Embracing workplace diversity

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Embracing workplace diversity

• Prof Melissa Steyn
• iNCUDISA
• University of South Africa

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INTERCULTURAL AND DIVERSITY STUDIES OF SOUTHERN
AFRICA
challenging ideas about difference through
research and education
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• When does a difference make a difference?

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Post colonial/Post apartheid context
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The Norm
White Male English/ Afrikaans Able
bodied Heterosexual
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• Ideologies of
• superiority/
• entitlement/
• norm

• Cultures of exclusion

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Cultures of Exclusion

• White Privilege

• Male Privilege

• White dominated
• White identified
• White centred

• Male dominated
• Male identified
• Male centred

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DEISA Studysome findings

• Assimilationist model
• Diversity conversation within compliance
  mentality
• Organisational culture not really interrogated
• Race remains THE issue
• Suspicion and mistrust amongst black and white
• Symbolic coding of success under whiteness
• Legacy of inequality constantly affirming
  assumptions Whites have skills, blacks dont
• Structure of workplaces are divisive and raced
  raced based competition
• Greatest mobilisation happening around whiteness
  and white victimisation
• Silencing of gender, sexuality and disability

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• Different along power differentials of
  Management/staff
• General sense that transformation issues are not
  ok to speak about
• Fear of being marked/Bringing up the past
• No space for these conversations
• Colourblindness avoidanceinformal methods of
  silencing
• Need to problematise the normal informal
  processes reproduce/clone hegemonic
  relationships, creating resentments

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• Problem at Management /professional levels --
  not seeing it commitment issues
• Not recognise complexity of being diversity
  literate
• Many orgs know what policy should look like and
  know how to phrase it Dont know how to do it
• Lip service cognitive level
• Integral connection between the workplace and
  rest of societythe workplace is a social site

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• No sustained holding of processes through
  dialogue
• Gloss invokes the right language (e.g.
  Constitution) but no more
• Policy implementation gap
• Ultimately its about management

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• How the work is seen impacts on how it can be
  done
• Not core business
• Uneven participation not everyone in the
  organisation involved
• Not prioritised and rewarded

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Benchmarks360O
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Dimensions of diversity management

• Visions, goals and policies
• Leadership and accountability
• Infrastructure and implementation
• Work schedules and rules
• Job design, classification, compensation
• Employee benefits and services
• Measurement, research, and assessment

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Dimensions cont.

• Recruitment, staffing and advancement
• Diversity training and education
• Diversity communications
• Performance improvement, training, and career
  development
• Community relations
• Products, services and supplier relations
• Marketing and customer service