Embracing Workplace Diversity: Enhancing Inclusion Strategies

1 Week 7: Embracing Diversity Essay Elyse Lavergne DeVry University / Keller Graduate School of Management MGMT591: Leadership and Organizational Behavior – 60867 Dr. John Gillis December 7, 2023

2 Introduction “Diversity in the workplace is defined as a trait of company culture wherein the workforce composition includes employees of different genders, age, sexual orientation, religions, languages, abilities, professional backgrounds, socioeconomic backgrounds, and educational backgrounds” (BasuMallick, 2020). In other words, it refers to the variety of differences among people, encompassing race, gender, age, experiences, talents, skills, and opinions. The importance of diversity in the workplace lies in the fact that it ensures a broader range of ideas and fosters creativity and innovation (BasuMallick, 2020). It also helps companies to build a workplace that’s conducive and welcoming to every employee – opening the company up to the best talent out there, without bias (BasuMallick, 2020). What is your organization’s commitment to diversity? Is there some kind of diversity statement or mission statement? Uber’s Diversity & Inclusion Mission Statement: At Uber, our mission is to ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion. We see direct parallels between how we ignite opportunity through our company and how we ignite it within our company. But we also know that a solely data-driven approach will never be sufficient, because D&I is more than a box to check or a target to hit. The numbers matter, but they’re only a starting point; a commitment to diversity and inclusion must run much deeper. That’s why we’ve set an audacious goal: to make Uber the most diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace on the planet. And we’re not just setting high expectations for our own good. We’re aiming sky-high because we know from experience that reducing and eliminating inequity is hard to do if all you shoot for is incremental change (Ongig, 2018).

3 Assess diversity, equity, and inclusion in your current or previous organization (or one you're familiar with). What are some strong areas and what areas could be improved? Strong areas in my current workplace would include flexibility . Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) can promote diversity by offering flexible working arrangements. This can help to attract and retain employees from diverse backgrounds who may have different needs and responsibilities outside of work. Areas of improvement include training and leadership . LDH can provide training to their employees to help them understand the importance of diversity and how to work effectively with people from different backgrounds. This can include training on cultural awareness, unconscious bias, and inclusive communication. LDH can also promote diversity by ensuring that their leadership teams are diverse. This can help to create a culture of inclusivity and encourage employees from diverse backgrounds to progress within the company. What are some elements of your identity that you feel are obvious to other people? Some elements of my identity that I feel are obvious to others are my emotional traits, such as my personality and emotional intelligence. My education which includes my level of education, academic achievements, and intellectual abilities. My professionalism which includes my occupation, job title, and career aspirations, and my spirituality which includes my spiritual beliefs, values, and practices. As well as my goals, values, and beliefs which includes my aspirations and ambitions, personal values and principles and my religious, philosophical, and moral beliefs.

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4 Do you feel that your organization utilizes your uniqueness to the fullest? No, I do not feel that my organization utilizes my uniqueness to the fullest. Employees, such as myself, want to feel valued and fulfilled by my work. My company can improve employee engagement by helping us to connect what we do to what we care about, making the work itself less stressful and more enjoyable, and rewarding us with additional time off, in addition to financial incentives. Employee satisfaction is the level of contentment that employees feel toward their jobs. This includes attitudes towards job responsibilities, personal performance, relationships with managers and coworkers, and company culture. I feel absolutely no employee satisfaction while working within my job. Have you ever felt you needed to change any aspect of yourself to fit into the organizational culture? How did that make you feel? No, I have never had the need to change any aspect of myself to fit into the organizational culture. Instead, organizations should strive to create a culture that values and utilizes the uniqueness of their employees. According to a WalkMe article, when an employee feels out of place or unable to integrate properly, they often experience a decrease in job satisfaction, leading to higher rates of turnover (Walkme, 2023). As a leader or potential leader, what recommendations would you make to your organization regarding embracing diversity. Embracing diversity is a critical aspect of creating a positive and inclusive work environment. Ensure the CEO positions themselves as the top champion for D&I efforts. The CEO should be the driving force behind the organization’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. Center D&I in your business strategy. Diversity and inclusion should be integrated

5 into the organization’s overall business strategy. Hold executive leaders accountable for D&I outcomes. Executive leaders should be held accountable for the success of the organization’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. Mitigate implicit bias at the systemic level. Organizations should take steps to identify and mitigate implicit bias in their hiring and promotion processes. Pivot from diversity training to leadership development coaching. Instead of focusing solely on diversity training, organizations should provide leadership development coaching to help managers and executives create a more inclusive work environment.

6 References BasuMallick, Chiradeep. (July 13, 2020). Spiceworks. What Is Diversity in the Workplace? Definition, Importance, Benefits, Challenges, and Best Practices. Retrieved from https://www.spiceworks.com/hr/diversity-inclusion/articles/what-is-diversity-in-the- workplace/ Ongig. (2018, July 26). 25+ Examples of Awesome Diversity Statements [2022 Update] . Retrieved from https://blog.ongig.com/diversity-and-inclusion/10-examples-of- the-best-diversity-statements/ Walkme Team. (May 2, 2023). Walkme Blog. Will Your Candidate Fit in with the Organizational Culture? . Retrieved from https://www.walkme.com/blog/organizational-culture/

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MGMT591 Week 7 Embracing Diversity Essay by Elyse Lavergne

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