Since its first formulation in the early 1990s (Cox and Bake), this concept has grown more complex over time in tandem with increasing economic and social globalization. As demonstrated by Ting-Toomey and Chung (2005), Diversity Management considers policies and activities in the fields of human resources and management, in-company support for multiple life-styles, and the characteristics, values and beliefs of members of a group.
In its attention to interaction and relations with fellow workers, Diversity Management considers elements within a company that affect each individual personally and when in a group. Therefore, its actions include group education and supporting acceptance and respect for workers with different racial, economic, cultural, geographical, social or political backgrounds. In other words, it implies introducing common values (solidarity, collaboration, equality) which are applicable to all who have dealings with the company and, particularly, with its employees.
As for the dimensions of diversity which companies take into account, most prominent are those related to age, gender, racial or ethnic origin, disability, religion or beliefs, and sexual preference.
At times, institutional regulations stipulate minimum quotas of workers, for example, of women on boards of director or a percentage of disabled workers in medium and large companies. Diversity Management seeks to free itself from this quota system and bet instead on individual talent, thereby transferring social diversity into the corporate world—in other words, converting these differences into a factor of growth and development. Companies which commit themselves to this strategy need to implement mechanisms for eliminating the risk of discrimination and guaranteeing equal opportunities.
Organizations need to be keenly aware of their strategy, to diversify their talent and to define their role in the global market, where they compete. Thence the importance of Diversity Management as a means to capitalize on their own strengths in an increasingly globalized business world where more and more companies compete worldwide and where demanding customers are increasingly hard to satisfy. In short, changing from a local business vision to a global one explains the importance of the phenomenon of diversity management due to its impact on corporate results.
Consequently, Diversity Management may be regarded as a problem or a benefit depending on the type of company implementing it. If the former, it may entail serious adaptation to the problems that arise and improved planning and training for employees and management. If the latter, it uses diversity as a trampoline towards a more innovative and stronger company, offering its employees the same opportunities by working in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams, regardless of sex, nationality, educational background or cultural baggage.
Thus, at the forefront of the measures that can be introduced to help workers adapt their lifestyles to their professional commitments are flexible working hours, telework, etc. Measures like these make it possible to comply with religious beliefs or to reconcile work and family. Nevertheless, since diversity is based on variety, mix, and difference, according to Roosevelt Thomas it is much more than simply the differences (social, economic, prejudices, etc.) between people and also encompasses similarities.
Diversity Management impinges on two types of ambit:
Worth highlighting in Europe are the efforts that have been made to raise the awareness of society at large of businessmen in particular of the importance of diversity management within organizations. A series of recommendations, good practice and guides for action (according to company type) can be consulted at this link: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/document/index_en.htm#Busines...