Thinking About Diversity and Inclusion

Ethnic Groups are race, ethnicity, religion, and gender. According to University of Phoenix Understanding and Managing Diversity, Section I (2014), â€Å"United States has always been a nation of Immigrants, with a mixture of ethnicities, races, and religions that have not always lived and worked together amicably' Having such a mixture of cultural diversity its surprising how difficult it is to end the Prejudice and Stereotypes. Race Is defined for minorities In two forms obvious differences Like hair ND skin color.Physical defined as prominent body parts like the shape of a nose. According to University of Phoenix Racial and Ethnic Groups, Chi. 1 (2014), â€Å"Society has defined what we flans obvious and physical. Ethnicity, are types of Orleans or distinctive cultural patterns in races† In the united States Hispanics or Latino include Mexican Americans like Puerco Rican and Cubans and known to have Black or White skin color. Religion Includes groups Like the Church of Jes us Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Morons), Jehovah Witnesses, Amiss, Muslims, and Buddhists.The most nominate in the United States are Protestants followed by Roman Catholics. Gender Is simply male and female. I identify the most with the African American culture. I grew up in a very diverse neighborhood dominated by African Americans, Hispanic, and white. I lived In my neighborhood until I was 16 and to this day still have a strong bond with my childhood friends. We have gone through school together, gotten married together, and now we are having kids together. I feel very fortunate to be part of such a diverse social circle. I find myself favoring the minority group because this is what is familiar o me.I believe this can make me sort of prejudice to outsiders that may not identify with my social circle. Our commonality was our parents were on a fixed budget, we weren't able to vacation, and we were used to second hand clothes and material items like bikes. We all understood whe re we came from and we also knew we were all cool kids. We created a sentimental bond that to this day Is very obvious when you see us together. Some people notice a black man and white women and some people see two friends deeply connected. Diversity is defined by the various differences that exist among people.If a workplace employed 100 white women they are still diverse in age, educational experience and religious background. I believe society might not think 100 white women are diverse. Organizations seem to hire employees of other races to give the observation they are diverse when they are already are. Inclusion is an approach that makes each employee feel welcome and a part of the team. Organizations may seem diverse by meeting the racial quota but that doesn't mean the organization is an inclusive work environment. â€Å"In the workplace, organizations are shifting their views on diversity and Inclusion.Whereas 30 years ago, promoting women and minorities was the focus, to day's message is positive and reflective. Many corporations ask internally, does every employee In our organization feel valued† (â€Å"What Is the Difference toy 2 mission of if an employee isn't happy he or she won't be creative and productive. My organizations goal is to make employees happy to get a Job well done. According to University of Phoenix Understanding and Managing Diversity, Section I (2014), â€Å"Diversity is about business and the bottom line and about leveraging the skills and talents of all employees to enable the organization to compete.Diversity is not about reaching quotas and hiring unqualified minorities for the sake of having diversity' As the times change so should the direction of the training to be successful. A good example of change was the passing of Equal Pay Act (1963) that males and females are paid the same wage for Jobs of equal skill and responsibility. It is challenging to create a workplace the supports proactive behavior and train emp loyees to believe the story that supports the behavior. Employees want to feel they make a contribution to the organizational goal and not Just tolerated.This has even employees in the 21st century the ability to choose their Jobs versus decades ago where minorities and women that may not have had a choice. My director thinks that men are more logical than women who tend to be more emotional. She manages me a woman and another coworker who is male. He tends to lack in his responsibilities and when he does not participate whole in our group projects I am very tactful at sharing his approach. My director has mentioned that women tend to hold grudges and can't let things roll of their backs like men do.She feels I am being negative towards my coworker but I only give feedback based on acts not assumptions. What she doesn't realize because of her personal beliefs s continues to make poor business decisions based her emotions versus the facts. It is very frustrating to work alongside a p erson who doesn't give an honest work day. She has mentioned because my coworker comes from a good family (money) and had a college education he is worth the investment. I find this very prejudice behavior and have learned to use these types of experiences as a tool to better my managing skills so hopefully I move up in the organization. Thinking About Diversity and Inclusion What are the dimensions of cultural diversity? Identify and briefly explain the dimensions by referencing both textbooks. There are primary and secondary dimensions of cultural diversity. The primary dimensions are the ones that are the thought of most when thinking about diversity. These are things that describe an individual’s identity. The things included here are things such as age, gender, race, etc. If you are reflecting on the many ways your employees can vary (by race, gender, age, education, sexual orientation, geographic origin or employment, tenure), that’s a mixture whose components are people, individuals categorized along multiple dimensions† (Harvey & Allard, 2009 P. 12). The secondary dimensions are functions or organizational units. â€Å"One may argue that functions are composed of individuals, which is true, but the general manager of multiple functions does not experience this as a mixture of people but rather as a mixture of organizational units† (Harvey & Allard, 2009 P. 2). Some dimensions of cultural diversity are east to recognize, while other are not. We all should be very open to the meaning of diversity, and be looking for and sensitive to the differences in each other. With what ethnic, cultural, or other groups do you identify? Describe what members of your social circle have in common. Although I only have a small percentage (3/8th’s) of Cherokee Indian in me, I would say that it is the ethnic group that I identify with the most. The history, religion, and way of life of the Native Americans have always fascinated me. Native Americans are very proud people. They are also very connected with nature, and enjoy living off of the land. While there are many Indian reservations now that are very modern there are still many who stay true to their roots, and still live their lives as closely to the ways of their ancestors as possible. I feel that these roots are very strong and just having a trace if Native American blood in you is enough to keep your love of nature and enjoyment from being in the wild strong. Regardless of the way current Native Americans live, the simple fact that this blood if flowing through their veins is something that all Native Americans are proud of, even ones like me who just have a small amount. What is the difference between diversity and inclusion? Diversity and inclusion are very closely related. Diversity represents having people of different races, genders, ages, disabilities, sexual orientation, color, native origins, religions, etc. together in a group. You can see diversity in just about every place you go. Think about flying on a commercial airplane. You will most likely have a very diverse group of people flying with you. Just having a diverse group does not mean that all people in the group are treated equally, or valued for their abilities, and unique qualities. This is what inclusion is. So in the same example of flying on that commercial airplane, you would see inclusion in the treatment received by all persons on the plane from the flight attendants. You could very well see the lack of inclusion from some of the passengers on the plane as well. So the difference is that diversity is just having a group of different types of people together, and inclusion is the equal treatment and respect of each individual in the group. What is the importance of workplace diversity training? Workplace diversity training is extremely important. With the rising number of minorities in the workplace it is almost guaranteed that you will be working in a diverse group of people. Not being properly educated on diversity, and how to effectively work in these diverse groups can be very detrimental to your own career success, as well and your co-workers and employers success. Communication is essential in all work environments, and poor communication between people in a diverse group is the biggest cause of conflict. Not being properly educated and careful in word choice could possibly result in coming across as insensitive, rude, or hateful to a co-worker. This miscommunication will more than likely create conflict and animosity between the people or groups of people involved, which will affect their job performance and may end in disciplinary action up to possible loss of employment. The point of diversity training is to prevent this type of miscommunication from happening, and keeping all employees happy, and working well together. What is your experience with workplace culture? Could there be, or could there have been, more inclusion? When I was working as a Service and Parts Director in a large automobile dealership I had a couple of employees who were from Africa, and were devout Muslims. As part of their religion they would lay down rugs on the floor and pray to their God several times a day. This act of faith upset many of the other employees and caused animosity between them. This had been going on before I started working there, and when I took the department over I realized that this was a major problem that I had to correct. I realized that both groups of employees were very talented and important and that not only did I need all of them, but I also needed them to get along and work together. Through mentoring, and diversity training I was able to open the minds of the employees who disliked the Muslim faith. Within a month of starting this mentoring and training both groups started working well together and even became good friends. Thinking About Diversity and Inclusion Thinking About Diversity and Inclusion SOC/315 October 10, 2011 Michelle Curtain Thinking About Diversity and Inclusion What are the dimensions of cultural diversity? Identify and briefly explain the dimensions by referencing both textbooks. Diversity can be defined as â€Å"the ways in which people differ that may affect their organizational experience in terms of performance, motivation, communication, and inclusion† (Harvey/Allard, 2009). These differences and similarities are broken-down into two dimensions. Primary dimensions are considered to be more fixed, visible, and relevant to an individual’s identity. Secondary dimensions are considered to be more fluid, and less central to one’s social identity† (Harvey/Allard, 2009). Primary dimensions of cultural diversity can include age, mental/physical abilities, ethnic heritage, gender, sexual orientation, and race. Secondary dimensions of cultural diversity can comprise of one’s geographic locatio n, family status, income, religion, and language among many other characteristics. Secondary dimensions are determined more by choice and are less visible.Another dimension is indentifying people and placing them into minority groups based on race, ethnicity, religion, and gender. â€Å"A minority group is a subordinate group whose members have significantly less control or power over their own lives than do the members of a dominant or majority group. A subordinate group is characterized by â€Å"unequal treatment, distinguishing physical or cultural traits, involuntary membership, awareness of subordination, and in-group marriage† (Schaefer, 2011). With what ethnic, cultural, or other groups do you identify? Describe what members of your social circle have in common.To describe myself I am a white, 35 year old male. This is a very large group I fallen into, however even with these similarities I have with other members one may see myself not part of this group based on my differences. I believe due to my background of growing up in West Virginia, I associate more often with people from the same area of that country. A large portion of my friends I met in Arizona are from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. We seem to all share the same perspectives on life and feel as if we have known each all of our life due to sharing the same culture.I would also describe myself as indentifying with people that share the same taste in music as I. A description often heard is a â€Å"head†, as in Deadhead or Phishhead, for people that like the music from bands such as the Grateful Dead or Phish. The majority of the people that listen to this genre of music religiously follow the bands to numerous cities across the country to see multiple shows. What is the difference between diversity and inclusion? Diversity represents groups of people containing different characteristics such as skin color/race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, and citizenship.How ever, inclusion allows people to be included in these groups so one can be valued based on one’s skills, distinctive traits, and point of view. â€Å"Leveraging diversity requires a culture of inclusion to support it† (Harvey/Allard, 2009). Inclusion ensures people can work as a team and be themselves. By doing so, everyone works well with one another and can see the benefit of having different characteristics on the team. â€Å"Inclusion is engaging the uniqueness of the talents, beliefs, backgrounds, capabilities, and ways of living of individuals and groups when joined in a common endeavor† (Institute for Inclusion, 2010).While being diverse is important to everyone, the available benefits are not automatically seen until inclusion is put into play. Diversity and inclusion when combined can result in more effective decision making and greater innovation by everyone involved. What is the importance of workplace diversity training? Workplace diversity training is vital for any business in order to become and continue to be successful. A business can receive priceless benefits by incorporating diversity training in the workplace. Such benefits include retaining more quality employees, a decrease in workplace incidences and increased team and individual morale.These benefits can be achieved by teaching employees how to identify and resolve issues regarding stereotyping in the workplace before it can get out of hand. Communication and listening are important factors as well and without them, one could see an increase with workplace issues such as discrimination or harassment lawsuits. Workplace diversity training allows one to be them self and be accepted in order to build strong, long lasting working relationships so everyone can benefit. By continuing workplace diversity training a business will ensure their employees will maintain growth and increase production.Also, by having this ongoing training the business can ensure all new employee s will work well with current employees. What is your experience with workplace culture? Could there be, or could there have been, more inclusion? â€Å"Culture is the environment that surrounds you at work all of the time. Culture is a powerful element that shapes your work enjoyment, your work relationships, and your work processes† (Heathfield, 2011). My company makes is a priority to have a good workplace culture throughout the entire business. My workplace culture is very diverse by having a wide variety of people from different backgrounds.Very few people that work for the company are actually from Arizona. By having this diverse culture within the workplace, the employees are able to share their experiences in order to better themselves and the organization. These differences also enable the company to relate to customers with same backgrounds as the employees. When that connection is made, the employee can relate to the customer’s needs or desires by relating p ast experiences to understand where one is coming from. I believe my workplace culture uses inclusion very often and reasonably well. As employees, we are all divided up into teams.Each team member learns from one another by seeing other’s point of view in a way that was never seen before. Reference Harvey, C. P. , and Allard, M. J. (2009). Understanding and managing diversity (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Heathfield, S. (2011). Culture: Your Environment for People at Work. Retrieved from http://humanresources. about. com/od/organizationalculture/a/culture. htm Institute for Inclusion. (2010). Implementing Inclusion. Retrieved from http://www. instituteforinclusion. org/ Schaefer, R. T. (2011). Racial and ethnic groups (12th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson