Building diversity

Divisiveness among different groups is troublesome in organizations that are increasingly dependent on teamwork to improve quality, responsiveness, and productivity. Many executives are frustrated, however, that their attempts to improve communication and morale, and to rebuild effective teamwork, h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inLeadership excellence Vol. 11; no. 10; p. 17
Main Author Morrison, Ann M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Provo HR.COM 01.10.1994
Subjects
Emotions
Employee morale
Employees
Grievance procedures
Human resource management
Meetings
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Perceptions
Performance evaluation
Task forces
Teamwork
Workforce
Workplace diversity
United States > US
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Summary:Divisiveness among different groups is troublesome in organizations that are increasingly dependent on teamwork to improve quality, responsiveness, and productivity. Many executives are frustrated, however, that their attempts to improve communication and morale, and to rebuild effective teamwork, have fallen far short of their goals. Segregation and backlash are 2 problems that continue to plague many organizations. Diversity issues pose special challenges to managers because they are so sensitive and often provoke emotional reactions. It is tempting to avoid forums in which racism, sexism, age discrimination, and homophobia might come up. Interviews with nearly 200 executives revealed that one of the most serious defects in diversity initiatives is failing to do the homework up front. Managers too often skip a critical first step in their effort to rebuild trust and morale, and to create an environment that offers respect and opportunity to all. Building diversity means uncovering the truth about the status and feelings of employees and then taking action to correct problems that are discovered.
ISSN:8756-2308