled in performing a task such that he or she can pass a competency test proving that skill.

Skills

There are hard skills such as learning to perform a task, and there are soft skills such as learning to deal with other people.

To learn a skill, you need to remember facts and the steps to follow. Then you need to be able to apply that knowledge and have the physical and/or mental coordination to perform the task. The learner does not necessarily have to understand the principles of the subject matter in order to be skilled at performing the required tasks. Achieving outcomes

The following simplified process should result in the achievement of the desired outcomes of training:

1. Communicate knowledge and information 2. Reinforce through exercises 3. Test to verify outcome