Unit 1 Cultural & Business Environment Assignment (GC01119)
Unit 1 LO2: Business Culture and Responsibilities
Learning Outcome: 02
Task 2.1 Explain what is meant by ‘diversity’ in the business context
Diversity describes the similarities and differences that people have. Luther is actively committed to educating people from diverse backgrounds and to creating a campus environment where people are treated fairly and encouraged to develop the skills that they need to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Luther College developed a definition of diversity to promote a common understanding of the term (Luther, 2018).
There are many benefits to having a diverse workplace. For starters, organizations that commit to recruiting a diverse workforce have a larger pool of applicants to choose from, which can lead to finding more qualified candidates and reducing the time it takes to fill vacant positions. Businesses that do not recruit from diverse talent pools run the risk of missing out on qualified candidates and may have a more difficult time filling key roles, which increases recruitment costs.
According to a survey conducted by Glassdoor, 67% of job seekers said a diverse workforce is important when considering job offers and 57% of employees think their companies should be more diverse. These numbers are telling. Not only can organizations fill positions with qualified candidates more quickly by recruiting from different talent pools, but a diverse workforce also benefits their employer brand which is crucial when it comes to getting the right talent.
Having a diverse workforce with multi-lingual employees and employees from varying ethnic backgrounds can also be helpful for organizations that want to expand or improve operations in international, national, regional, and local markets.
More benefits to having diversity in the workplace:
- Employees from diverse backgrounds imbue organizations with creative new ideas and perspectives informed by their cultural experiences
- A diverse workplace will help organizations better understand target demographics and what moves them
- A diverse workplace can better align an organization’s culture with the demographic make-up of America
- Increased customer satisfaction by improving how employees interact with a diverse clientele and public
For an organization looking to cultivate a more diverse and inclusive workplace, it is important to understand what constitutes workplace diversity.
Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between individuals in an organization. Diversity not only includes how individuals identify themselves but also how others perceive them. Diversity within a workplace encompasses race, gender, ethnic groups, age, religion, sexual orientation, citizenship status, military service, and mental and physical conditions, as well as other distinct differences between people.
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Task 2.2 Recognise the benefits of having a diverse workforce
Though we may share things in common with other individuals, at the end of the day, everyone is their own person and can bring different things to the table, which is why diversity is so important among a team. By hiring people with different personalities and at varying stages of their career, it can help to foster creativity and offer a range of perspectives and ideas, (The UnderCover, 2018).
Here are a few of the top benefits or diversity in the workplace.
Improves employee performance
Employees are more likely to feel comfortable and happy in an environment where inclusivity is a priority. Equality in the workplace is important for encouraging workers from all backgrounds to feel confident in their ability and achieve their best. The higher the team morale, the more productive employees are.
Skills, talents, and experiences
Individuals from diverse backgrounds can offer a selection of different talents, skills, and experiences that may be of benefit to the organization and their work performance. Though some crossover of skills can be beneficial when it comes to assisting each other, it’s important to hire people with the appropriate skills to fit each of the roles within the company. A variety of skills and experiences among the team also means that employees can learn from each other
It creates innovation among employees
By working alongside people of different backgrounds, experiences, and working styles, creative concepts can be born from bouncing ideas off of each other and offering feedback and suggestions. Whereas one person may be great at generating exciting, out of the box ideas, another individual may have the necessary experience to execute it; so it is essential to play on each individual’s strengths and collaborate with others in the team.
Language skills can open doors for a business
Language barriers and cultural differences can often act as a bit of an obstacle for a company that wants to expand their business over shores; however, by hiring employees who speak different languages it can make it possible for a company to work on a global basis and interact with a broader client-base. Representing a number of nationalities within your company can also help to make it more relatable……….