by Drew Price

Created on: May 21, 2007   Last Updated: May 22, 2007

Differences among employees can create difficult challenges in the workplace. However, these differences can and should be used to benefit a company rather than to create divisions. It is a common misconception that diversity only involves race or ethnicity. This is not case; in fact, diversity simply refers to various factors that differentiate people from one another. Whether we are referring to age, gender, socioeconomic status, education, orientation, social preferences, ethnicity, or any other quality that makes people unique, we are talking about diversity. Effective companies are able to use the uniqueness of their individual employees to their advantage.

Diversity permeates every work environment, being that no two individuals are exactly alike. Although some people may have a few things in common, people still possess traits that make them unique. Occasionally, these differences are the source of natural divides within the workplace. For example, older employees have trouble accepting new work methods of younger employees. In a poorly managed environment, these differences between co-workers can be quite counter productive. Companies should not focus on the differences between their employees, but find ways to utilize their diversity to reach a common goal.

Several work places require their employees to undergo diversity training, so that people will learn about various cultures and what to expect from them. Many of these sessions focus on ethnic backgrounds and traits that are commonly associated with them. This type of training is a waste of time, for it has no direct impact on the efficiency of the workers. It is not important for workers to understand each others background for them to work together. It is important that these employees work in an environment where everyone has a mutual respect for one another.

In order to create an efficient workplace and maximize the productivity in the work place, it is necessary to use diversity to your advantage. Only hire people that are competent at their job, skilled communicators, and goal oriented. Choosing the right personnel is crucial to creating a successful work place. Once a competent staff is in place, it is not important to focus on the differences of other employees; it is important that all employees realize they are trying to accomplish a common goal. If they are motivated to achieve this goal, these employees will look beyond their differences and work towards that goal collectively. When this occurs each member of the team will use their own life experiences based on their backgrounds and diverse characteristics to contribute to the completion of that goal.

The meaning of diversity in the workplace should not be misconstrued as anything other than working with people with different values, experiences, backgrounds, and preferences. Regardless of these differences, in the workplace everyone must work as one cohesive unit. Instead of focusing on why people are different, why don't we focus on the task at hand and use different experiences and perspectives to gain a broader view. Diversity should be perceived as asset that naturally occurs within a company, rather than an obstacle to overcome, or a quota to meet.

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