Diversity in the Workplace
Virginia E. Scott
University of Phoenix
Running Head: Diversity in the Workplace
America was built upon different cultures of immigrants who settled here, Irish, German, English, French, to name a few, as well as those who were already here, such as Native Americans and the Spanish. In history conflicts took place because of the wide path between cultures. One group would fight for their rights to live an area and to live how they wanted. Other groups have fought on this land in order to have freedom of religion. Having many different people in one land is bound to bring conflict and wars. It is not much different in a job, or workplace, though possibly on a smaller scale, a conflict none the less.
Since the first general stores and saloons there has been a diverse workplace. Many jobs were considered only for certain races, such as field work for Africans, building the railroad included mainly the Chinese. Sweatshops were runwith children and Irish immigrants as well as those who were too poor in money and education in order to find anything better. Diversity in the workplace is really no different in this day and time as it was many, many years ago.
There are many reasons that affect how the workplace comes into having diverse staff and how they deal with it. “A force that is contributing to the more diverse workforce and customer base is the trend of people living longer and retiring later. As a result, there are now four distinct generations working shoulder to shoulder—traditionalists, baby boomers, Generation Xers, and millennials—each with its own mind-set, work habits, technology attitudes, and customs. Stir into the mix an increasing number of dual-income families and single working mothers, and you have a very dynamic and diverse group. And these trends are being felt at all levels of the organization—on up to the boardroom, where we’re seeing more foreign-born board members than ever before.” (Why...