unit 8 - Diversity

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 3

Diversity

What is the main reason for companies to manage diversity?

The 4 main reasons for a business to manage diversity are:

• to improve productivity and competitiveness
• to encourage better working relationships among workers
• to enhance social responsibility
• to fulfil legal requirements  

What ways are there to be discriminated against?

Examples 

• Racism 
• Ageism 
• Sexism 
• Homophobia 
• Transphobia 
• Discrimination on the grounds of disability 
• Discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief 
• Discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy and maternity
  

Reading - p46

Why has each person experienced discrimination? 

Andrew

Carmen

Hind

Leon

Marta

Now read the text carefully and answer questions 1 to 5

1. Why does Andrew believe that discrimination against disabled people on health grounds is wrong?
2. Why does Carmen think she is unlikely to get the manager's job?
3. Why does Hind think the question she was asked is inappropriate?
4. What does Leon bring to the job? What does he think the potential problem is?
5. Why does Marta think employers are prejudiced? 

1. Why does Andrew believe that discrimination against disabled people on health grounds is wrong?

2. Why does Carmen think she is unlikely to get the manager's job?

3. Why does Hind think the question she was asked is inappropriate?

4.What does Leon bring to the job? What does he think the potential problem is?

5. Why does Marta think employers are prejudiced?

Have you ever been discriminated against because of skin colour, sex, religion, etc?

Advantages of diversity

What are the advantages of having a diverse workforce?

• increases productivity among all workers, especially among groups that have often been underused or discriminated against 
• improves staff recruitment and retainment, with increased motivation and company loyalty
• increases flexibility with employees from different backgrounds bring varied talents and experiences
• increase creativity and innovation
• enhance reputation 

Reading - P 48

1. Fewer than 1 in 5 of the world's managers are women

1. true
2. false

2. In Japan, women's salaries are about half those of men

1. true
2. false

3. Women and men work about the same hours per week in the EU.

1. true
2. false

4. Men take less leave than women for family reasons in the UK.

1. true
2. false

5. Women have longer paid maternity leave in Finland than in Italy.

1. true
2. false

6. More than 1 in 10 board members of German companies are women.

1. true
2. false

7. There are more women than men millionaires in Britain under the age of 44.

1. true
2. false

8. Women earn on average only slightly less than men in the EU.

1. true
2. false

Some professions are gender-specific. Can you name a few?

What is your opinion about the following statements?

A female CEO should not make as much money as a male CEO

I don't trust a bank employee who wears a hijab 

A man can't be a nurse

A pregnant woman is never the right candidate at a job interview

A woman in transition to become a man is not allowed in the men's bathroom.

Your skin colour defines who you are

A hispanic employee is a slow worker

Women who dress sexy will achieve more in the workplace

Men's footbal is real footbal

An Afro-American man is more likely to be a criminal that a caucasian man is.