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Diversity in the workplace
Key Learning Outcomes
Q
Q
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Diversity in the workplace
Introduction
Michael Dell founded Dell Inc. in 1984 with a single vision: to sell
Social and ethical responsibilities of business
customised, build–to-order personal computers directly to customers.
Dell’s Diversity Strategy
Over 20 years later, Dell is a global leader in providing technology
solutions to businesses, governments and individuals, with revenue of
$57.4bn for the last year.
Curriculum Links
The Dell Direct model means that customers get customised, innovative
technology with the latest components, as Dell does not keep any
Business
(Unit 4)
Transition Year
LCVP
finished stock and holds very low levels of raw materials, which are
replenished several times daily.
Business 2000
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How Dell fosters
diversity internally
Dell actively promotes diversity in the workplace, not just as a good
thing to do, but as a business imperative. Apart from obeying the
equality legislation contained in the 1998 and 2004 Equality Acts, Dell
is proactive in its approach to a barrier-free workplace. This includes
attracting and retaining women, non-nationals and people with
disabilities; ensuring an open environment and an effective work-life
balance. Diversity at Dell is not just a distant, corporate goal, rather it
is an integral part of the company’s corporate culture.
Dell managers are required to complete a course in Diversity and
Inclusion to equip them with the appropriate skills, knowledge and
behaviour to manage diversity and to understand it from a business
Dell's Work Life Effectiveness Week.
perspective.
Dell’s European manufacturing facility is located in Limerick, with a
European business centre based in Cherrywood, County Dublin. Dell
Dell's Global Diversity Mission Statement
is Ireland’s largest exporter, largest technology company and second
At Dell, diversity is characterised by both similarities and
largest company overall.
differences; those things that bind us together into one
workforce combined with the flexibility around individual
Dell Ireland’s workforce –
facts and figures
uniqueness. All of this contributes to Dell’s success.
EMEA Diversity Mission Statement
Dell’s global workforce is made up of 69,700 employees who
Dell is known as a company that thrives on bringing diverse
live and work in 34 countries and deliver products to 190
thinking to business issues while respecting the individual
countries around the world.
needs of its workforce.
Dell Ireland’s workforce is made up of 4,500 employees, 20% of
whom are non-national, coming from 49 different countries.
Women account for 34% of employees.
By driving diversity issues throughout the business, Dell can tap additional
talent, improve operating results and become a better place to work.
A diverse workforce allows Dell to:
What is diversity?
Q
Provide a great customer experience which requires a workforce
reflective of its customers.
When people think of diversity, they usually think of race and gender.
At Dell, diversity is defined in its broadest sense, including differences
Q
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Access the best and brightest talent the marketplace has to offer.
Focus on global expansion with employees who understand the
various cultures, giving Dell a competitive advantage.
such as communication style, thought processes, and skill set.
Diversity is an essential element of Dell’s corporate values and ethos.
Dell programmes
Since Dell began operations in Ireland in 1990, the Irish workforce has
changed dramatically. Non-Irish nationals now make up a large percentage
Dell Ireland showed its commitment to diversity by appointing Ingrid
of employees, and the participation of women in the workplace has
Devin as Diversity Programme Manager in January 2006. She herself
increased. As European culture and society evolves, it is becoming clear
that companies are either being challenged by an increased level of
diversity or are recognising it for the opportunity that it presents.
The Equality Acts of 1998 and 2004 outlaw discrimination of
employees in recruitment, conditions of employment, the provision of
has benefited from Dell's diversity strategy, as the mother of two works
a four-day week with flexible start times, which allows her to balance
her work and home life.
Dell meets its social responsibilities to employees by putting diversity
policies into practice in the following ways:
training, opportunities for promotion, dismissal or disciplinary measures.
It sets out nine ‘grounds’ where discrimination should not occur:
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Gender
Marital status
Family status
Sexual orientation
Religion
DELL
Diversity in the workplace
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Age
Work Life Effectiveness
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brightest talent available, regardless of gender, nationality and
Travelling community
Race
Disability
Recruitment policies and procedures to employ the best and
ability level.
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Employee Assistance Programme – a fully confidential, external
counselling service available to employees to help deal with work
and personal issues.
DELL 4 PGE A4
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Free concierge service available to employees to source products and
area have been lowered to allow for wheelchair access. All sites are
services such as finding a plumber, booking a holiday – all the jobs that
equipped with ramps, wheelchair-friendly toilet facilities and designated
can be an extra burden on top of a normal busy working day.
parking located close to the main entrances.
Subsidised massage onsite.
Flexibile working hours – ability to start/finish work earlier or later
Dell buildings have light switches installed at appropriate heights for
than normal business hours plus the opportunity to work less than
wheelchair accessibility. Lift buttons are in Braille, and to help the
a full time working week with corresponding impact on salary and
visually impaired, there is a recorded voice notification at each floor.
benefits.
Employees who use wheelchairs are included in fire drills and
Telecommuting – provides eligible employees with the flexibility to
simulations and deaf employees are provided with pagers to ensure
work from home on a structured basis, typically for 30 – 40% of
safety in the event of an emergency evacuation.
their weekly work hours.
Q
Encouraging more women
in the workplace
Remote working – to work 100% of time at home, except for meetings.
Work Life Effectiveness Week
Work Life Effectiveness Week took place in early 2006 at its
operations in Dublin and Limerick. The purpose of the week was to
outline current benefits available, provide information and have fun.
Massage was offered to those who wanted to relax. Employees
were also encouraged to get fit by walking around the campuses on
designated walking routes. Experts were also available to discuss
solutions for working mothers and fathers, and provide classes in
time management, life coaching skills and nutrition.
Q
Womens’ Network groups have been established to create a
network for female leaders within Dell, and create a culture of
learning, inclusion and development to support, attract and
retain women in leadership positions.
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Promoting Dell as an attractive place to stay and grow a career as
a woman.
Q
A commitment to career development for women, including
training, assigning mentors from among senior managers and
making sure that women are getting assignments and projects
that will develop their skills.
Education & Awareness
Dell fosters an environment of education and awareness to help
In September 2005, Minister Micheál Martin TD, Minister for Enterprise,
prevent harassment. At Dell’s European manufacturing operation in
Trade and Employment, together with Michael Dell launched a Science
Limerick, free English classes are available to those employees whose
Foundation Ireland (SFI) research-driven scholarship aimed at
first language is not English. Dell also translates many of its handbooks
encouraging more young women into engineering degree courses.
into different languages. Translators and interpreters for key employee
Based on CAO statistics, just 16.4% of students who accepted places
meetings are provided, including Sign Language Interpreters.
on four-year engineering courses in 2002-2004 were female. The
scholarship is a partnership with Dell who will supply all scholars with
The Dell Ireland employee newsletter includes a feature called Culture
Dell notebook computers. Up to ten scholarships will be awarded in
Corner, focusing on a country's culture that is represented in the
2006, and the value of each award is approximately €20,000.
employee population. Dell’s canteen food service has also been
adapted to cater for non-national minorities.
Supporting Disability
Through its experience of employing people with disabilities, Dell
recognises the important talents, skills and abilities of all its
employees. By setting an example through a high level of commitment
to their work and low levels of absenteeism, people with disabilities set
an example for other employees. In their positive approach to work,
these individuals inspire others, change attitudes and raise awareness
of their abilities rather than their disabilities.
Independent audits of the Dell workplaces are carried out by groups
such as the National Council for the Blind and the Irish Deaf Society.
From a disability perspective, Dell has been recognised at the O2
ability awards for consistently showing leadership by ensuring a
barrier-free workplace for people with disabilities.
Health & Safety
Dell’s Health and Safety department is focused on making Dell a safer
place to work for all employees, including those with some form of
physical disability. Access gates and workbenches in the manufacturing
One of Dell's two Womens’ Network groups in Ireland.
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What does diversity at Dell
mean to its employees?
Conclusion
Dell aims to increase the focus on diversity in the future. Ingrid Devin
Annette Ahern: “As a wheelchair-
believes it’s a business issue which applies to everyone. “We want to
bound person, diversity at Dell to
create an environment where people understand what diversity is about
me means that there is equal
and what they can personally do to ensure that all team members can
opportunity. When I approached
grow and give their best regardless of culture, gender, nationality, etc.”
to
be
considered
for
She concludes: “We consistently encourage diverse thinking and
employment, I was surprised to
feedback from all employees in all parts of the business. We need to
receive positive feedback. Eight
understand, value and manage our similarities and differences. We want
years later, I continue to enjoy
all our employees to be comfortable voicing their views and opinions, and
working at Dell.”
feel that they are valued, even if they are contrary to the majority. Our
ultimate goal is to create an environment where our employees will have
Sharon Bannerton: "My work/life
the opportunity to achieve their potential while retaining their individuality.”
balance has benefited in many ways
from flexible working hours and the
option to work from home. Career
Find out more
wise, I have also benefited from a
clearly defined career path with the
support of mentors and training that
Visit: www.dell.ie
focuses on my individual needs and
expands my horizons.”
Janusz Grabowski: “I started
Activity
working in Dell in the manufacturing
build area. I must admit that this
1) Dell has focused on women, inclusion and work-life
effectiveness as three issues for diversity.
-5(a) Why do you think these areas were chosen? Give
-5 two reasons in each case.
-5(b) Which of these policies do you think is most effective? Why?
-5(c) What areas would you have chosen to focus on?
was my first contact with so many
people
from
various
origins,
countries, cultures and religions.
Initially,
I
was
fearful
of
the
multilingual environment but then it
occurred to me that Dell was giving
2) What institutions were set up by the 1998 and 2004 Equality
Acts to ensure that equality is promoted in workplaces?
Write a paragraph on all institutions related to equality.
each one of us an opportunity to
gain experience and the chance to
develop in our own way. That’s what
diversity at Dell means to me!”
Fill in the boxes below. The shaded boxes will spell out a key word
from the case.
(a) The name of Dell’s strategy for ensuring that people of all
cultures, races, ability levels and gender are represented in
the workplace. (9)
(b) All sites are ______________ with ramps. (8)
(c) The type of Dell facility located in Limerick. (13)
(d) The first name of Dell’s founder. (7)
Quiz Word
(e) The Dell Diversity Strategy is aimed at fostering this. (9)
(f) -5People working in Ireland who come from abroad. (3, 9)
(g) Dell is Ireland’s biggest ______________. (8)
(h) The confidential counselling service provided by Dell to
employees. (8, 10, 9)
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
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