For this week’s application
assignment I found an interesting article titled “Tying Diversity to
Organizational Culture” by Raquel Gabriel. This article, written by a law
librarian, discusses the implication of highlighting diversity in the
organization’s culture. The ideas from this article parallels this week’s
reading “Note on Organizational Culture” by Jepser Sorensen, as Gabriel
highlights diversity and narrows in on the specific context of a law library.
Organizational culture is the
individual’s basic level of beliefs regarding the organization (Sorensen,
2009). Gabriel (2010) notes that the “idea that there is culture that we adhere
to when we are at work is one that usually fades to the background. Yet an
organization’s culture may affect our daily task” (p. 509). While it may go
unnoticed, the culture of the organization truly does facilitate the way we
operate within an organization.
As Sorensen (2009) points out
that strong organizational culture can be created through “selection and
socialization” (p. 3). There is an emphasis on the socialization process as it
is difficult and costly to select new members that “fit” into the current
culture (Sorensen, 2009). The selection process is found to be hard to maintain
optimal balance as employees tend to rotate in and out as well as within a
company. On the other hand, through socialization from leadership and
co-workers an individual can be familiarized with the organizational culture. In
addition, it is probable that you will not fully know the true culture until
you are completely submerged into it (Gabriel, 2010).
This article goes on to discuss
the importance of including diversity in the organizational culture stating
that this leads to a rich environment where there is open communication and
opportunities (Gabriel, 2010). Promoting diversity allows for people of all
background to feel comfortable in sharing their view points. In addition,
opening the employment doors for a diverse pool of candidates increases not
only the communication but also the generation of information and
possibilities. Gabriel (2010) alludes to the fact that increased diversity in
the ranks “might then lead to increased productivity and employee satisfaction”
(p. 511). Although Gabriel (2010) specifically references a law library and how
to examine their current stance on diversity, this topic can be applied to any
organization. This assessment may lead to a necessary change or maybe a
realization of a previous change, but either way it will make the organization
more able to embrace diversity in multiple contexts (Gabriel, 2010).
Very interesting, Shanah. As we saw from the readings last week, diversity can at times be challenging to manage, but it can also bring many benefits.
ReplyDeleteWhat sorts of things would a leader need to do in order to promote a culture of diversity? What would such a culture look like? What sort of practices might be in place? You note the importance of socialization. Can you think of particular socialization strategies that might help to integrate new employees into an organization that fundamentally values diversity?
Shanah,
ReplyDeleteYou did a really great job on this assignment and I found the additional dimension of diversity being part of organizational culture to be very thought provoking. You mention that "promoting diversity allows for people of all background to feel comfortable in sharing their view points." Increasing diversity can also bring employees from different nationalities and cultures as well. In relation to Hofestede's five dimensions of national cultures, do you think promoting diversity, in some instances, might have the opposite affect, especially if you hire people from countries that don't have as open as society as the United States?
The suggestion of insuring that diversity is present in organizational culture is imperative as we work in companies that function in a global landscape. Such a practice in organizations would more than likely, over time, either eradicate or significantly lessen the need for diversity incentives or guidelines. If diversity, "just is," and is part of the fabric of what the company is, with understanding that it can't be its absolute best without diversity of cultures and ideas, the organizational culture will communicate to employees an environment of equality along with an interest in understanding and being understood by various groups of people. Mastering the adage, seek understanding first, to then be understood, will ultimately affect the bottom line as, the ability to conduct business with a wider audience is realized.
ReplyDeleteIn order for a leader to promote diversity, they first must fully embrace diversity and be dedicated to its implementation. A culture rich in diversity would look bright as it would employ people from all backgrounds as well as points of view. The working environment would be fruitful with a plethora of ideas being contributed to the current conversations. There are a number of socializations strategic practices that an organization that values diversity could use. One in particular would be through leadership and/or implementation of one on one mentor programs.
ReplyDeleteMegan, I think you bring up a great point. Bringing people from diverse cultures could impact the way the communication flows, especially if their culture is not as open. All in all, I think there is always something that can be learned from bringing different perspectives together even when they might initially seem opposing.
ReplyDeleteLauren, I agree that instilling diversity within organizational culture is crucial. I think you brought up a great point when you mentioned that diversity fosters an enviroment of equality. Thank you for sharing your insights on diversity.