Chapter 3
Diversity and Multiculturalism
Author Chapter Notes
This chapter is appropriately in the front of the book, since we know that diversity and
multiculturalism is of upmost importance in today’s workplace. Having a diverse
workforce means we are better able to serve customers, generate ideas, and be more
productive.
In this chapter, we take “diversity” a bit further and discuss multiculturalism as well.
While diversity tends to look at policies and procedures, multiculturalism looks at the
issues of diversity deeper, which can create a more functional workplace. This topic can
make most people uncomfortable, as our society does not normally talk about race and
gender and the power and privilege that exist. When speaking of power and privilege, one
of the best quotes I have heard was, “Power and privilege is like ending up on 2nd base
without having to hit, but thinking you did.” Power and privilege don’t mean that people
with more privilege don’t work hard to get where they are at, it just means they may have
had some advantages that gave them a head start. The activity near the end of the
instructor’s manual provides a great interactive experiential activity that highlights power
and privilege.
Section 1 Learning Objectives
1. Define, explain, and identify your own power and privilege.
2. Provide reasoning as to why diversity is important to maintain profitability.
Section Notes
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Diversity and multiculturalism are often used interchangeably but have different
meanings.
Diversity is normally a set of policies and procedures to maintain compliance,
where multiculturalism looks at power and privilege within different groups of
people.
Invisible privilege are those privileges we do not see we have (see examples in
text).
One can have privilege in one area but not another.
A multicultural work environment has several advantages, such as being able to
better serve customers, meeting the requirements of the law, better
communication and creation of better ideas and solutions.
Companies who are diverse report higher revenues than those who are not.
© Laura Portolese Dias 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge
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Key Takeaways
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Diversity is the real or perceived differences between individuals. This can
include race, gender, sexual orientation, size, and cultural background.
Multiculturalism is a term that is similar to diversity, but focuses on development
of a greater understanding of how power in society can be unequal due to race,
gender, sexual orientation, power, and privilege.
Power and privilege is a system of advantages based on one’s race, gender, and
sexual orientation. This system can often be invisible (to those who have it),
which results in one race or gender having unequal power in the workplace. Of
course, this unequal power results in unfairness, which may be of legal concern.
Diversity is important to the success of organizations. Many studies have shown a
direct link between the amount of diversity in a workplace and the company’s
success.
Exercises and Solutions
1. Perform an Internet search to find a specific diversity policy for an organization.
What is the policy? From what you know of the organization, do you believe they
follow this policy in reality?
Answer: Answers will vary greatly. Consider making this a group discussion where
students are divided into small groups to share their findings and discuss the viability
of the diversity policy.
2. Visit the website http://www.diversityinc.com and find their latest “top 50 list.” What
criteria are used to appear on this list? What are the top five companies for the current
year?
Answer: For 2010, the top 50 are:
1. Sodexo
2. Johnson & Johnson
3. AT&T
4. Kaiser Permanente
5. Ernst & Young
6. PricewaterhouseCoopers
7. Marriott International
8. IBM Corp.
9. Bank of America
10. Abbott
11. Verizon Communications
12. American Express Co.
13. Merck & Co.
14. Colgate-Palmolive
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15. KPMG
16. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
17. The Coca-Cola Co.
18. Procter & Gamble
19. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
20. Health Care Service Corp.
21. Cox Communications
22. Accenture
23. Time Warner Cable
24. MGM MIRAGE
25. Deloitte
26. Cummins
27. HSBC – North America
28. Monsanto Co.
29. General Mills
30. Aetna
31. Capital One
32. Prudential Financial
33. The Walt Disney Co.
34. JPMorgan Chase
35. Kraft Foods
36. Toyota Motor North America
37. Cisco Systems
38. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
39. Time Warner
40. Target Corp.
41. SC Johnson
42. MetLife
43. Wells Fargo & Co.
44. Ford Motor Co.
45. Comerica
46. JCPenney
47. Northrop Grumman Corp.
48. Xerox Corp.
49. Automatic Data Processing
50. WellPoint
Extra Discussion Questions
1. What are the criteria for
http://www.diversityinc.com?
the
Top
50
DiversityInc
Lists
Answer: Surveys are sent to all interested companies with at least 1,000
employees. The survey consists of 300 questions which have
predetermined weightings. The areas measured include:
CEO
Commitment,
Human
Capital,
Corporate
and
organization
communications and supplier diversity.
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2. While on the DiversityInc website, research reasons why companies have
gone down on the list. What companies were lowered on the list for the
current year, and what are the reasons why?
Answer: For 2010, lack of CEO commitment to diversity along with lack
of representation in higher positions are reasons for companies to go
down—or off—the list.
Key Terms
diversity
The real or perceived differences between individuals.
multiculturalism
Looks at power and privilege differences in society.
power and privilege
A system of advantages based on race, gender, sexual orientation, and other components
of diversity.
Section 2 Learning Objectives
1. Apply strategies to create a multicultural work environment and diversity plans.
2. Create an HR plan with diversity considerations.
Section Notes
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This section provides an example of a diversity policy and discusses how to write
a diversity plan.
It makes the point that while a diversity plan in great, how it will be implemented
and measured is perhaps even more important.
The steps to writing a diversity plan include gathering of data (assessment of
diversity), development of the plan, addressing goals and tactical plans, and the
implementation of the plan with ways to measure the plan.
In recruitment and selection, it’s important to consider how and where ads are
posted.
Reliance on word-of-mouth advertisements can be exclusive—advertisements
should be posted in a variety of place to get the most diverse workforce.
The four-fifths rule is a way to measure diversity in the selection process, it helps
determine if adverse impact is occurring.
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Employment tests must be related to the job and reasonable accommodations
must be made.
Pay disparities exist between females and males. Reasons are arguable for the
disparity in pay between males and females. They include the number of hours
worked, occupational choice, and ability to negotiate salary.
Creation of a training program on diversity is important and might include
building cultural knowledge, treatment of people on the basis of individuals,
active listening, policies, and resistance to change.
Key Takeaways
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Often times there are cultural aspects to an organization that make it resistant to
an inclusive environment. These are often not obvious, but it is important to be
aware of how your own company culture impacts multiculturalism.
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One way to begin the discussion within your organization is to create diversity
action plans, for which the entire company is responsible and for which HR is the
change agent. In addition to companywide initiatives, HR can also look within its
own HR plans to see where it may be able to change.
In recruitment, awareness of how and where you post announcements is crucial.
Testing should be fair and unbiased and shouldn’t negatively impact someone
based on race, national origin, gender, social class, or educational level.
There are many reasons for differences in pay. Development of a set pay scale can
alleviate some of the issues surrounding unfair pay, especially between men and
women.
Formal mentorship programs can create multicultural understanding and can
ensure people do not stick with their own race or gender when helping someone
move up the ranks in an organization.
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Exercises and Solutions
1. What are some things we can do, personally, to be more multiculturally efficient?
Answer: Test assumptions, understand there are many ways to do things, build
honest relationships, learn to give negative feedback to people who are different from
you, use diverse screening committees, examine existing policies for diversity issues,
constructive feedback, take action when others show disrespect in the workplace,
make sure assignments and promotions are accessible to everyone.
2. What are the advantages of having a set pay scale? What are the disadvantages?
Answer: For cultures and people who are less comfortable negotiating salary, this
may create a more fair process. Disadvantages might include the inability to pay
people based on abilities, potential, and experience.
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Extra Discussion Question
1. Identify your Power and Privilege based on race and sex. What advantages have you
received as a result?
Answer: This question will likely make people feel uncomfortable—which is good for
growth. Answers will vary, but if students answer, “I have worked for everything I had,”
then they are not acknowledging their invisible privilege and ask them to dig deeper. This
can also be done as a group discussion, if you feel you and the class would be
comfortable doing so.
Key Terms
four-fifths rule
The rule states that a selection rate for any race, sex, or ethnic group that is less than fourfifths of the rate for the group with the highest rate could be regarded as adverse impact.
adverse impact
Refers to employment practices that may appear to be neutral but have a discriminatory
effect on a protected group.
Section 3 Learning Objectives
1.
2.
Define the role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Explain the various types of laws covered by the EEOC.
Section Outline
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The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is charged with the
task of enforcing federal employment discrimination laws.
Employers with at least 15 employees are covered under the EEOC laws.
The EEOC has its head office in Washington, DC, with fifty-three offices
throughout the United States.
If a company has more than 100 employees, an EEOC reporting form called the
EEO-1 must be filled out yearly.
While we discuss legal compliance in this section, as noted before, diversity is
important to a profitable business.
The EEOC covers age discrimination, disability discrimination (under ADA).
Reasonable accommodations must be provided to employees with disabilities.
Equal pay and compensation is required under EEOC.
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Genetic information might include family medical information or information
about diseases or disorders. This information cannot be taken into account in
hiring, firing, promoting, or paying employees.
National origin refers to the country in which someone comes from and is covered
by the EEOC laws.
A woman cannot be discriminated against because she is pregnant. The FMLA, or
Family and Medical Leave Act, provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave, if the
company has 50 or more employees in the case of a birth, adoption, care for
immediate family member, and medical leave for the employee.
EEOC also covers race, religion, and sex, and employers cannot discriminate
based on these factors.
The EEOC also prohibits discrimination based on military service.
The EEOC covers retaliatory issues such as firing, demoting, or harassment of
employees who file a discrimination suit with the EEOC.
Key Takeaways
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The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency charged
with the development and enforcement of laws relating to multiculturalism and
diversity in the workplace.
The EEOC covers discrimination based on several areas. Companies cannot
discriminate based on age; EEOC law covers people who are forty years or older.
Employers cannot discriminate against people with disabilities and must provide
reasonable accommodations, such as the addition of a wheelchair ramp to
accommodate those with disabilities.
Equal pay refers to the fact people should legally be paid the same amount for
performing the same type of work, even if the job title is different.
The newest addition to EEOC law prohibits discrimination based on genetic
information, such as a family history of cancer.
Unfavorable treatment of people because they are from a particular country or part of
the world or have an accent is covered by the EEOC. An organization cannot require
people to speak English, unless it is a requirement for the job or needed for safety and
efficient operation of the organization.
Women can’t be discriminated against because they are pregnant. The inability to
perform certain tasks due to pregnancy should be treated as a temporary disability;
accommodation can be in the form of modified tasks or alternative assignments.
The EEOC protects people from discrimination based on their race or color.
Religion is also an aspect of the EEOC family of laws. The protection of religion
doesn’t allow for discrimination; accommodations include modifications of work
schedules or dress to be made for religious reasons.
Discrimination on the basis of sex is illegal and covered by the EEOC. Sexual
harassment is also covered by the EEOC and states that all people, regardless of sex,
should work in a harassment-free environment.
Retaliation is also illegal. An organization cannot retaliate against anyone who has
filed a complaint with the EEOC or a discrimination lawsuit.
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The US Department of Labor oversees some aspects of EEOC laws, such as the
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This act requires organizations to give
twelve weeks of unpaid leave in the event of an adoption, birth, or caregiving of sick
family members.
Exercise and Solution
1. Visit the EEOC website at http://www.eeoc.gov and explain the methods an
employee can use in filing a complaint with the EEOC.
Answer: An employee files a charge of discrimination and may be asked to settle the
dispute through mediation. If mediation does not solve the problem, the charge will
be given to an investigator. If the investigation finds no violations, the employee will
be given a notice of Right to Sue. If a violation is found, the EEOC attempts to reach
a voluntary settlement with the employer.
2. If an employer is found to have discriminated, what are some “remedies” listed on the
EEOC website?
Answer: Remedies might include compensatory and punitive damages,
although there are limits depending on the size of the company.
Extra Discussion Questions
1. Visit the EEOC website and review the information listed on the employers section.
What is the normal process for charge handling?
Answer: A statement of position is submitted, a response to the Request for
Information is submitted, and an on-site visit permitted. In addition, access to
employees for witness interviews must be permitted.
2. According to the EEOC, what is the Conciliation process?
Answer: Once reasonable cause has been determined, the parties are invited to
participate in discussions where the investigator will work with the company and
charging party to develop an appropriate remedy for the discrimination. It is a
voluntary process and presents the opportunity to resolve the charge informally.
Key Terms
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
A federal agency charged with the task of enforcing federal employment discrimination
laws.
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Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
This act, passed in 1964 and enforced by the EEOC, covers several areas of
discrimination including age, race, and sex.
bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)
A quality or attribute employers are allowed to consider when making decisions during
the selection process.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
Created in 1967 and enforced by the EEOC, this law prohibits discrimination based on
age and covers people who are age forty or older.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities and is enforced by the EEOC.
reasonable accommodation
A change in the work environment or the way things are customarily done that enables an
individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
This law gives twelve weeks of unpaid leave for childbirth, adoption, or caregiving of
sick family members.
Chapter Case
The Author discusses the case for Chapter 3:
http://blip.tv/play/sDyCpvc9AA%2Em4v
Additional Case Study Exercise
Your company has been granted a large contract by the government, and as a
result, you need to hire 100 people to meet the needs of this contract, per your
strategic plan. Here are the final statistics:
400 women applied
520 men applied
30 women were selected
70 men were selected
1. Define the four-fifths rule.
Answer: This rule states that a selection rate for any race, sex or ethnic group
is less than 4/5 of the rate for the group with the highest rate, could be
regarded as adverse impact.
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2. Determine if the organization could have adverse impact on the hiring
process, show your work.
Answer:
Selection rate for women: 7.5%
Selection rate for me: 13.5%
7.5/13.5 = .41 or 41%
These numbers show there is no adverse impact.
Class/Group Activity
This is an activity I do with my students to help them see their own power and
privilege related to social class.
If you prefer to view the activity in website form:
http://wbarratt.indstate.edu/socialclass/step_into_social_class_2.htm
Step into Social Class 2.0
A Social Class Awareness Experience
Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy
Ploskonka
Indiana State University
© 2008
Introduction: An activity designed to help the participants gain awareness of the vast
range of social class that exists within themselves and others. This has been updated
based on the wide range of feedback we received as this was becoming a popular
experience.
Explanations and Notes: All of the ‘step taking’ is about things not requiring effort on
the students’ part, that were things done by others. While some of these are important to
some people, others will be important to others. The list includes experiences, objects,
and other things which reflect social class.
Equipment:
A big room with space to move for all participants
Chairs to sit for discussion
Rules:
Pay attention to how you feel. Angry, sad, happy, winner, loser . . .
No talking – we will talk about this a lot when it is over
Line up here and take a step forward of about 1 (one) foot or one foot length
Take a step:
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If your father went to college before you started
If your father finished college before you started
If your mother went to college before you started
If your mother finished college before you started
If you have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
If your family was the same or higher class than your high school teachers
If you had a computer at home when you were growing up
If you had your own computer at home when you were growing up
If you had more than 50 books at home when you were growing up
If you had more than 500 books at home when you were growing up
If were read children's books by a parent when you were growing up
If you ever had lessons of any kind as a child or a teen
If you had more than two kinds of lessons as a child or a teen
If the people in the media who dress and talk like you were portrayed positively
If you had a credit card with your name on it before college
If you had or will have less than $5000 in student loans when you graduate
If you had or will have no student loans when you graduate
If you went to a private high school
If you went to summer camp
If you had a private tutor
(US students only) If you have been to Europe more than once as a child or teen
(International question) If you have been to the US more than once as a child or teen
If your family vacations involved staying at hotels rather than KOA or at relatives homes
If all of your clothing has been new
If your parents gave you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
If there was original art in your house as a child or teen
If you had a phone in your room
If your parent owned their own house or apartment when you were a child or teen
If you had your own room as a child or teen
If you participated in an SAT/ACT prep course
If you had your own cell phone in High School
If you had your own TV as a child or teen
If you opened a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College
If you have ever flown anywhere on a commercial airline
If you ever went on a cruise with your family
If your parents took you to museums and art galleries as a child or teen
If you were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family
Now everyone recognize that you are at the same place academically.
Everyone turn around.
Everyone has permission to talk.
No one has permission to accuse any one or any group of anything.
Everyone must use “I” statements.
Note that the people on one end of the room had to work harder to be here today than the
people at the other end of the room. Some of you had lives of more privilege than others.
There is no one to blame, it is just the way it is. Some have privilege and some don’t.
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(this can be said now or later, I don’t know where it will be appropriate).
Discussion:
What were the feelings that you had during this experience? Who was angry?
(Anger will be a primary emotion at this point.)
What, specifically, makes you angry?
Who are you angry at?
Who was happy?
Which item do you want to argue about most? Why? Do you want more or fewer steps?
Summary Statement
This experience was about creating awareness of privilege. What it is, what it does, and
what it means. Having privilege does not mean that you worked less hard. All it means is
that you had a head start, so maybe it does mean you didn’t have to work as hard.
Useful Outside Resources
The Human Resource Certification Institute: http://www.hrci.org/
Society for Human Resource Management: http://www.shrm.org/Pages/default.aspx
YouTube videos:
Bobby Siu discusses the advantages of diversity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0eLL1xi4kY
A short clip from the show “The Office” shows a diversity exercise that didn’t go
so well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aVUoy9r0CM&feature=related
This presentation gives several examples of diversity from large companies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gFZzVbulSQ
Harley Davidson meeting discusses diversity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl3EsbFpvng
Dr. Shirley Davis discusses the necessity of diversity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pHTz8AQOg8
Cleveland Clinic discusses their diversity and inclusion policy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6WRnbrqvSQ
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