Stephanie Morgan

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Gaining benefits from a diverse workforce

Psychology / By

Are you gaining benefits from a diverse workforce?

The business case for being positive about diversity at work is not just legal and financial, it is also closely linked to looking after your customers as well as your staff. Although many organisations are becoming more aware of the legal aspects of discrimination, a focus on the legislation will not change hearts and minds.

The psychological concepts important for diversity are based on ideas of stereotyping, group membership, prejudice and aspects of personality such as authoritarianism. Stereotyping (ideas held about other people based solely on their membership of particular groups or their physical characteristics) is a useful ‘survival instinct’ process, that evolved to help creatures to make quick decisions at time of danger. However, because humans have evolved complex cultures and have in many ways integrated, stereotyping is often no longer a useful reaction. The good news is people can learn how to reduce the level of stereotyping and to respond to others without prejudice.
But how can we truly engender a positive attitude towards difference?

  • The crucial thing is to start at the top – if senior directors are seen to be taking equality seriously, the rest will be more likely to follow. Monitor the language used – the wrong tone can have a huge impact.
  • The environment and culture of the organization is vital – stereotyping and prejudice are supported by interpersonal communication and public acceptance. All managers should have diversity as part of their objectives. Make sure diversity is not just something that belongs to your ethnic minorities or older workers.
  • Training and awareness in the organization is vital, and needs to allow people room to explore their own feelings and reactions. However, care should be taken here. There is evidence that much of the standard diversity training on offer risks making things worse not better. Again this is due to the psychological processes involved, people are made aware of their own biases and the unfairness experienced by others, yet this can make them feel an even stronger group membership and increase prejudice. Choose your training provider carefully.

We are increasingly being asked to run ‘remedial sessions’ for staff in situations where they and the organisation are at risk of discrimination claims. This is so sad, as research shows a truly positively diverse culture can lead to a more effective organisation. Don’t let it get to that stage – take positive steps now to gain the full business benefit.

Creating Confidence: A handbook for professionals working with young people’ Centre for confidence and well-being

Education / By

Carol Craig has written an excellent book in ‘Creating Confidence: A handbook for professionals working with young people’ Centre for confidence and well-being, 2007.

However, don’t click away now if you think this is only for those working in schools and the social services – this book has relevance for anyone with a young person in the familly and indeed is helpful for general people management too. Similarly, although some of the focus is on Scotland, it has a much broader remit and will be useful in many countries.

Carol highlights how our society’s increase in choice, mass media and individualism requires confidence to enable us to choose and do well. Yet there seem to be many misunderstandings about how to develop confidence, and even what we mean by it. She uses solid evidence and raises some excellent issues about the over focus on the concept of ‘self-esteem’. Over worrying about the self esteem of our young people is leading to a ‘fragile self’ everything is protected and nothing is ever their fault, therefore the whole thing can back-fire and actually reduce confidence and increase the risk of depression.

I won’t go into all the details here, but she quite rightly critiques certain government initiatives (including focusing on self esteem) which seems to completely ignore the evidence base. I see the same thing in management all the time, and wish I knew how to get over this.

She writes in a clear and engaging style, and the book can be dipped in to at any stage and still make sense.

For more details go on to Centre for Confidence and well-being Centre for Confidence and well-being

The Long Tail, by Chris Anderson, (2006) Random House

Education / By

The Long Tail, by Chris Anderson, (2006) Random House

This book discusses how new technology and the increasing connectivity of the web brings unlimited access to both culture and content. The focus is on the economics of business in our wired world.

The move to distribution on demand allows multiple niches, and instead of that old Pareto rule of 80:20 – the shift is to 98% of everything sells something. The argument is that when space does not cost anything, and locality is no longer important (you do not have to physically go in to a shop to buy a CD that they must have in stock anymore), multiple on-offs can replace the old ‘volume few’ rules.

Anderson argues that the dramatic reduction in the cost of connecting, distribution, etc., and new efficiencies in manufacture, marketing and communications can turn previously unprofitable markets into profitable ones. We are moving to the economics of abundance, and a global audience.

He also highlights the death of the blockbuster – films, music and radio rarely get the huge audiences they used to, there is a shift from mass market to niche cultures and certainly cites like eBay and Amazon allow us to find that record that we used to love that everyone else hates – and buy it!

He also highlights how the global ‘word of mouth’ can have such a big impact on sales of products, services and even ideas. Once word gets around that something is good, or conversely, awful, then whatever the marketing department do becomes almost superfluous.

The long tail means we all need to think more carefully about niches, and that for many areas, some of the old rules need throwing out.

There is a website – www.longtail.com which is well worth a look.