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MNO1706 OB Lesson 7 Hand Notes

This document discusses workplace diversity and effective diversity management. It defines diversity as differences between organizational members in terms of surface-level characteristics like age, gender, and race as well as deep-level characteristics like personality and values. Unfair discrimination based on irrelevant characteristics is illegal and hurts performance. The document outlines various biographical characteristics and abilities that influence diversity and provides strategies for implementing effective diversity programs through HR policies, diversity training, and consistent diversity-focused policies.

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34 views

MNO1706 OB Lesson 7 Hand Notes

This document discusses workplace diversity and effective diversity management. It defines diversity as differences between organizational members in terms of surface-level characteristics like age, gender, and race as well as deep-level characteristics like personality and values. Unfair discrimination based on irrelevant characteristics is illegal and hurts performance. The document outlines various biographical characteristics and abilities that influence diversity and provides strategies for implementing effective diversity programs through HR policies, diversity training, and consistent diversity-focused policies.

Uploaded by

sqhaa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MNO1706 Organizational Behavior

Lesson 7: Workplace Diversity

Instructor: A/P Lim Ghee Soon


Lesson 7: Workplace Diversity
• Reading for Lesson 7: R & J, Chapter 2
– Chapter 2 (Workplace Diversity)
• Diversity:
– Differences between organizational members in terms of
» Surface-level characteristics (e.g., demographic factors such as
age, race, gender, marital status, education, regional background,
ethnicity, religion, disability status) and
» Deep-level characteristics (e.g., personality (introverted, assertive,
conscientious), values (family, team, career aspiration), attitudes
(risk appetite), ability)
» May result in more ideas, skills, abilities but also more
communication breakdown, misunderstanding, conflicts
– Effective diversity management: Eliminate unfair discrimination
» Most unfair discriminations outlawed but some practices persist
• Forms of discrimination: Discriminatory policies/practices,
sexual harassment, intimidation, mockery/insults, exclusion,
incivility
• Unfair discrimination becomes a prima facie case if the bases of making a
difference between organizational members are irrelevant to the job or the
performance of the job
» Biographical Characteristics: Surface-level characteristics associated with the
individual member that are easily visible but less directly linked to performance
• Age: age discrimination results in lower commitment & organization
performance
• Sex: Women perform better than men; men rated as having more promotion
potential; women still face discrimination and may even stereotype against
themselves
• Race (biological heritage) & Ethnicity (additional cultural characteristics): Tend
to favor people of own race in performance ratings, promotion, and pay
decision
• Disability: Must/should make reasonable accommodations to make
workplaces accessible to people with physical/mental disabilities. More
dependable/potent, high performance ratings; mental disabilities lead to
more absenteeism; less hirable; lower performance level expected
• Tenure: higher performance/satisfaction, lower absenteeism/turnover
• Religion: Religious discrimination quite rampant in the US though outlawed by
federal laws; illegal and frowned upon in Singapore
• Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity: US Federal government does not
outlaw; 21 states and >160 municipalities do on their own to give fair
treatment; neutral public policy on this in Singapore; most Fortune 500
companies have fair treatment policy for people with different sexual
orientation and transgender
• Cultural Identity: Traditional practices in different countries and subcultures
within a country
» Ability: Current capacity to perform the various tasks in a job
• Intellectual abilities (mental activities like thinking, reasoning,
and problem solving)
• General mental ability
• Number, verbal, perceptual, inductive reasoning,
deductive reasoning, spatial visualization, memory
• Physical abilities
• Strength: Dynamic, trunk, static, explosive
• Flexibility: Extent, dynamic
• Body coordination, balance, stamina
– Implementing Diversity Management Strategy
» Diversity Management: Makes everyone aware and sensitive to the
needs and differences of others
• HR Policies on Attracting, Selecting, Developing, & Retaining
Diverse Employees
• Must avoid reverse discrimination
• In collectivistic cultures, similarity to boss is important; in
individualistic culture, similarity to peers more important
• Diversity in Groups
• Helps and hinders performance depending on the context
and specific composition
• Leader must show the common interest in group success
• Effective Diversity Programs:
• Formulate and communicate a pro-diversity legal
framework and fair treatment policies
• Publicize the synergistic effects and flexibility made
possible by diversity
• Engage in personal development practices to facilitate
working effectively in a diverse group
• Adopt a long-term perspective as one-off training is
ineffective: Need to frequently repeat training/events
• A set of consistent policies addressing the specific
imbalances on various diversity measures will work
well to enhance diversity outcomes

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