Chapter 11 – Managing the Diverse Workforce
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11
chapter
Managing the Diverse Workforce
Learning Objectives 2
Key Student Questions 3
Class Roadmap 5
Bottom Line 12
Social Enterprise 13
Lecturettes 14
Discussion Questions 17
CHAPTER CONTENTS
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1 Describe how changes in the U.S. workforce make diversity a crit-
ical organizational and managerial issue.
2 Distinguish between affirmative action and managing diversity.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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Students are very much interested in diversity, but they have little patience with the standard “diversity
is a good thing” lecture. Minority students are trying to come to grips with how they can succeed in an
environment that may be hostile to them, and non-minorities often feel left out of diversity efforts.
These feelings are reflected in the student questions below:
1. “Do I have an equal chance to get a job in the U.S. if my English isn’t
as good as a native speaker’s?”
2. “How can a woman succeed in a male-dominated industry?”
Answers to Student Questions
1. While there are no laws that prohibit discrimination based on whether or not a person speaks English,
many court decisions have ruled that language discrimination is the same as discrimination based on
race or national origin (for example, Hernandez v. New York.) Generally, “speak English only” poli-
cies are illegal under the Civil Rights Act unless justified by business necessity. While each case is
evaluated separately, courts typically find that “speak English only” policies are illegal when they are
applied to employees who can speak no English, or if they create a hostile work environment for em-
ployees of different national origins.1
2. Women succeed in male-dominated industries by attending to their business. A glance at Forbes
3. This is a difficult question to answer, simply because we don’t have a “control group” to use in com-
paring our current, legislated, practices to an unlegislated environment. While affirmative action has
its advocates as well as its detractors, the simple fact of the matter is that whenever affirmative action
practices have been removed (such as by the passage of Proposition 209 in California) other actions
KEY STUDENT QUESTIONS
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continue to occur in the absence of those laws.
4. Many of the theories and practices taught in this management class apply in other countries and cul-
tures – for example, behavior that is rewarded is more likely to reoccur, regardless of the culture.
However, other practices do not transfer as readily. For example, the textbook discusses assertive
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Management in Action
How Brian France Is Changing the Face of NASCAR
Students may not think of NASCAR as a diverse organization, either in terms of its drivers or its
fans. However, diversity is a goal NASCAR is actively pursuing under the leadership of CEO
A. Managing diversity involves such things as recruiting, training, promoting, and utilizing to full
advantage individuals with different backgrounds, beliefs, capabilities, and cultures.
1. From 1800s to early 1900s, groups immigrated to the U.S. Members were considered outsid-
ers because they did not speak English and had different customs and work styles.
2. In the 1800s it was considered poor business practice for white-Protestant-dominated insur-
LO 1: Describe how changes in the U.S. workforce make diversity a critical organizational
and managerial issue.
A. Components of a Diversified Workforce (Exhibit 11.1)
CLASS ROADMAP
II. Diversity Today
I. Diversity: A Brief History
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1. The expansion of diversity programs in U.S. companies (Exhibit 11.2)
E.G.
Use Example 11.1 – Diversity today here
C. The Workforce of the Future – about 80% of U.S. workers are white, and more than half of
them are male but this group’s share of the labor force is declining. Today approximately one in
three U.S. residents is a racial or ethnic minority, a trend that will impact the future workforce.
1. Gender issues
Multiple Generations at Work
Flexibility and Work-Life Balance
In addition to offering family–‐friendly benefits, many companies provide flexible working arrangements
to recruit and retain Millennial employees. A recent survey suggests that these early career employees
value work flexibility and work-life balance more than compensation growth or skill development.
c. Sexual harassment is conduct of a sexual nature that has negative consequences for em-
ployment.
i. “quid pro quo” occurs when submission to or rejection of sexual conduct is used as a
2. Minorities and immigrants
a. Black, Asian, and Hispanic workers are about 1/3 of the labor force.
b. Asian and Hispanics workforces are growing fastest, followed by the African-American
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3. Mentally and physically disabled
a. Are the largest unemployed minority population.
b. People with disabilities represent 10% of the working-age civilian population.
4. Education Levels
a. In today’s service and technology economy, more positions require a college education.
D. The Age of the Workforce
1. 70% of workers between the ages of 45-74 plan to work in retirement.
LO 2: Distinguish between affirmative action and managing diversity.
1. Affirmative action
a. Special efforts to recruit and hire qualified members of groups that have been discriminat-
2. Diversity
a. Complements affirmative action
E.G.
Use Example 11.2 – Diversity here
LO 3: Explain how diversity, if well managed, can give organizations a competitive edge.
A. Competitive Advantage through Diversity and Inclusion
1. Ability to attract and retain motivated employees.
III. Managing Diversity versus Affirmative Action
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E.G.
Use Example 11.3 – Competitive advantage of diversity here
LO 4: Identify challenges associated with managing a diverse workforce.
B. Challenges of Diversity and Inclusion
1. Unexamined assumptions
2. Lower cohesiveness
Management in Action –
Progress Report
NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity (D4D) effort recruits qualified minority and female drivers, trains them,
and lets them compete in the K&N Pro Series East and Whelen All-American Series. To be accepted in to
the program, candidates must already have racing experience. Whether the drivers go on to win races is
up to their hard work and talent.
• Does the D4D program sound more like managing diversity or affirmative action? Why?
Affirmative action consists of special efforts to recruit and hire qualified members of groups that have
• How should NASCAR address criticism that it gives minority and female drivers an unfair advantage?
Programs that recruit from particular groups often face the charge that they are unfair. The usual response
Chapter 11 – Managing the Diverse Workforce
LO 5: Define monolithic, pluralistic, and multicultural organizations.
A. Examining assumptions about people and culture can help managers capitalize on the benefits
B. There are three basic types of organizations with regard to diversity:
1. Monolithic organization is an organization that has a low degree of structural integration –
employing few women, minorities, or other groups that differ from the majority – and thus
has a highly homogeneous employee population.
E.G.
Use Example 11.4 – Multicultural organizations here
LO 6: List steps managers and their organizations can take to cultivate diversity.
C. Top management’s leadership and commitment
1. Incorporate the organization’s attitude toward diversity into the corporate mission statement
D. Organizational assessment
1. Improves diversity by evaluating workforce, culture, policies, and practices in areas such as
recruitment, promotions, benefits, and compensation.
C. Attracting employees
IV. Multicultural Organizations
V. How Organizations Can Cultivate a Diverse
Workforce
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1. Companies can attract a diverse workforce through:
E.G.
Use Example 11.5 – Attracting and retaining workers with disabilities here
D. Training employees
1. Awareness building is designed to increase awareness of the meaning and importance of
valuing diversity.
2. Skill building is designed to allow all employees and managers to develop the skills they
E. Retaining Employees
1. Establish support groups
2. Create formal mentoring programs
Management in Action
– Onward
Recently, NASCAR’s commitment to diversity was tested when a driver let slip a racial slur while talking
to a blogger, and his use of the term became public. NASCAR suspended the driver for two weeks and
directed him to meet with Richard Lapchick, cofounder of a diversity training program. After the counsel-
ing, the driver said the counseling had helped him think more carefully about himself and the impact of
his words. Lapchick’s training organization also has trained all of NASCAR’s employees with discus-
sions and exercises related to self-identity and the use of stereotypes.
• Assess NASCAR’s response to a driver’s use of a racial slur. What did it do right? What else should it
have done?
Answers will vary, but students should recognize that a diversity program will succeed only with leader-
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• Assess NASCAR’s leadership and commitment concerning diversity. What else should it do?
The case describes strong leadership and determination to make diversity a priority at NASCAR. Other
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p. 384: What are some new or diverse markets that Toys “R” Us can serve best with a diverse workforce?
Answers will vary. This question references the text statement that Toys “R” Us is among companies that
are committed to diversity because companies’ customer bases are changing along with the composition
p. 385: What kinds of innovation are a strength in your generation? In a generation older than yours?
Answers will vary. Again, the point is to practice thinking positively about diversity in the workforce.
p. 385: Why might a customer who wants something new get a faster response from a company that toler-
ates different styles?
The assumption of this Bottom Line idea for achieving speed is that a company that values diversity tol-
p. 395: What makes you feel that your employer values who you are and what you contribute?
Answers will vary. Because employees are diverse, so will be their attitudes toward attempts at motiva-
BOTTOM LINE
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Managing Diversity at Change.org
1. What internal and external forces drove Jen Dulski and other managers at Change.org
to reexamine their commitment to diversity?
First, the organization’s internal culture should reflect the market it is meant to serve. For
2. Why was it important for the company to hire more female and international employ-
ees?
As mentioned in question 1, Change.org’s employees should better reflect it targets market,
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
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LECTURETTE 1.1: Sexual Harassment
WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT?
1. Sexual harassment is to some people like pornography—they can’t define it, but they know it when
they see it.
2. To a great extent, sexual harassment is when job discrimination was in the 1960s—a vague concept
that is slow to illuminate the American consciousness.
3. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued the following guidelines for the
purpose of describing sexual harassment:
Unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual na-
ture constitute sexual harassment when:
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND LEGAL LIABILITY
1. U.S. courts have imposed liability on employers and coworkers for participating in or allowing sexu-
al harassment at work under two distinct theories that are similar to the EEOC guidelines. Those two
theories are: (1) quid pro quo liability and (2) hostile environment liability.
A. Quid Pro Quo Liability
➢ Quid pro quo liability results from a sexual act that is the prerequisite condition to employ-
B. Hostile Environment Liability
2. Under EEOC guidelines, employer liability in sexual harassment cases is established as follows:
➢ When a member of management engages in quid pro quo sexual harassment, demanding sex
ASSESSING SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINTS
LECTURETTES
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When determining the extent to which sexual harassment exists, management should consider the
following:
➢ The severity of the sexual harassment behavior.
HARASSMENT PREVENTION
The following managerial actions can effectively reduce or prevent sexual harassment:
➢ Within the organizational context, determine the nature and extent of sexual harassment.
LECTURETTE 1.2: Women in Management
WOMEN WORKERS – THE UNDERUTILIZED WORKFORCE
1. Not more than a decade ago, women in the United States constituted an underutilized resource; now
that situation is improving rapidly.
2. Not only are more women working, but also they are holding more meaningful positions. Moreover,
WOMEN MANAGERS – ARE THEY DIFFERENT?
1. In field studies, no differences have been found between men and women concerning task-oriented
and people-oriented management styles.
2. In field studies, women are found to be more likely to:
Chapter 11 – Managing the Diverse Workforce
➢ Encourage participation on the part of subordinates in making meaningful work-related deci-
sions.
3. By contrast, men are found to be more apt to:
➢ Be viewed as effective managers.
➢ Have uniquely different responses to poor performance.
➢ Use a wider range of influence strategies.
THE MOMMY TRACK
1. When an employer creates a Mommy Track, it divides its female employees into two groups:
Career Primary women are those who have placed their management career ahead of family.
➢ Career and Family women are those who want both to have a management career and to raise a
family.