Exploring Diversity in the Workplace

From its inception, the United States has been a country of immigrants. However, the recent trends of both legal and illegal immigration when combined with longevity have created a uniquely diverse population. This population diversity has introduced a dynamic human behavior challenge for supervisors and managers at workplaces across the nation. As larger percentages of minorities and women are entering the labor force and older generations stay at work longer, it is vital to be inclusive to all cultural backgrounds and generations within an organization. With the growth of women and minorities in the work force there is evidence that the glass ceiling is beginning to crack. This can be fully accomplished by understanding and embracing the unique cultural characteristics and values held by all minorities as well as women. Numerous challenges such as miscommunication and subculture formation can face managers attempting to create an inclusive work environment. But, by achieving inclusivity, companies can expect employees to display higher levels of creativity, innovation, motivation, commitment, and overall productivity. Companies that embrace diversity of thought propel creativity, innovations, and initiatives, which in turn strengthens their intellectual capital and gains them competitive advantages (Llopis, 2016). Certain companies have successfully implemented inclusivity into their culture and have experienced the advantages related to diversity