I have been in the human resources department at major oil companies for over 9 years now. I have hired eligible candidates from multitudes of culture, ethnicity, and religion. I have also seen the exclusion of certain peoples based on ethnicity and religious preference, and noticed the downfall of the corporation. As an African American minority, I know that it is important to not view a candidate based on physical and personal preference, but on quality and skills. Knowing that the job is going to get done efficiently and with quality should be the driving force of an interview.
Diversity in the workplace allows people to understand and connect with people everywhere. It gives them knowledge and insight to cultures and challenges them to their own acceptance. I'm surrounded by someone from Mexico, Venezuela, and India. I am learning Spanish, Hebrew, and French which is something I have always wanted to do. I am getting really good at it and soon, when I travel, I won't need someone there to help me translate all the time. This method ensures equality in the workplace and gives others the value of people and customer service. You learn to understand and relate with people of different backgrounds and that makes for a better employee. When you give someone the opportunity to except others the way the would except themselves, you make it apparent that equality is important to your business and that attracts more clientele.
Though it is great to have diversity, businesses must be careful and aware to train their employees in the dominant language. There are many times I would call a customer service representative from a culture and he/she could barely understand my words. It is important to keep in mind that while diversity is good, it is important to train in all areas of language, personality, and skill.
Now for those of you who do not believe that diversity ensures equality, imagine yourself surrounded by your own people and ethnic background. To exclude someone because of their difference is no different than racism or discrimination. Now, if you are in a group of your own ethnic background, try to pick out someone who looks exactly like you, likes the same things you do, speaks the same language, talks the same way, walks the same way, or even laughs the same way, has the same name and the same religion. Even in your own group of people, there is diversity. It is everywhere, but you are equal because you are in the same ethnic group. That same aspect and logic should be taken for all areas of difference. There are no two man, with the exception of identical twins and that is a stretch, that are exactly alike. But the forefathers said it best, let "All Men Be Created Equal", and that includes diversity in the workplace.