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Diversity Management Consulting
Businesses and corporations, large and small, seek employees who have the knowledge, practical skills, and professional commitment to working effectively with peers, subordinates and supervisors. Shifting demographics, globalisation, and political reform have changed the face of business.
Most South African companies are more diverse today than they were a few years ago. The nature of diversity is such that it requires determined efforts to make it work for the organisation. Most Diversity Management Programmes in South Africa have concentrated on exposing and sensitising participants to the cultural differences between Black and White people.
Whilst this is often a useful process, our focus is on building productive workplace relationships within the context of a diverse society (Culture/Gender/Disability etc.). Our emphasis is upon looking for ways to enhance the relationship, rather than exposing the "rights" and "wrongs", of the past, or seeking to develop a checklist on the different groups' behaviours.
Research conducted by Towers and Perrin [Human L. "Multiculturalism and Managing Diversity - are they the same?" (1995)], on the efficacy of Diversity Management Programmes indicated that when the programme focuses upon developing and improving work place relationships in general, the following results were achieved:
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79%
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Positive impact upon employee morale and commitment |
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69%
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Improvement in community and public relations |
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57%
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of companies improved team and group performance |
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43%
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of companies reported a recruitment edge |
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26%
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Positive impact on Development of new product ideas |
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14%
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Enhanced productivity |
Our Diversity Management interventions are prefaced by targeted organisational research to establish a baseline, and designed to deliver measurable, customised programmes that:
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- Build an understanding of the importance of intercultural learning and skills
- Highlight the stereotypical views and behaviours affecting productivity, team work and delivery
- Break-down any pre-existent barriers
- Improve cross-cultural and gender understanding
- Isolate the issues that need to be addressed by the organisation towards successful diversity management and improved workplace relationships
- Develop a base for positive interaction
- Create a changed, participative, accountable corporate culture that demonstrates alignment and commitment to the strategic direction of the business.
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