Strategic Approach to Diversity and Inclusion in Global Mobility

Self-Reflection

Examine The Context For a Strategic Approach To Diversity And Inclusion

Demonstrate Advanced Knowledge Of Leadership And Diversity In The Context Of Global Mobility

Critically Evaluate The Impact Of Diversity And Inclusion On Organisational Performance

Analyse Power And Privilege And Their Implication For Engagement At Work

Explain The Significance Of Intersectionality For Organisations

In the age of globalization, people from different region come under one roof and work together fostering diversity in the organization. Diversity is a wide concept which is highly practiced in the modern organizations. The concept was emerged in the late 1980s in United States and got immense recognition to be a new prototype dealing with discrimination practiced within the society (Bendl, Hainzl & Mensi-Klarbach, 2019). It is evident from research studies that diversity aims at fostering creativity, productivity, decision-making, perspective of people and human behavior. This has lead the work with new innovations and inventions and immense growth in all sectors. Nowadays the working process and organization operations have become more complex and the approach of diversity as well. There are many factors which leads to the practice of discrimination, earlier it was due to caste, class and sexuality. Gradually, it has been witnessed that people are also discriminated according to the color, nationality, education, religion, nationality, sexual-orientation and physical abilities (Cunningham, 2019).

I am from New Zealand, I have done all my studies in New Zealand. After I completed my Bachelor of Technology in New Zealand University. I got placed in a different country that is Tata Consultancy Service, India. I was fascinated working in India, since I have heard so much of the company and that place. I was excited working in a company like Tata but at the same time I was nervous because I will be working in a whole new culture and environment. In the beginning it was fine I had my training regarding my job roles and responsibilities. Gradually, there was a time when I faced difficulties in getting involved with my colleagues. Although everyone in the company speak English so as per my knowledge language was not at a barrier in the company.  

Somehow I started trying to get involved with the people of India and tried to understand their culture. Even after trying so hard I was unable to connect with my colleagues and moreover, I noticed I was treated differently from others in the organization. Meanwhile, I noticed that I am the only employee in the department who is not from India. At some point I felt I was discriminated in the organization for not being Indian and an employee from abroad. This kind of experience in the organization was very demotivating and I lacked confidence in working in the organization.

Theory Related to The Above Mentioned Situation

There were times when I thought to approach to the manager regarding the arising issue, but I felt like it does not have any relevance. Their culture and ideas were different from mine, therefore I felt like I was being avoided or neglected by the team members. The organization lacks the practice of diversity and inclusion within the workplace. The work environment was not comfortable to work as well.

Due to following issue mentioned above, the situation does have a negative impact on me. The culture I was brought in is different to the culture in India. I was unable to work properly, I was alone and had no friends to share my thoughts, opinions and ideas. It was highly demotivating the way I was treated in a different country (ANJORIN & Jansari, 2018). As I was new to the company I did not approach to anyone for help or discuss the matter with our department manager. After the training programs, there were few team members who were talking to me nicely but highly in a formal way which I am not acquainted to (Cunningham, 2019). I like working in a friendly environment where there is less pressure and freedom to speak. For example: We never call “sir” to our seniors, we call them by their last name, but in India people out of respect report them by using “sir’. This became an issue with my colleague when I shared the same with them. It was highly disappointing and demotivating. The environment in Tata is serious and everyone rushes doing their work, since I am acquainted working in friendly environment I felt there is too much of pressure on me. However, this had a very bad impact on my work in the organization and I was not happy about it. The tendency of inclusion in the organization is negligible and I lack being the better person and give my best effort and contribution towards the organization.

The organization I was working in Tata Consultancy Service is a very reputed company in the global business world. I had perceived that people in India are conservative but however, in organization the work environment might be different. As mentioned earlier, there are difference in culture, thinking, perception and opinions. For example, when I call my manager by his last name everyone in the team were shocked and I felt like I was being judged. The people in organization were good and try to make me get involved but when it comes to opinions and ideas our perception differ (Lambert, 2016). For example: living-in relation which is common in our country, but in India living-in-relation are taboo and we get into arguments. This obstacles makes me feel like I got into the wrong place and feel there is still discrimination practiced in modern organization. Even after being modernized and getting advance with technology people start judging each other and does not respect each other’s values and ideas.

Later, after sustaining for 6 months I went to the human resource manager and reported about the situation I was facing in the organization. After analyzing my situation and the things I have faced in the organization (Page, 2019). The human resource manager initiated some approaches which could help us to understand each other’s culture and foster diversity and inclusion within the organization. There was new training program for us which made us understand how to improve the skill of emotional intelligence and what are the benefits of fostering diversity in the organization (Shresha & Taylor, 2017). This approach has helped me a lot in understanding their culture as well and how I should approach with other colleagues in the organization. Now after getting appropriate guidance from the training I have been gaining much attention. This helped me to work better and give my best in the organization.

According to the above situation, the theory which is highly related and have relevance is value in diversity hypothesis. As per the theory, the value-in-diversity hypotheses states that a diversified workforce is highly beneficial for the success of business. The theory value in diversity hypothesis was proposed in the year 1998 by William and O’Reilly (Roberson, 2019).  The multi-culture organization fosters productivity, ideas, opinions and innovations within the organization. There are several studies which reflects that diversity in organization helps the employees to work effectively and efficiently. This helps the employees to understand the organization and what is expected from the employees working within the organization (ANJORIN & Jansari, 2018). The value in diversity hypotheses is a basic view in the area of diversity psychology research suggesting diversity fosters effectiveness in organizations. The hypothesis suggests that in a team if the workers are from different background then there is high chance that some of them might come up with some unique idea or solution. This help the organization to think beyond the walls and come up with something new and extraordinary (Sultana & Aleem, 2018). It also offers great opportunity to the employee and the organization as well. As per the above situation, I was not happy the way I was treated in the organization but later when the employees came to know about the benefits gradually things became easier. Therefore, it was suggested that organization must enroll themselves in fostering and promoting diversity in each and every operations of the business. For example; during holidays, during decision-making and team work. The other human resource functions such as during recruitment and selection, training programs, diversity retreat and other functions in the organization.

It can be concluded from the above discussion that in the era of globalization, it is high important to foster diversity in the organization. It helps in building ethical morale within the employees and brings immense productivity and reputation to the companies. Diversity being the steaming concept in society, people need to understand each other and try to respect each other’s culture and perspective. Diversity helps in developing cultural intelligence and makes a person competent enough to work in intercultural workplace or society. This make the world a better place and improves cultural awareness.

Reference

ANJORIN, R., & Jansari, A. (2018). Managing Cultural Diversity at Workplace.

Bendl, R., Hainzl, A., & Mensi-Klarbach, H. (2019). Diversity in the Workplace. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology.

Cunningham, M. (2019). The Impact of Workplace Diversity in the Public Sector (Doctoral dissertation, California State University, Northridge).

Khan, N., Korac‐Kakabadse, N., Skouloudis, A., & Dimopoulos, A. (2019). Diversity in the workplace: An overview of disability employment disclosures among UK firms. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 26(1), 170-185.

Lambert, J. (2016). Cultural diversity as a mechanism for innovation: Workplace diversity and the absorptive capacity framework. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications and Conflict, 20(1), 68. 

Page, S. E. (2019). The diversity bonus: How great teams pay off in the knowledge economy (Vol. 5). Princeton University Press.

Roberson, Q. M. (2019). Diversity in the workplace: A review, synthesis, and future research agenda. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 6, 69-88.

Shresha, N., & Taylor, B. (2017). Cultural diversity in the workplace.

Sultana, S., & Aleem, S. A. (2018, January). Cultural Diversity At Work Place. In Two Day National Seminar Gst And Digital Economy-Implications On Trade And Commerce (Vol. 5, No. 50, p. 132).