Diversity Inclusion Plan - Assignment Solution

Section 1:

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity is defined as the range of human differences including race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, social class, age, political beliefs, national origin and/or ethical values system (Silverman, 2010). Whereas, inclusion entails involvement and empowerment in an environment where all the people’s worth and dignity is recognized (Mor Barak, 2015). An inclusive environment promotes and sustains the belonging sense of people along with valuing and respecting their talents, beliefs, ways of living and background. 

Diversity means all the ways in which people differ from each other. It could include the visible differences like race, gender, ethnicity and some visible disabilities (DiTomaso, Post, & Parks-Yancy, 2007). It also entails some non-visible differences like social class, sexual orientation, religion, heritage, unseen disabilities, education, status and age. Whereas, inclusion is more about celebrating and valuing the differences in order to develop a workplace and culture where all the members can thrive (Pitts & Wise, 2010). Such environment contains individuals that are supported, engaged and respected which develops their skills and talents while aligning with the organizational values. 

With passing time, more and more organizations have recognized the importance of diversity and inclusion in order to maintain competitiveness. According to Mor-Barak & Cherin (2008), the organizations that instill inclusive cultures are twice more likely to meet or exceed their financial targets, thrice more likely to perform highly, six times more likely to be agile and eight times more likely to achieve better business outcomes. The stages of diversity and inclusion within an organization might move along a continuum starting from civil rights, affirmative actions, management of diversity and inclusion and developing the diversity and inclusion as a strategic plan (Greene, 2003). 

• Civil Rights: This area focusses on addressing the historic discrimination that denies the full rights of minorities. In order to fight this discrimination, the companies ensure equal treatment of women and the minorities so that people can be protected from discrimination in workplace, education and housing based on color, religion, gender and race (Barak, 2009). 
• Affirmative Action: This area focuses on recruitment and hiring of diverse workforce by preferring hiring of disadvantaged and discriminated people (Kravitz, 2008). 
• Management of Diversity and Inclusion: In order to manage the diverse and inclusive workforce, the company develop strategies for retaining the best employees by providing them the environment to grow (Mor-Barak M. E., 2010). This is done through offering the training to employees to better understand each other so that they can get along in a better way. New systems, procedures and training is given to people for enhancing, supporting and encouraging the previously underrepresented and disadvantaged group of people. 
• Developing Strategic Plan: After hiring of the previously discriminated group, the firms tend to adopt strategic initiatives that align with the overall organizational goals. These organizations develop best practices carried on by practioners ranging from efficacy of diversity to micro-messaging (Friedman & Davidson, 2011).

According to Hayles (2014), diversity cannot be completed without inclusion. The research also identified a basic formula of success for companies i.e. diversity + inclusion = better business outcomes/results. Although diversity and inclusion are two different concepts, yet defining inclusion has become difficult now days as its left for organizations to personally interpret it. Without proper understanding of inclusion, people generally indulge into miscommunication and it becomes difficult to track progress reliably. According to Aquino & Robertson (2018), people feel equally treated only when respect is given in equitable manner. Inclusion can be achieved by giving fairness and respect, providing safe and open environment, giving sense of value and belongingness and empowering the people to grow in the environment (Downey, 2015).