Diversity in Organizations

Chapter 2
 • Describe the two major forms of workforce
diversity

• Demonstrate how workplace discrimination

undermines organizational effectiveness
Learning Outcomes
• Identify the key biographical characteristics
and describe how they are relevant to OB
After studying this chapter, you
should be able to: • Explain how other differentiating
characteristics factor into OB

• Demonstrate the relevance of intellectual

and physical abilities to OB

• Describe how organizations manage

diversity effectively

Diversity in Organizations 2
Diversity
How do we define the term?
Diversity in Organizations 3
 The Two Major Forms of Workforce Diversity

Diversity Management

Surface-Level Diversity

Deep-Level Diversity
Diversity in Organizations 4
 Discrimination
Stereotyping: Judging someone on the basis of our perception of
the group to which that person belongs..

Stereotyping Threat: The degree to which we agree internally

with the generally negative stereotyped perceptions of our groups.

Diversity in Organizations 5
 Discrimination
Stereotyping Threat
• Along with that comes a fear of being judged
• People may unconsciously exaggerate the stereotype
• They may engage in self-handicapping
• Avoid effort so that they can attribute their potential failure to other
sources, such as stress
• People may overcompensate for the stereotype threat they feel
• Work to avoid confirming the stereotype
• Stereotype threat has serious implications for the workplace
• Preemployment tests, performance appraisals, training, interaction,
job attitudes etc.
Diversity in Organizations 6
 Discrimination

Diversity in Organizations 7
 Biographical Characteristics and How Are
They Relevant to OB
Many biographical differences are not important to
actual work outcomes
AGE
• Belief is widespread that job performance declines with increasing age.
• The workforce is aging.
• U.S. legislation that, for all intents and purposes, outlaws mandatory
retirement.
• Positive qualities: experience, judgment, a strong work ethic, and
commitment to quality

Diversity in Organizations 8
 Biographical Characteristics and How Are
They Relevant to OB

Turnover Less likely to quit jobs

Absenteeism Lower rates of avoidable absence

Virtually no relationship between

Productivity
age and job performance
More satisfied, better relationships,
Satisfaction
more committed

Diversity in Organizations 9
 Biographical Characteristics and How Are
They Relevant to OB
Few issues initiate more debates, misconceptions, and unsupported
opinions than whether women perform as well on jobs as men.

GENDER
• Few, if any, important differences between men and women affect
job performance.
• Psychological studies have found women are more agreeable and
willing to conform to authority, whereas men are more aggressive
and more likely to have expectations of success, but those
differences are minor.
• Women and men are rate equally effective as leaders.

Diversity in Organizations 10
 Biographical Characteristics and How Are
They Relevant to OB
https://fortune.com/2021/06/02/female-ceos-fortune-500-2021-wo
men-ceo-list-roz-brewer-walgreens-karen-lynch-cvs-thasunda-br
own-duckett-tiaa/
• Biases and stereotypes persist
• Men are preferred in hiring decisions for male-dominated occupations
• On job, both genders maybe offered a similar number of developmental
experiences
• Females are less likely to be assigned challenging positions
• Glass-ceiling
• Women still earn less money than men for the same positions
• Maternal wall bias
Diversity in Organizations 11
 Biographical Characteristics and How Are
They Relevant to OB
RACE AND ETHNICITY
• Race: Heritage people use to identify themselves
• Ethnicity: Cultural characteristics that often overlap with race
• Employees tend to favor colleagues for their own race in performance
evaluations, promotion decisions, pay raises.
• Discrimination Turnover Organizational Performance
• Positive diversity climate: An environment of inclusiveness and an
acceptance of diversity.

Diversity in Organizations 12
 Biographical Characteristics and How Are
They Relevant to OB
Employers should make reasonable accommodations at
workplace
DISABILITY
• A person is disabled who has any physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
• The “reasonable accommodation” is problematic for employers.
• Strong biases exist against those with mental impairment.
• Hidden disabilities

Diversity in Organizations 13
 OTHER DIFFERENTIATING
CHARACTERISTICS
TENURE: Time spent in a job, organization, or field.

• Evidence demonstrates a positive relationship between organizational

tenure and organizational performance

Religion
• Although employees are protected by U.S. federal law regarding their
religion, it is still an issue in the workplace.

Diversity in Organizations 14
 OTHER DIFFERENTIATING
CHARACTERISTICS
Sexual orientation
• Federal law does not protect employees against discrimination based
on sexual orientation.
Gender identity
• Often referred to as transgender employees, this topic encompasses
those individuals who change genders.
Cultural Identity
• People choose their cultural identity and how closely they observe
the norms of that culture.

Diversity in Organizations 15
 Define Intellectual Ability and
Demonstrate Its Relevance to OB
All of us have strengths and weaknesses that make us relatively
superior or inferior to others in performing certain tasks or
activities. The challenge is to understand the differences and thus
increase the likelihood that a given employee will perform the job
well.
Ability: An individual’s current capacity to perform the various tasks in a
job.

Physical Ability
Intellectual Ability

Diversity In Organizations 16
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