What are individual values and why are they important? Values. Broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of action or outcomes. Values influence behavior and attitudes. Parents, friends, teachers, and external reference groups can influence individual values. Values develop as a product of learning and experiences. Gordon Allports values categories. Theoretical values.= discover truth through reasoning. Economic values.=usefulness, practicality. Aesthetic values.=value beauty and form. Social values.=value people and relationships. Political values.=interest in power and influence. Religious values.=interest in unity Maglinos categories of workplace values. Achievement. Helping and concern for others. Honesty. Fairness.w What are individual differences and how are they related to workforce diversity? Workforce diversity. The presence of individual human characteristics that make people different from one another.- Practices and policies that seek to include people who are considered in some way different from the prevailing group. Challenge of workforce diversity. Respecting individuals perspectives and contributions and promoting a shared sense of organizational vision and identity. As workforce diversity increases, the possibility of stereotyping and discrimination increases. Demographic characteristics may serve as the basis for stereotypes. Equal employment opportunity. Nondiscriminatory employment decisions. No intent to exclude or disadvantage legally protected groups. Affirmative action. Remedial actions for proven discrimination or statistical imbalance in workforce. Demographic characteristics. The background characteristics that help shape what a person becomes. Important demographic characteristics for the workplace. Gender. Age. Able-bodiedness. Race. Ethnicity. Gender. No consistent differences between men and women in: Problem-solving abilities. Analytical skills. Competitive drive. Motivation. Learning ability. Sociability. Gender (cont.). As compared to men, women: Are more conforming. Have lower expectations of success. Have higher absenteeism. Are more democratic as leaders. Age. Aging workforce. Older workers are more susceptible to stereotyping. Age discrimination lawsuits are increasingly common in the United States. Small businesses tend to value older workers. Experienced workers, who are usually older, tend to perform well, be absent less, and have low turnover. Able-bodiedness. Despite evidence of effective job performance, most disabled persons are unemployed. Most disabled persons want to work. More firms are likely to hire disabled workers in the future. Racial and ethnic groups. African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans make up an ever-increasing percentage of the American workforce. Potential for stereotypes and discrimination can adversely affect career opportunities. Important lessons regarding demographic characteristics. Respect and deal with the needs and concerns of people with different demographics. Avoid linking demographics to stereotypes. Demography is not a good indicator of individual-job fits. Aptitude. A persons capability of learning something. Ability. A persons existing capacity to perform the various tasks needed for a given job. Includes relevant knowledge and skills.Important lessons for valuing and supporting diversity.1. Appreciate differences.2. Acknowledge that diversity shapes the organization.3. Respect the needs of all.4. Practice inclusion.5. Commit to social responsibility.

Allport believed that an individual's philosophy is founded upon their values, or basic convictions that he holds about what is and is not of real importance in life (Hjelle and Ziegler p.202-206). From this assumption, he began to work off of the findings of Eduard Spranger who was a European psychologist. Allport studied his book "Types of Men" in which he outlined six major value-types (Hjelle and Ziegler p. 202-206). They are as follows:1.The Theoreticalperson is primarily concerned with the discovery of truth, to which they seek in a cognitive way.2.The Economicindividual places highest value on what is the most useful. They are often times practical and is often times stereotypically the successful American business man.3.The Aestheticperson places high value of form and harmony. They believe life to be a series of events that are to be enjoyed for its own sake.4.The Socialtype seeks out the love of people.5.The Politicalperson's dominant drive is power.6.The Religiousindividual places highest value on unity. They seek to understand and experience the world as a unified whole.Application:TheStudyofValuesAllportstressedthata maturepersonneedsaunifyingphilosophyoflifetomakesenseofhisor herexistence. Anindividual'sphilosophyisfoundeduponvaluesbasicconvictionsaboutwhatis and isnotofrealimportanceinlife.Believingthataperson'seffortstofindorderandmeaninginhisor her existencearegovernedby values,Allportworkedhardtoidentifyandmeasurebasicvaluedimensions.Thesuccessofhiseffortisevidentin thewell-knownpersonalitytestthathehelpedsignificantlytodevelop-theStudyofValues-whichwasoriginallypublishedin1931andiscurrentlyinitsthirdedition(Allport,Vernon,andLindzey,1960).Withinthecontextoftraittheory,thisinstrumentillustratesAllport'sabilitytodissectanenormouslycomplexcomponent ofpersonality(values)intoempiricallymeasurableterms.FollowingareSpranger'sbasicvaluetypes, asdepictedin theStudyofValuesmanual(Allport,Vernon,andLindzey,1960).1-TheTheoretical:Thetheoreticalpersonisprimarilyconcernedwiththediscoveryoftruth.He orsheassumesa"cognitive"attitudeinpursuingthisobjective,seekingonlytoobserveand toreason.Indoingso,thetheoreticalindividualsearchesforfundamentalidentitiesanddifferences,rejectinganyconsiderations ofbeautyorutility.2-TheEconomic:Theeconomicindividualplaceshighestvalueuponwhatisuseful.He orsheisthoroughly"practical"andconformscloselyto the stereotype of thesuccessfulAmericanbusinessperson.Rootedoriginallyin thesatisfactionofbodilyneeds(self-preservation),the economicvaluegraduallyextends to theeverydayaffairsof thebusinessworld-theproduction,marketing,andconsumptionof goods, theelaborationofcredit,and theaccumulationoftangiblewealth.Theeconomicpersonis interested inmakingmoney.3-TheAesthetic:Theaestheticpersonplaceshighestvalueonformandharmony.Judgingeachsingleexperiencefromthestandpointofgrace,symmetry,or fitness, he orsheperceiveslifeas aprocessionofevents,witheachindividualimpressionenjoyedforitsownsake.Suchanindividualneednotbe acreativeartistbutisaestheticto thedegreethathisor herchiefinterest is in theartisticepisodesoflife.4-TheSocial:Thehighestvalueof the socialtypeisloveofpeople.Since theStudyofValuesfocusesonlyuponthealtruisticorphilanthropicaspectsoflove(asopposed,forexample,toconjugalorfamiliallove),socialpersonsprizeothersasendsandarethemselveskind,sympathetic, andunselfish.Suchapersonislikelytoexperiencethetheoretical,economic, andaestheticattitudes ascoldandinhuman,regardingloveas theonlysuitableformof humanrelationship.Initspurestform,thesocialattitudeisselflessand iscloselyrelatedto thereligiousvalue.5-ThePolitical:Thedominantinterest of thepoliticalindividualispower.Vocationalactivitiesofthistypeofpersonarenotnecessarilyconfinedto therealmofpolitics,sinceleadersinanyfieldgenerallyplace ahighvalueonpower.Becausecompetitionandstruggleareinherentinalllife,manyphilosophershave arguedthatpoweris themostuniversalandfundamentalhumanmotive.Infact,someof theearlywritingsofAlfredAdler,asyoumayrecall,reflectthispointofview.However,forSpranger thereareclearindividualdifferencesinthepowervalue.Forcertainpersonalities,directexpression ofthismotiveoverridesallothersinthattheyyearnforpersonalpower,influence,andrenownaboveallelse.6-TheReligious:Religiousindividualsplacetheirhighestvalueuponunity.Fundamentallymystical,theyseekto understandand experience theworldas aunifiedwhole.Sprangerdescribesthereligiouspersonas onewhoispermanentlyorientedtowardthecreationof the highestandabsolutelysatisfyingvalueexperience.Thereare,however,differentmodesof seekingthislevelof experience.Forinstance,somereligiouspersonsare"immanentmystics,"i.e.,individualswhofindreligiousmeaningin theaffirmationandactiveparticipationinlife,whileothersare"transcendentalmystics,"strivingtounitethemselveswithahigherrealitybywithdrawingfromlife,e.g., monks.Regardlessof theparticulartypeof expression, thereligiouspersonbasicallyseeksunityandhighermeaningin thecosmos

The Importance of Workplace ValuesYour workplace values are the guiding principles that are most important to you about the way that you work. You use these deeply held principles to choose between right and wrong ways of working, and they help you make important decisions and career choices.Some (possibly conflicting) examples of workplace values include: Being accountable. Making a difference. Focusing on detail. Delivering quality. Being completely honest. Keeping promises. Being reliable. Being positive. Meeting deadlines. Helping others. Being a great team member. Respecting company policy and rules, and respecting others. Showing tolerance.Your organization's workplace values set the tone for your company's culture, and they identify what your organization, as a whole, cares about. It's important that your people's values align with these.When this happens, people understand one another, everyone does the right things for the right reasons, and this common purpose and understanding helps people build great working relationships. Values alignment helps the organization as a whole to achieve its core mission.When values are out of alignment, people work towards different goals, with different intentions, and with different outcomes. This can damage work relationships, productivity, job satisfaction, and creative potential.The most important thing that you need to do when interviewing someone is understand his or her workplace values. After all, you can train people to cover skills gaps, and you can help people gain experience. But it's really hard to get people to change their values; and they will be "problem workers" until they do.How to Identify Important Workplace ValuesBefore you learn how to identify the values of others, make sure that you understandyour own values. For example, does meeting a project deadline take priority over delivering exceptional work?Once you have a thorough understanding of the values that are most important to you (seethis articlefor a list), you can better understand and identify others' values. Your goal in identifying these is to raise awareness and encourage good behavior and habits.Start by talking with your most respected team members about the workplace values that they feel are important. Ask them tobrainstormthe values that they believe are most prevalent among good performers, and list these on a whiteboard or flip chart for them to see.Once they have come up with their ideas, work together to cut the list down to the five most important workplace values.Next, discuss how people demonstrate these values every day. How do they make these values come to life? And how can you encourage more of these behaviors?You can also talk to team members one-on-one to get a better idea of their workplace values,coach them to explore beliefs and values, or simply study their behavior. For instance, team members might say that they value teamwork, but it's the people who stay late to help a colleague who actually demonstrate this.Also, check your employee handbook or rule book. Organizations often list their values in these documents. Pay a lot of attention to these.You can also identify organizational values by looking at how people work within the company, and by looking at the actions that the organization has taken over the last few years.How to Understand People's Workplace ValuesTo create a cohesive team, you need to identify people who will fit best with its culture and values.Ask Focused Interview QuestionsWhen you're interviewing potential team members, do what you can to identify their workplace values this is usually the most important thing that you need to explore at interview. There are several ways to do this.First, ask questions focused around your own organization's workplace values. For instance, imagine that you want to find a team member who, among other values, is highly tolerant of other cultures.You could ask questions like these: "Describe a time when you had to work with a wide variety of people. How did you go about identifying and understanding their points of view? How did you adapt your own working style to work more effectively with these people? What was the outcome?" "Has there ever been a time when your beliefs clashed with someone else's on your team? If so, how did you overcome these differences?"These questions encourage interviewees to open up about how they approach these issues. See our article onstructuring interview questionsfor more on this.Use Role-Playing ScenariosWhen you're interviewing a new recruit, use techniques such asrole-playing, or anInbox/In-tray Assessmentto see a potential hire in action.Set up scenarios or problems that are subtly centered around the workplace values that you're looking for. People in role-playing scenarios have to think on their feet, which means that it's difficult for them to adjust their behaviors to the ones they think you want to see. This means that you're more likely to get an accurate look at how they would behave in your team.Look at Past Work HistoryYou also need to look at the potential recruit's past work history. Examine the organization that they worked at previously to identify any possible clash in values (this might be most obvious if they've worked with a well-known competitor).Keep in mind that while most people can be coached to adapt to a new working culture, some professionals will find it hard to shift their priorities. Deeper values may be very hard to change.Use Psychometric TestsPsychometric tests are useful for measuring the values and beliefs of potential hires, because they're standardized. Recruits can't simply tell you what they think you want to hear. Instead, they must answer questions that will point to their deepest values, beliefs, and motivating factors. You can use tests such as The California Psychological Inventory (CPI) to identify many aspects of an individual's interpersonal experience, values, and feelings.Workplace Values & Ethicsby Sam Amico, Demand Media

Employees should conduct themselves in a professional manner.Values and ethics are important in the workplace to help keep order, ensuring that a company runs smoothly and remains profitable. Each individual company makes its values and ethics known almost immediately after hiring an employee, or many times, during the interview process. And in many businesses, no matter how well an employee performs, if he doesnt follow workplace values and ethics, it can result in termination.Ads by GoogleExpat Health InsuranceFree Quotes Instantly OnlineSave Now on Best Cover for Expatswww.nowcompare.com/ExpatsDedicationHow hard an employee works, or how much effort she puts forth, can go a long way. Obviously, companies want results, but most employers prefer a worker who gives an honest effort to one who might be considered a natural at the job, but is otherwise disruptive. Either way, when an employee signs on with a business, she is agreeing to perform her best to help the company flourish.IntegrityAn important aspect of workplace values and ethics is integrity, or displaying honest behavior at all times. For instance, an employee who works at a cash register is expected to balance the drawer and deposit the correct amount of money at the end of the night. Integrity in the business world also might mean being honest when turning in an expense report or not attempting to steal a sales account from a co-worker.Related Reading:What Is a Workplace Example Using Consequence Ethics?AccountabilityEmployees in all industries are expected to act accountable for their actions. That means showing up when they are scheduled and on time, and not taking advantage of time allotted for breaks. It also means accepting responsibility for when things go wrong, gathering yourself and willingly working toward a resolution. And sometimes it might mean working longer than planned to see a project through to completion.CollaborationIn almost every industry, workplace values and ethics consist of teamwork. Thats because most companies believe that when morale is high and everyone is working together, success will follow. So it is important for employees to be team players--whether assisting co-workers on a project, teaching new hires new tasks, or following the instructions of a supervisor.ConductEmployee conduct is an integral aspect of workplace values and ethics. Employees must not only treat others with respect, but exhibit appropriate behavior in all facets of the job. That includes wearing proper attire, using language thats considered suitable around the office and conducting themselves with professionalism. Every company enforces its own specific rules on conduct, and typically makes them extremely clear in employee handbooks and training manuals.

Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools1Kelli A. Green, Mayra Lpez, Allen Wysocki, and Karl Kepner2IntroductionThe world's increasing globalization requires more interaction among people from diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds than ever before. People no longer live and work in an insular marketplace; they are now part of a worldwide economy with competition coming from nearly every continent. For this reason, profit and non-profit organizations need diversity to become more creative and open to change. Maximizing and capitalizing on workplace diversity has become an important issue for management today.Supervisors and front-line managers could benefit from reading this paper. Supervisors and managers are the targeted audience because they need to recognize the ways in which the workplace is changing, evolving, and diversifying. Since managing diversity remains a significant organizational challenge, managers must learn the managerial skills needed in a multicultural work environment. Supervisors and managers must be prepared to teach themselves and others within their organizations to value multicultural differences in both associates and customers so that everyone is treated with dignity.This paper is designed for managers to effectively manage diverse workforce populations. It provides a general definition for diversity, discusses the benefits of diversity in the workplace, the challenges of managing a diverse workplace, and presents effective strategies for managing diverse workforces.Diversity DefinedDiversity is generally defined as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and public assistance status (Esty, et al., 1995).Diversity issues are now considered important and are projected to become even more important in the future due to increasing differences in the U.S. population. Companies need to focus on diversity and look for ways to become totally inclusive organizations because diversity has the potential of yielding greater productivity and competitive advantages (SHRM, 1995). Stephen G. Butler, co-chair of the Business-Higher Education Forum, believes that diversity is an invaluable competitive asset that America cannot afford to ignore (Robinson, 2002). Managing and valuing diversity is a key component of effective people management, which can improve workplace productivity (Black Enterprise, 2001).Demographic changes (women in the workplace, organizational restructurings, and equal opportunity legislation) will require organizations to review their management practices and develop new and creative approaches to managing people. Changes will increase work performance and customer service.Women in the WorkplaceThe need to understand diversity is also driven by women in the workplace. Today's workforce has the highest levels of employment participation ever by women. The number of dual income families and single working mothers has increased. Change in the family structure means that there are fewer men and women in traditional family roles (Zweigenhaft and Domhoff, 1998). Therefore, diversity issues cut across both race and gender.Organizational RestructuringThere have been significant changes to organizations as a result of downsizing and outsourcing, which has greatly affected human resource management. Work practices have changed due to the impact of globalization and technology and there is a trend toward longer working hours (Losyk, 1996). Generally speaking, reorganizations usually result in fewer people doing more.LegislationFederal and State equal opportunity legislation make discrimination in workplaces illegal. These laws specify the rights and responsibilities of both associates and employers in the workplace and hold both groups accountable.Benefits of Diversity in the WorkplaceDiversity is beneficial to both associates and employers. Although associates are interdependent in the workplace, respecting individual differences can increase productivity. Diversity in the workplace can reduce lawsuits and increase marketing opportunities, recruitment, creativity, and business image (Esty, et al., 1995). In an era when flexibility and creativity are keys to competitiveness, diversity is critical for an organization's success. Also, the consequences (loss of time and money) should not be overlooked.Challenges of Diversity in the WorkplaceThere are challenges to managing a diverse work population. Managing diversity is more than simply acknowledging differences in people. It involves recognizing the value of differences, combating discrimination, and promoting inclusiveness. Managers may also be challenged with losses in personnel and work productivity due to prejudice and discrimination and complaints and legal actions against the organization (Devoe, 1999).Negative attitudes and behaviors can be barriers to organizational diversity because they can harm working relationships and damage morale and work productivity (Esty, et al., 1995). Negative attitudes and behaviors in the workplace include prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination, which should never be used by management for hiring, retention, and termination practices (could lead to costly litigation).Required Tools for Managing DiversityEffective managers are aware that certain skills are necessary for creating a successful, diverse workforce. First, managers must understand discrimination and its consequences. Second, managers must recognize their own cultural biases and prejudices (Koonce, 2001). Diversity is not about differences among groups, but rather about differences among individuals. Each individual is unique and does not represent or speak for a particular group. Finally, managers must be willing to change the organization if necessary (Koonce, 2001). Organizations need to learn how to manage diversity in the workplace to be successful in the future (Flagg, 2002).Unfortunately, there is no single recipe for success. It mainly depends on the manager's ability to understand what is best for the organization based on teamwork and the dynamics of the workplace. According to Roosevelt (2001), managing diversity is a comprehensive process for creating a work environment that includes everyone. When creating a successful diverse workforce, an effective manager should focus on personal awareness. Both managers and associates need to be aware of their personal biases. Therefore, organizations need to develop, implement, and maintain ongoing training because a one-day session of training will not change people's behaviors (Koonce, 2001). Managers must also understand that fairness is not necessarily equality. There are always exceptions to the rule.Managing diversity is about more than equal employment opportunity and affirmative action (Losyk, 1996). Managers should expect change to be slow, while at the same time encouraging change (Koonce, 2001).Another vital requirement when dealing with diversity is promoting a safe place for associates to communicate (Koonce, 2001). Social gatherings and business meetings, where every member must listen and have the chance to speak, are good ways to create dialogues. Managers should implement policies such as mentoring programs to provide associates access to information and opportunities. Also, associates should never be denied necessary, constructive, critical feedback for learning about mistakes and successes (Flagg, 2002).ConclusionA diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world and marketplace. Diverse work teams bring high value to organizations. Respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity. Diversity management benefits associates by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges. Management tools in a diverse workforce should be used to educate everyone about diversity and its issues, including laws and regulations. Most workplaces are made up of diverse cultures, so organizations need to learn how to adapt to be successful.