In
today’s thriving multi-cultural environment, the need to manage diversity is
one recognised by many companies, but something achieved by far fewer.
How
good is your company at fostering teamwork? Does it bring together people of diverse backgrounds to
heighten creativity, discover new approaches and to solve problems more
effectively?
Successfully
managing and promoting diversity requires a set of competencies that, when
harnessed, often bring far greater and wider benefits than anticipated. Jon Warner, author of Diversity & Cultural
Awareness Profile, cites that the organisations that excel at managing diversity have
six characteristics in common.
These
comprise:
1. Awareness
Organisations
and their employees develop an awareness of the benefits that can flow from
cultural diversity, and establish and maintain a climate of mutual trust.
2. Inclusion
Minority
groups feel a part of and are included in the major decision-making processes
of the organisation. Their views and ideas are genuinely valued and seen to be
important.
3. Tolerance and
Understanding
Different
beliefs, stated views, actions & reactions are fully understood and are
naturally tolerated and accepted as part of the rich overall ‘tapestry’ of
human behaviour.
4. Empathy
Warmth,
sincerity and goodwill are extended to every individual and group without
applying stereotypes, so that each person feels high levels of mutual empathy.
5. Adaptation and Change
Groups
and the organisation as a whole permanently adapt and change when bias or
prejudice toward people who are different from the majority begin to hold back
the organisation or the work of individual employees.
6. Persistence and
Commitment
Individuals
and the organisation as a whole persist in their efforts to recognise diversity
and cultural awareness shortfalls; commit to increasing overall knowledge; and
seek to reap the long term benefits from people’s differences, rather than
insist on similarity.
Achieving
and managing diversity is a business imperative, with the start of the process
being recruitment.
The
online recruitment site DiversityJobs.co.uk provides access to a rich
pool of talented individuals from a broad and diverse demographic. Formed as a partnership between Aim Hire Recruitment and JobServe, DiversityJobs has helped
many companies both extend their cultural diversity and to grow as a result of
the benefits that diversity brings.
DiversityJobs.co.uk offer fully branded annual
campaigns all the way down to 1 week postings for £79, 4 week postings for £99,
or a unique pay-per-application model where posting a job is totally free and
you only pay for applications that pass filter criteria that you set.
To
discuss this topic further contact Morgan Lobb at Diversity Jobs.
