Diversity

Diversity

America’s workforce is continuously changing. Businesses today hire and retain culturally diverse employees to compete in the globalize market. Companies are developing ways to tap into and capitalize upon the talents of their workforces. They are discovering how to value the diversity of their workforces and the potential that diversity brings in flexibility, ingenuity and problem solving are helping them achieve their goals.

Diversity can be differences in age, gender, ethnicity, and religion. Having such a diverse workforce can be very challenging. (1) Today’s workforce is very diverse in respect to age. Before, corporate America consisted of workers ranging from twenty one up to late thirties to early forties. Now, we see people in their mid to late fifties going back to work. This trend has both advantages and disadvantages. One advantage of an older employee over a younger employee is his ability to use his years of experience in situations where a younger employee lacks experience. Another advantage for an older employee is his built relationship with existing customers. The disadvantage of an older employee over a younger employee is his inability to quickly adapt to his changing environment. Younger employees are more “hungry” compared to their older counter parts. Their hunger is fired by their goal to quickly move up the corporate ladder.

(2) Gender also poses a challenge in the work force. Today, more and more women are entering the workforce. As such, the working environment has greatly changed. Companies make sure that sexual harassment does not happen. Men are expected to carefully say things without offending the opposite sex. The same rule also applies to women.

Sexual harassment includes requests for sexual favors, sexual advances or other sexual conduct when (a) submission is either explicitly or implicitly a condition affecting academic or employment decisions; or (b) the behavior is sufficiently severe or pervasive as to create an intimidating, hostile or repugnant environment; or (c) the behavior persists despite objection by the person to whom the conduct is directed. Companies considers such behavior, whether physical or verbal, to be a breach of its standards of conduct. It will seek to prevent such incidents and will investigate and take corrective actions for violations of this policy.

There are two types of sexual harassment. The first one is hostile environment. A hostile environment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. A hostile environment with respect to sexual harassment occurs when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work. In addition, a hostile environment occurs when unwelcome sexually harassing conduct is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it affects a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from employment activity, or creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive environment.

The second type of sexual harassment is “quid pro quo”. Quid pro quo includes unwanted sexual statements, unwanted personal attention, and unwanted physical or sexual advances. Unwanted sexual statements could include jokes that were sexual in nature. Unwanted personal attention could include letters, phone calls, or emails. While unwanted physical advances could include hugging, kissing, or touching.

Since most women in the workforce are mothers, some companies now have their own day care centers to accommodate mothers who occasionally bring their children to work. Companies’ also now offer maternity leave to pregnant women. Some mothers, thanks to technology, are working from home to b with their family. They connect to their corporate network via modem or high speed connection, e.g., cable or