People mangment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

People mangment - Essay Example As such, contemporary organisations have provided the arena wherein growth and success of the firm is tied up with the growth and participation of the employees for the success of the organization (Li, Guohui & Eppler 2008; Wolfgang & Brewster, 2005). However, it is not only contemporary organizations that have undergone changes. The nature of the contemporary workforce has also been modified (Jinzhao, 2007). Globalization is not only about removal of economic barriers among nations and movements of capital, investments and goods, but it also pertains to the more free movement of people across nations reducing the significance of physical borders as barriers (Fischer, 2003; Suarez-Orozco & Qin-Hilliard, 2004). In this regard, the nature of the contemporary workforce has been revolutionized from a homogenous workforce to a heterogeneous, diverse workforce (Maxwell, McDougal & Blair, 2001). The idea of a heterogeneous work force means â€Å"differences in attitudes, and behaviors of e mployees relative to gender, race, age, ethnicity, physical ability, and other relevant characteristics† (Jinzhao, 2007, p. 60). ... This reality pervades all organizations regardless of their nature. In the light of this change in the nature of the contemporary workforce, the concepts of diversity and equality will be discussed vis-a-vis the reality of women in the workplace. As such, this research will address the following questions: what are diversity and equality policies? Do they work? Finally, do they open possibilities and opportunities for women? DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY POLICIES: A CONCEPTUAL LOOK Diversity in the workforce is initially perceived as a response toward the increasing diversity of the consumers in the market (Agocs & Burr, 1996). From there, it has been observed that capitalizing on existing differences among the employees provides benefits to the organization. Diversity in the workforce fosters and encourages creativity, innovativeness, diverse views and approaches to a particular problem, opens alternative perspectives and taps diverse talents from varying backgrounds to harness the organiz ations problem-solving and decision-making skills. For these reasons, scholars are in agreement that managing diversity is a challenge organizations must be willing to undertake because using the pot of diversity opens creativity and innovativeness for the organization (Agocs & Burr, 1996; Jinzhao, 2007; Bartz et al,1990; Maxwell et al, 2001). Moreover, it has been claimed that diversity should not be limited only to the physical and observable differences existing among employees. Intangible differences such as background, values, religious orientation, beliefs and the like are as important as physical and tangible differences like age, sex, disabilities, color of the skin, accent of speech and other similar qualities, since, if all these differences are harness,