Many people confuse diversity with equal opportunity and affirmative action. They are certainly related terms but they are not synonymous. Equal Opportunity is about ensuring compliance with employment laws. Affirmative Action is about broadening the pool of applicants who wish to work here and providing career adhancement for those who already do. Diversity is about moving beyond compliance to a work environment that is respectful and responsive to the needs of each member of the workforce.
The term diversity, as it is used in the workplace, includes not only the visible differences between us—aspects such as religion, culture, and heritage. Diversity also includes those differences that are invisible—factors such as educational background, personality, and thinking style. While a diverse mix of these qualities in a team or organization is essential to innovation, they present more socially challenging situations. Diversity principles can help you face and move past these challenges.
Diversity also incorporates quality of work/life issues. An organization that is responsive to the needs of its employees reaps a return on this investment in benefits such as increased attendance, better performance, and a higher retention rate of its valued employees. We encourage you to visit the OEOD Resource Center. We offer a library of books and videos that you may borrow to enhance your or your organization's performance.
