Managing the Diversity of Workforce 2000

by Odette Pollar

When you step into your workplace, doesn't it look different than it did just a few years ago? California, like New York, has a history of multiculturalism. The rest of the country is rapidly catching up. Nationally, these are some of the changes we are experiencing. Women and minorities will comprise almost two-thirds of all new entrants into the U.S. workforce between now and the year 2000. There are 45 million physically and mentally challenged - but able - workers who are entering this workforce. An estimated 10% of the population is gay or lesbian. Customers, colleagues and staff will be made up of women, people of differences and people of color. Managing and incorporating this diversity is both our challenge and our opportunity.

America was once a microcosm of Europe. Now it is a microcosm of the world. We can no longer presume that the "typical" U.S. citizen traces his or her descent in a direct line from Europe. Whatever industry you work in, regardless of your position, tenure or years on the job, your work environment is rapidly changing.

What is meant by "diversity?" It is most commonly thought of in ethnic or racial terms, sometimes by gender, age or differences in physical ability. The wider view of diversity is more comprehensive. The concept incorporates differences in gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion, physical or mental ability, military status and sexual preference. People have other differences, too: lifestyle, thinking styles, culture and educational level. We vary in the ways we process information, show respect to authority, learn, think and reach agreements. To survive and to prosper, we must at least learn to be more tolerant of these differences. And better yet, learn to appreciate them. Tolerate, here, does not mean "put up with," or "endure" - which is one part of its dictionary definition - but is used in the word's broader sense, "sympathy for beliefs and practices differing from our own."

WHAT CAN YOU DO

Managing the workforce of today and the future requires new skills. Managers and team members need to be aware of the unique issues faced by others, and learn about the needs of those who now work with and for them. What are some of the ways you can learn about the issues faced by the differently-abled, gay and lesbian employees, blacks in senior management, or women in non-traditional fields, to name a few? Sources of information include watching Public Television or listening to Public Radio programs, (before the funding disappears), reading culturally-specific newspapers, and asking sensitive questions.

An atmosphere of flexibility and sensitivity will help all employees work better together. Sometimes the "little things" can make all the difference. At work, does your organization celebrate the holidays with Christmas trees? Honoring only Christian holidays leaves out those who celebrate Hanukkah, Kwaanza, and "Chinese New Year," all of which fall in the December/January time frame. To help everyone celebrate and worship, floating holidays, or optional holidays, can be implemented instead of a mandatory December 25 day off. This policy is more inclusive of all. We need to watch our language - not just the obvious slurs, but the slang, abbreviations and jargon. Stating that someone "jewed us down," told an "old wives tale," or "hadn't been seen in a coon's age" builds walls instead of bridges. However innocent or unintentional, these phrases are not benign to the listener.

How can we be sensitive if we are unaware of the concerns of others? Asking questions that are open, illustrative of interest and genuine go a long way to building better relationships. "Is there another approach?" &"What would you do in this situation?" "How do you feel about...?" Asking is one part of the equation, the other is accepting the resulting information.

The successful person able to navigate in and with this new workforce, will make fewer assumptions. There is no reason to suppose that everyone is married or wants to be, or is heterosexual for that matter. We don't all eat the same things. All vegetarians are not the same, nor are they necessarily vegetarian for the same reasons.

Our changing mosaic is exciting. Diversity is here to stay. And our individual efforts towards working together will determine our status as a nation in the international marketplace of the future. The challenge seems overwhelming, but it need not be. Don't expect to be perfect or try to learn four new languages overnight. Start where you are. Get to know the people around you who are different from you. Individual one-to-one efforts really do matter. By embracing our differences, we can all make a difference.

Odette Pollar is a nationally known speaker, author, and consultant to business, government, and industry. She founded TIME MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, a training firm based in Oakland, California. Her book, Organizing Your Workspace: A Guide to Personal Productivity (Crisp, 1992) is available for $9.95 per copy (plus $3.50 S & H). Call TMS at 1-800-599-TIME or mail to 1441 Franklin Street, Suite 301, Oakland, California 94612.