Managing Diversity in a Workplace - Essay Sample

Introduction

Managing and embracing diversity in organizations is essential for the growth of a business, brand reputation, and acts as a strategy to gain a competitive advantage over competitors. Various regulations demand or protect the diversity caused by diverse backgrounds, religion, race, thinking style, gender, age, and geographical dimensions in organizations, but top management requires that organizations adopt effective measures to manage diversity in the workplace environment. Effective managers are recognized for not only driving their organizations to achieve profits but how they handle the difference in the workplace and sustain a good environment for the workers (Schein 1990). The roles and management styles adopted by managers dictate the efficiency of the workplace. This essay will, therefore, analyze how the line manager of a retail shop can apply different leadership roles and leadership styles to build a capable team by managing the diversity in the workforce to create an exciting environment.

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The Leadership Role

Managers are tasked with the duties of directing and overseeing the operations of a business entity. Organizations have various responsibilities for their top managers some of which include setting the objectives to be achieved. They are mandated to set up objectives towards achieving the organization's goals, after which they should delegate these objectives to lower levels (Northouse 2018). Managers need to plan strategic measures that will aid in achieving objectives. Managers are responsible for organizing and allocating resources (Northouse 2018). Organizational resources include the human resource and managers should employ professional steps from recruitment to allocation of workflow to effectively divide tasks. Allocation of resources and duties enhances accountability from each department.

Organizational managers should also strive to keep their employees motivated. Employee motivation includes aligning the employees' needs with the organization's needs to achieve the set objectives (Mullins 2007). Motivation should involve being the solid rock upon which employees rely on and seek guidance to perform their duties effectively. Managers should also ensure that all the activities of the organization are coordinated across all departments. They are also responsible for measuring performance to ascertain whether specific targets have been met, for instance, they have to determine whether the objectives are being met on time with the allocated resources (Northouse 2018). Managers should represent leadership qualities, act as a source of organizational information, monitors every operation, solve issues, and be the negotiators for every significant decision.

For the line manager to maintain integrity, consistency, and fairness in dealing with the issues of diversity, he must first acknowledge that contemporary business is ever changing, diversifying, and evolving. The success of organizations requires more than advanced technology, creative and innovative products, efficient production and supply chain processes, but heavily depends on the human resources (Northouse 2018). Therefore, companies should strive to manage the diversity between employees to achieve the best input. In this case, the line manager should, however, develop skills that will help him manage operations in a multi-cultural workplace. Diversification entails appreciating and accepting that diversity exists and formulating appropriate policies that will create an exciting environment for employees' towards achieving objectives (Northouse 2018). Some of the biggest changes the world has experienced in the diversification sector are the involvement of women and their increasing population in the workforce. Organizations are forced to employ policies and strategies that are flexible and favor the women population. In this case, the line manager should formulate strategic policies that benefit women since ignoring the rights of women impacts negatively on the organization's reputation.

It is also essential for the line manager at the retail shop to understand that diversification brings a lot of issues such as discrimination in the workforce. The manager is tasked to formulate policies that deal with discrimination and regard respect for all employees (Northouse 2018). Religious backgrounds and prejudices also impact the workplace environment, and the manager through the understanding of these backgrounds will be in a position to set guidelines that favor all the employees regardless of their religious beliefs. If need be, the manager should be in a place to change the culture and management practices of the organization to fit all the employees. However, changing organizational cultures and traditions takes time and may affect the organization irreversibly, but when it is the only solution, managers should consider doing it (Northouse 2018). Change in the organization eventually ensures success and achievement of goals. These changes may involve adopting the triple bottom line that considers the profits of an organization, people, and the environment thereby gaining a competitive advantage over its competitors.

Managers should also pay close attention to every employee's opinions and views. For instance, in this case, the manager should consider setting up meetings where all the employees have the freedom to express their views and their differences to help the management set up policies that favor everyone (Northouse 2018). Finally, the manager should consider training his employees on the need to appreciate the diversity in the workforce and respect people from different background. Some of the recommendations to take home for the line manager at the grocery shop would be to formulate and strictly follow the guidelines on diversity because this will enable him to get the best talent out of the employees. The career plans of the employees should include the minority groups and those who work on part-time contracts.

Leadership Styles

Effective leadership styles also determine how managers can handle their employees in a diverse workplace. There are various leadership styles that manager can adapt to solve the problems created by diversity. The success of an organization relies on the project tasks carried out by team members of a company towards achieving goals.

Action Centered Leadership

Action Centered Leadership by John Adair provides that leaders should emphasize the tasks, the team, and the individual members of the team for any project to be successful (Mullins 2007). Top managers are expected to have full control of these three elements to produce better results, develop teams and create morale in the workplace. The focus on task involves implementing smart goals that match the team's objectives and the organization's goals. Managers should acknowledge that personal needs differ because of diversity and there should formulate objectives that ensure the team members interact, communicate effectively and share their work to avoid conflict in the workplace (Mullins 2007). The action centered leadership helps managers simply human interaction. Managers should address the behavior of the group members and set policies that dictate the ethics, discipline, culture, and conflict. These policies will ensure that the group works as a unit. This style enables a leader to effectively appoint members of a team depending on their skills and qualifications (Mullins 2007). Managers should be in a position to understand the required tasks and skills needed to complete a project, and therefore placing the right member in the team is essential for future success. Putting the right individual in a group helps the employees define their unique potential, and develop strength that will improve their careers.

Situational Leadership

Situational leadership provides that leaders are free to choose the best leadership strategy that works efficiently for their team members in the workplace (Mullins 2007). Leaders access the different variables such as the objectives to be achieved, the work environment, and the qualification of the team members then adopts the best strategy that works for them (Mullins 2007). Situational leadership enhances leaders to use common leadership strategies across the various units of the organization, and this creates harmony between the workers. Situational leadership adapts to the workforce and needs because leaders can change the management styles to fit the needs of the organization. Situational leadership is preferred in a diverse workplace because it incorporates different leadership techniques. For instance, the Goleman theory identifies six distinct leadership styles that include pacesetting, coaching, authoritative, and coercive, affiliate, and democratic leadership (Mullins 2007).

In the case of the line manager, I will recommend that he adapts the situational leadership style that involves applying leadership styles that work in a diverse environment. Some of these styles include participatory leadership, where he will have to encourage his workers to complete the tasks regardless of their diversity. Participatory leadership will enable the employees to know how essential their part is in the completion of tasks (Mullins 2007). When leaders and managers participate, employees are motivated to work and disregard the diversity between them.

Another management style that will best suit the line manager is the McGregor's theory X and Y, which stipulates that there are two distinct management styles and they depend on the choice of the manager (Mullins 2007). The theory provides that a manager who chooses theory X believes that the employees are lazy and need to be pushed to work hard with strict guidelines (Mullins 2007). Managers who go for theory Y think that employees' desire to work is through motivation (Mullins 2007). For the line manager, he should choose theory Y because it provides for teamwork and delegations which will help eradicate the diversity issues experienced in the workforce.

The delegation of duties enables leaders and managers to pass down authority and power to their subordinates demanding them to perform specific tasks (Mullins 2007). The delegation also allows the managers to subdivide tasks according to skills and qualifications. The delegation of functions saves on time and managers are also able to delegate their duties to employees who are equally qualified to perform the tasks (Mullins 2007). Delegation enhances employees to grow and push their limits according to their needs as defined by the Maslow's hierarchy of needs. In this case, the line manager should also encourage the team and bring them together as one unit and give them insights to be productive.

Building an Effective Team

Building a Shared Purpose and Organizational Team

Creating a shared purpose and an organizational team between the managers and employees creates unity and team that focuses on organizational goals. Several studies indicate that employees value meaningful purpose in their work environment more than the rewards in terms of paychecks (Schein 1990). The employees are driven by the desire to be part of something bigger, and employees should work towards embracing a shared purpose.

In this particular case, for the line manager to create a shared purpose, he needs to review the mission and vision statement of the company to remind the employees of the reasons why the company exists and the direction the company is headed. As the manager, he should create a shared sense of purpose by formulating a collaborative and achievable vision and providing ways to achieve the goals of the vision. Employees will then be in a position to embrace the direction the company is headed regardl...