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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 04 Issue 06

June 2018

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 1

43-51

Managing Diversity at Work: Key to

Organizational Survival

Ajiri Peter Samuel

Department of Business Administration and Management, Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Delta

State, Nigeria

Email: samuelajiri2018@gmail.com

Hillary O. Odor

Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences,

University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

Abstract

The indispensible nature of diversity management as a concept is no longer contestable, but it

has become a requirement for any organisation that wants to optimize the productivity of its

workforce. Organisations are now faced with intense competition arising from a globalized

workforce that necessitates the application of a diversified management principles, culture

and managerial thinking. One of the effects of a globalized workforce is that it places a high

expectation on organisational managers on the need to achieve a higher premium on effective

management of diversified workforce. Globalization in this 21st century has brought with it a

higher than normal requirement to strike a balance between mono-cultural and multicultural

workforce. This is caused by heterogeneous background in terms of our biological and

physical characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, educational,

political and religious beliefs, just to mention a few. It is on the basis of the above, that

public and private organizations need to develop a culture that is compatible with

diversification of workforce in order to remain relevant in a fast changing and globalized

economy. This short paper is aimed at evaluating the various ways in which diversity in

organisations can be managed to ensure the survivability of global organisations in fulfilling

the need of both the local market and the world market at large. Managing diversity

effectively will unfold how to plan and develop a good diversity audit in your organization

with a view to developing a robust program for your needs as well as creating an

organisational culture that encourages diversity in order maximize the productivity of your

workforce, build an all embracing multicultural work teams, design interesting meetings that

work for everyone, and recruit, select, motivate, and promote a diverse workforce.

Furthermore, managing diversity in organisations involves maintaining work-life balance;

diversity sensitivity training; improved management information on diversity; mentoring as

part of staff development; and attitude change.

Keywords: diversity; organisational survival; cultural diversity; multi-culture