among people, primarily focusing on race, culture, gen- der, sexual orientation, age, and physical abilities. Their definitions include differences in religion, class, ethnicity, nation of origin, and even learning and communication styles or simply where people come from and their occu- pations. Most definitions tend to be broad. White male engineers
could make up a diverse group, and so could a group of white female engineers. All are individuals with differenc- es and all of these differences can affect the workplace. By understanding diversity well enough, today’s man-
ager can get the most out of any group by appreciating and using their differences and talents. Diversity has its best potential and its biggest challenge in deeper differ- ences, Sonnenschein advises. Deep differences in today’s workforce can cause deeper
differences in styles and in ways of looking at and doing things, causing some organizations “do more than they ever dreamed possible.” Specific benefits might include offering of a wide range of views to be presented, includ- ing views that challenge the status quo. Strenghthening core values can occur with more diver-
sity as well as organizational change. Social, economic, intellectual and emotional growth often take place as di- versity deepens. Diversity also helps organizations better understand their place in the global community. More research is showing the value of organizational
diversity, supporting both Sonnenschein and Thomas. For instance, one study by the Federal Glass Ceiling Commis- sion demonstrated that companies successfully using a diverse workforce saved millions of dollars in turnover costs and earned twice the rate of return on investment as those which did not use diversity well. Of course there are challenges - diversity’s benefits
are not automatic. Challenges come as those employees holding racist, sexist, ageist and homophobic beliefs are disrupted, sometimes halting organizations from ever achieving their missions because of disruption and resis- tance. So leaders must be ready to accept the challenges of
diversity to take advantage of its benefits. Some specific organizational challenges might require more complexity of management - it is easier to manage a group of like- minded people that a group of people who are very differ- ent from each other and from their leaders. Fairness can draw some challenges, as different cultures
define fairness in different ways. Other challenges might focus on issues such as unanimity, identity and loyalty as these often vary among cultures. There may be a need for more frequent redefining one-
self and the values of others, for example. Yet it is possible to turn many of these challenges into benefits - finding new approaches to doing tasks leads to innovation, for instance.
www.hnmagazine.com Celebrating 19 Years of Diversity Ryan R. Category Manager
Yazir M. Director, Commercial Marketing
Alejandro O. Director, DataZone Operations
Join a team that is the leading retailer of automotive parts and accessories, and has a strong culture focused on innovation and customer satisfaction.
With opportunities in merchandising, finance, e-commerce, supply chain and more, everyone is a key player on our team!
“Many people [might] worry about not having as much fun, what with sexual harassment laws and other problems created by diversity,”
Achieving diversity requires well trained leaders who
have excellent diversity skills and who are capable of finding new ways to make diversity work. Just watch any leading company - small or large - that is growing and thriving. Then take a look at its top leadership and you will most likely finds the signs of strong diversity management in place. Susan Klopfer, M.B.A., is author of “Profit From Diver-
sity: Getting Along With Others,” set for publication in mid November, during National Education Week. Visit her and learn more about diversity at http://
www.susanklopfer.com. Source: Ezine Articles
See where your
DRIVE
can take you
Apply online at
www.autozone.com/careers HISPANIC NETWORK MAGAZINE 35
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