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Effective Diversity:Understanding Employee Needs
and Employer Advantages
Teaching Notes by Cynthia OzekiCalifornia State University Dominguez Hills
The Available Workforce in the US Is Rapidly ChangingFewer:MalesMid-career workersParents in traditional families with a spouse at homeWhites
More:WomenYounger (16-25) and older (55+) workersWorkers with family and eldercare responsibilitiesHispanics, African Americans, Asians, other minoritiesThe number of workers is declining but number of jobs
isn’t dropping to match, so employers will have find ways to use this more diverse group of employees effectively
It helps to understandWhat these employees need and want at their
workplaces
What special knowledge and skills they can bring in that should entice employers to try to attract and support them
Group ExerciseChoose one of the following groups which fits your
personal situation. Groups will have about 7 minutes to discuss:
1) What particular concerns these employees have. What do they need/want from employers?
2) What can they offer employers – what special characteristics should make them attractive as a group?
Groups: 1. eldercare givers 2. parents of children under 12 3. parents of teens and older 4. dual-career couples 5. Grew up speaking language other than English 6. under 25 7. over 50 8. strong ethnic/racial identity9. Strong identity as a working woman
What Do These Groups Want? What Can They Add? Let’s fill this in as a class
Group Wants Adds
1. Eldercare givers
2. Parents of children under 12
3. parents of teens and older
4. Dual-career couples
5. Bilingual/bicultural workers
6. Single workers under 25
7. Workers over 50
8. Working women
9. Workers from minority groups
ConclusionsPeople from ALL these groups generally want
their employers to offer them a lot of flexibility in when and how work is done
They want respect for their knowledge and opinions – even if expressed with an accent or in different way
They bring in a range of new knowledge and perspectives companies need for success
Those balancing work with dual-career relationships, elder- and child-care tend to be reliable, responsible, caring and have developed good people skills
Even if changing workforce demographics didn’t necessitate it, hiring and supporting these worker makes good business sense
Why Is Diversity at Work Good?At first, it can be tougher to train and integrate
BUT:Organizations that welcome and utilize diversity
tend to have higher :- Employee job satisfaction- Profits- Productivity
It’s easy to see why – different people bring different perspectives and by encouraging them to speak out, you can found new products, solutions and customer s
Having these people active in our economy also helps our society as a whole
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