- The article “Why diversity matters” does a good job at using graphics to grab our attention immediately and show some of the differences in company performance when they are more diverse. The first research question that I find myself looking at is the actual title of this article. I know that is a broad question to ask in terms of research, but the statistics that are cited in this article help a lot as far as pointing out why it is beneficial to have a mixed group of people in a workplace. It seems that if you are an employee of a company and you’re trying to be more productive at work, it would help to have a positive mindset and also be challenged- I feel diversity fits both of those parameters.
In the article “What is organizational culture and why should we care?” It’s instantly noticed that while there are some similarities in the contributors view on culture, there are also some differences, and that was worth looking into further for me, to ask “Is diversity of thought in the same sphere as race, gender, orientation, etc.?” I know it wasn’t anything super profound, but to see, or read other peoples views while asked the same question was something I valued. - In my professional life I have been lucky enough to have a diverse group of people that surrounded me. The bulk of my jobs have been warehouse employment, where admittedly going into them I had a preconceived idea of what kind of person would be working there (a white male), and while that may have been the majority in most cases, there certainly were other genders, races and mixes of openly gay, straight, trans people working with me. This was a godsend to me because even throughout my personal life I strive to live by that saying “diversity is the spice of life”. By this I mean that it’s boring just being around the same kind of person that you are (in my opinion), and not only that, it helps your performance, your expansion of ideas, and your attitude. With all of the political division that has been going on lately I have always tried my hardest to seek out conversation with people who may look at things differently than I do, because shutting people out who don’t look like I do or think like I do seems very destructive.
Writing and organizational cultures
I can definitely expand on your response to the second question. I grew up in a small town and I went to a primarily white school, I was just like everyone else although I never fit into a clique very well. Even though I was able to make base level friends with almost anyone in my class I still lacked a stand out trait that brought me closer to a certain crowd of people. When I arrived at college I found myself surrounded by a much more diverse crowd, I grew tight-knit relationships with people from all around the world, as if I could relate to you the more different you were from me. I also found myself engaged in critical thinking and mindfulness more. I watched my actions and made more observations, rather than arguments; I noticed an evident difference in my open-mindedness from spending time with a more diverse crowd.
Your response raises an important consideration, Aaron–diversity doesn’t only matter to a company’s bottom-line or to its management, but to its employees’ experience of work, too!