Essay on Human Resource Management: Managing Diversity

how supervisors should state minimum job requirements when seeking new employees to be hired

how supervisor may communicate to a male-gender based department when a female is about to become part of the team

1.0 Demographics of the United States Population

Current Statistics

The current U.S population is estimated at 323,127,513 million with 49.3% being male while 50.7% being female. Population aged between 5 and 17 was 17.4%, between 18 and 34 was 37.2%, between 45 and 60 was 25.7% and those aged 61 and above is 12.8% (U.S. Census Bureau Projections, 2016).

Recent Trends

The largest U.S living population comprises the millennials aged between 18 and 35 years totaling to 79.8 million as compared to baby boomers aged between 52 and 70 years summing up to 74.1 million. Working-age population has been driven by immigration (Pierce, n.d.).

Forecasted Trends

Millenials are likely to comprise a majority of the labor force. In coming decades, women will be slightly less than half of the labor force. Working-age population for U.S will decrease given no more immigrants. By race, 29% of the population will be Hispanics by 2050 from 14% in 2005, blacks will remain at 13% by 2050 as they were in 2005 and the non-Hispanic whites who comprised 67% in 2005 will be 47% in 2050 (Passel & Cohn, 2008).

Immigrant Versus Native

Figure 1:U.S Population, Actual and Projected

It is projected that by 2050, the population will rise to 438 million from 296 in 2005 and 82% of the growth between this period will be due to immigrants. One in every five Americans will be foreign-born (Passel & Cohn, 2008).

Religion

Majority of the Americans are Christians (about 75%) followed by unaffiliated (about 20%) and other religions such as Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists comprising less than 10% (Pew Research Religion & Public Life Project, n.d). However, the Muslim population is growing faster and will outgrow Christian population in future

Figure 2: U.S religious affiliations

Age

Population aged between 5 and 17 was 17.4%, between 18 and 34 was 37.2%, between 45 and 60 was 25.7% and those aged 61 and above is 12.8% ((U.S. Census Bureau, n.d).

Race

Currently, the white population is 67% while Hispanic population stands at 14%. Black population is 13% while Asian is 5%.

Historical Issues of Different Races in The Workplace and How to Handle Them

Different Races Now or Likely To Be In the Workplace of the Future

Given the current and forecasted population trends, it is evident that the current workforce, which still comprises of a higher percentage of whites, will shift towards Non-Hispanics in future. Also, the percentage of women in labor force will decline. Most of the labor force will be millennials replacing the baby boomers. However, in the meantime, the labor force is a mixture of millennials and the baby boomers, different races though whites are dominating and majority male.

Particular Issues That Create Tensions among the Different Groups

Given a diverse workplace with people of different ages, cultures, races, and religion among other differences, there are various issues that can lead to tension in the workplace among the staff. According to Pierce (n.d.), respect, lifestyle acceptance, and race are common issues that cause tension among a diverse labor force. Mutual respect for everyone is usually difficult to attain among a diversified labor force. Likewise, with generation gaps there emerge different lifestyles which lead to tension in acceptance among members of different generations. Also, different races tend to discriminate others leading to racial tension.

How Supervisors Need to Address Issues That Could Potentially Cause Tension

Supervisors in various departments of an organization are responsible for managing such issues that could cause tension among the staff. As a result, they ought to come up with ways of amicably handling them. According to Sue, Rasheed & Rasheed (2015), supervisors address issues that cause tension among a diverse workforce through creating self-awareness among the various groups constituting the staff to make them understand their own culture, biases, identity, prejudices, and stereotypes. When each member of the staff understands his or her biases, prejudices and stereotypes, he or she can control them so that they do not act in a manner likely to hurt others and cause tension.

Different Genders in the Workplace

Gender Diversity in the Workplace

As it stands currently, the workplace should comprise of both genders, and no one should discriminate against another gender. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 discourages sexual discrimination in the workplace. Employers are discouraged against discriminating persons when enrolling them based on their sexual identities. Hiring, firing, and promotions at the workplace should never be based on one's sex (Barak, 2016).

Therefore, going forward, men and women should be given equal chance of employment.

Currently, women comprise 47% of the labor force, and this is expected to grow by 6.2% by 2020. It suggests that more women should be allowed access to the labor market. There are also about 9 million transgender workers in U.S who should not be discriminated whatsoever regarding employment.

Landmark Griggs vs. Duke Power Case

Griggs vs. Duke Power set the precedence of an equal chance to employment for all races by ruling against employment practices that disadvantage people from certain races. The case ruled out barriers that employers could intentionally introduce to block certain candidates from qualifying as employees to a govern company. The determination of the case strengthened the fight against racial discrimination in employment as was to be discouraged by Title Vii of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Farrington, 2016).

How Supervisors Should State Minimum Job Requirements When Seeking New Employees to be Hired

Supervisors should think strategically when hiring new employees to select the best candidates and avoid illegal and discriminatory hiring practices (Armstrong & Taylor, 2014). According to Snell, Morris & Bohlander (2015), hiring persons should first outline duties and responsibilities of the position to be filled. They should then state job qualifications and pre-requisites in an objective manner. Additionally, include a language that suggests the employer be an equal opportunity employer. Lastly, supervisors should use a language that does not suggest a preference for a particular race, age, culture, and gender to avoid illegal hiring practices. For example, avoid such things as strength as they may suggest a male candidate.

How Supervisors may Communicate to a Male-Gender Based Department when a Female is About to Become Part of the Team

A transition from a male-gender based workforce to a diverse-gender based workforce is not easy. A supervisor must be bold and change the way he communicates to fellow male staff to effect the change of attitude towards a gender-diverse workplace. The supervisor should explain to the male staff why the workforce should include female and the importance of having a gender-sensitive staff. He should appeal to the current staff based on legal obligations that require gender parity in employment as well as moral obligations against discrimination of women. The supervisor should be keen to educate the staff against discrimination of women as well as warning them against gender violence issues in the workplace. The supervisor should explain to the male staff the consequences of gender violence at the workplace to help them stay away from such bad practices (Steyn & Jackson, 2014).

References

Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers.

Barak, M. E. M. (2016). Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage Publications.

Farrington, E. (2016). Federally Mandated Discrimination: The Irreconcilability of Civil Rights and Export Control. U. Ill. L. Rev., 251.

Now. (n.d.). Retrieved from United States Census Bureau website: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/

Passel, J. S., & Cohn, D. (2008, February 11). U.S. population projections: 2005-2050. Retrieved from the Pew Research Hispanic Trends Project Web site: http://www.pewhispanic.org/2008/02/11/us-population-projections-2005-2050/

Pew Research Religion & Public Life Project. (n.d.). Reports. Retrieved from http://religions.pewforum.org/reports

Pierce, R. (n.d.). Dealing with a changing workforce: Supervision in the 21st century. Retrieved from the Business Expert Webinars Web site: http://www.businessexpertwebinars.com/content/view/593/29/

releases/archives/population/cb12-243.html

Snell, S. A., Morris, S., & Bohlander, G. W. (2015). Managing human resources. Nelson Education.

Steyn, R., & Jackson, L. (2014). Gender-based discrimination during appointments, promotions and remuneration: Views of South African managers. South African Journal of Labour Relations, 38(2), 48-69.

Sue, D. W., Rasheed, M. N., & Rasheed, J. M. (2015). Multicultural social work practice: A competency-based approach to diversity and social justice. John Wiley & Sons.

U.S. Census Bureau Projections Show a Slower Growing, Older, More Diverse Nation a Half Century from: https://www.census.gov/