Diversity Management Strategies: Navigating Resistance to Learning

1. STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING HR DIVERSITY FROM RESISTANCE TO LEARNING

2. THE FRAMEWORK • THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS AND INTENSITY OF DIVERSITY PRESSURES ON ORGANIZATIONS • THESE INFLUENCE THE MANAGERIAL PERSPECTIVES DIFFERENTLY • DIFFERENT MANAGERIAL PERPECTIVES SHAPE VARYING ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSES • THERE IS NO ONE BEST RESPONSE TO WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

3. 1. RESISTANCE PERSPECTIVE FEW FELT PRESSURES DIVERSITY IS A THREAT RESPONSE IS -DENIAL -AVOIDANCE -DEFIANCE -MANIPULATION

4. RESISTANCE • DIVERSITY IS NON-ISSUE • NOT FOR US, NOT IN US • HOW DO WE SUSTAIN HOMOGENEITY? • HOW DO WE SUSTAIN STATUS QUO? • REACTIVE RESPONSES TO SPORADIC AND LOW LEVEL PRESSURES

5. 2. DISCRIMINATION AND FAIRNESS • MODERATE PRESSURE TO INCORPORATE DIVERSITY • EQUAL ACCESS AND FAIRNESS UNDER THE LAW • DIVERSITY IS A PROBLEM TO SOLVE • AA AND EEO POLICIES ARE PRIMARY RESPONSES • DEFENSIVE TACTICS: • NEGOTIATE W/ MINORITY GROUPS • PACIFY DIVERSITY • LIMIT RESPONSES TO COMPLIANCE • SURFACE LEVEL DIVERSITY AS A DEFENSIVE STRATEGY

6. DISCRIMINATION AND FAIRNESS • DIVERSITY IS HERE BUT DIFFERENCES ARE CAUSING PROBLEMS • PROTECTED GROUPS ARE THE ISSUE • HOW DO WE ASSIMILATE DIVERSITY? • HOW DO WE ASSURE EQUAL TREATEMENT OF EVERYONE? • HOW CAN WE BE ON SOLID LEGAL GROUND? • MAY GENERATE BACKLASH, PRESSURES FROM MAJORITY, TOKENISM

7. 3.ACCESS AND LEGITIMACY • DIVERSITY IS NECESSARY FOR ACCESS TO CUSTOMER BASE • DIVERSITY IS A BUSINESS NECESSITY • “DIVERSITY LEADS TO BETTER BOTTOM LINE” • AFFIRM, VALUE AND EMBRACE DIVERSITY • RISK MASKING UNIFYING VALUES AND PRACTICES • RISK PERCEPTIONS OF MANIPULATION BY THE DOMINANT GROUP FOR BOTTOM LINE CONCERNS

8. ACCESS AND LEGITIMACY • DIVERSITY CREATES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES • INCLUSIVENESS IS THE PRIMARY VALUE • DIFFERENCES ARE EMBRACED AND CELEBRATED • DIVERSITY AIDS ACCESS TO MARKETS • FIND WAYS OF ACCOMODATING DIVERSITY

9. 4. LEARNING PERSPECTIVE • LEARN FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF DIVERSE WORKERS • VALUE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES • SATISFY MULTIPLE BUSINESS OBJECTIVES, LONG AND SHORT TERM • NURTURE DIVERSITY AND HOMOGENEITY SIMULTANEOUSLY AS A UNIFYING FORCE • CORE ISSUES OF RACE, GENDER, ETHNICITY ETC. ARE INCORPORATED IN BUSINESS OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES ALONG WITH UNIFYING SIMILARITIES • CONFLICT AND DEBATE ARE VALUED AND CHANNELLED INTO PRODUCTIVE EFFORT

10. LEARNING PERSPECTIVE • TARGETS COSTS AND BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY AND HOMOGENEITY • FOCUSES ON BUSINESS RELATED CORE DIFFERENCES • PLURALISM IS THE MANAGING PARADIGM • ACCULTURATION AND LEARNING FROM EVERYONE ARE THE MANAGEMENT METHODS • BOTH ORGANIZATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL LEARNING ARE EMPHASIZED • THE FIRM IS PROACTIVE AND STRATEGIC

11. STRATEGIC RESPONSES • EPISODIC APPROACH • FREESTANDING PROGRAMS • SYSTEMIC APPROACH

12. THE EPISODIC APPROACH • DISJOINTED PROGRAMS • ISOLATED ATTEMPTS • ONE TIME EFFORTS • TOKEN SHORT TRAINING PROGRAMS • NO CONNECTIONS W/ MAIN BUSINESS STRATEGIES • FEW CHANGES IN BUSINESS POLICIES AND MAINSTREAM PRACTICES • TYPICAL WHEN THE PRESSURES FOR DIVERSITY ARE LOW

13. THE FREESTANDING APPROACH • FORMALIZE DIVERSITY INITIATIVES • RUN PROGRAMS REGULARLY • KEEP DIVERSITY PROGRAMS SEPARATE FROM MAIN BUSINESS STRATEGIES • DIVERSITY PROGRAMS STAY UNCONNECTED • LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY MAY BE THE PRIMARY MOTIVATORS • WHEN DIVERSITY PRESSURES ARE MODERATE

14. THE SYSTEMIC APPROACH • LINK DIVERSITY ISSUES/PROGRAMS INTO THE CORE BUSINESS SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES • MAKE IT A LINE RESPONSIBILITY • INTEGRATE INTO THE REWARD AND PUNISHMENT SCHEDULES • MAKE IT COMPREHENSIVE, SIMPLE AND FLEXIBLE • INTEGRATE DIVERSITY PROGRAMS W/ EACH OTHER AND W/ OTHER CORE FIRM ACTIVITIES • WHEN PRESSURE FOR DIVERSITY IS INTENSE