The Changing Definition of Workplace Diversity
by William G. Shackelford
Summary
In The Changing Definition of Workplace Diversity, Shackelford discusses today’s changing definition of diversity, while considering the diversity philosophies of several corporations and authors. Employers have broadened their concept of what diversity is. The case for broadening the definition is built on the changing labor force demographics. The majority of workers entering the workforce this decade will be women, minorities and foreign nationals. The labor shortage that began in the 1990’s will continue to grow and is projected to reach 10 million workers by 2010.
Employers have moved diversity from a “nice thing to do” to a business necessity, says Donna Brazile. It’s recommended to use your cover letter to highlight your diversity status, to include on your resume your fraternity or sorority membership, to mention any affiliation with prominent minority or diversity organizations, to include military service on your resume, to state any community service or other volunteer work, or to stress your willingness to apply your degree in non-traditional ways. Discrimination in hiring has taken a back seat to issues of homeland security, terrorism, war and economic security. These changing times present a window of opportunity for “equal opportunity” for diverse candidates.
For one example, Merck as a company takes extra care to attract, hire, develop and retain highly capable and motivated students. Merck provides strong foundations for their development (scholarships and workshops) and welcomes diversity. Because of this, students look at Merck as an “Employer of Choice”after college. These types of programs are becoming more and more common to not only seek diversity, but welcome it.
Analysis
In William G. Shackelford’s, The Changing Definition of Workplace Diversity, he explains the changing scope of workplace diversity in America. He uses the definitions of multiple corporations with direct quotes to show how the definition differs based on the intention of the diversity. By using sources from different time periods he’s able to show the actual change in not only diversity’s definition, but its place in the workplace.
He begins by introducing the first company to have crowned diversity as important within the workplace. His introduction pulls the audience in with the phrase, “it’s been almost 20 years since,” as it pulls the reader into a timeline. This, as an introduction, sets the tone for the rest of the article. At this point, once he goes into the companies and their mission statements and diversity definitions, they come one after the other. Their comparisons are apparent, and he makes it easy to see the transition in importance companies have put on diversity and how it changed over time.
This text is important for our class’s discussion on organizational diversity, because it not only shows opinions of diversity within corporations, but also how different environments foster this diversity. Certain circumstances welcome diversity better than others. Knowing diversity is helpful in the workplace is one thing, but creating an environment that welcomes and is desirable for those diverse employees is another. This particular conversation is something our texts so far haven’t focused on as much.
Link
https://go-gale-com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=2&docId=GALE%7CA108966746&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZAHW&prodId=PPDS&contentSet=GALE%7CA108966746&searchId=R1&userGroupName=nysl_ce_syr&inPS=true&ps=1&cp=2