Journal of Diversity Management – December 2014 Volume 9, Number 2
The Effects Of Cultural
Diversity In The Workplace
Gillian Coote Martin, South Florida College of Arts Science & Technology, USA
ABSTRACT
Cultural diversity in the workplace has grown as a trend over the passage of time with the
increase of globalization in the world. One positive effect is that employees belonging to different
cultures usually have different ways of thinking and can thus analyze a matter at hand from a
variety of perspectives. This is hard to achieve when employees belonging to the same culture are
asked to analyze the same matter.
Keywords: Effects; Workplace; Cultural Diversity
INTRODUCTION
ith the increase of globalization in the world, cultural diversity in the workplace has grown as a
trend. “Cultural diversity is when differences in race, ethnicity, language, nationality, religion, and
sexual orientation are represented within a community” (Amadeo, 2013). Although the media and
contemporary literature embark upon the benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace, citing enhancements to
employees’ competence and creativity, this recognition does not reflect, in actual practice, as strongly as in theory
(Al–Jenaibi, 2011, p. 49). Cultural diversity can affect the workplace in numerous ways. Negative effects can include
miscommunication, creation of barriers, and dysfunctional adaptation behaviors. Positive effects can include
building a sound knowledge base with in–house talent, which can make for smoother integration of the organization
into foreign cultures.
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