Week 2

Robbins pg 40-60

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 Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter you should be able to:
 Describe the two major forms of workforce diversity
 Identify the key biographical characteristics and describe how they are relevant to OB
 Recognize stereotypes and understand how they function in organizational settings
 Define intellectual ability and demonstrate its relevance to OB
 Contrast intellectual from physical ability
 Describe how organizations manage diversity effectively

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Two Major Forms of Workforce Diversity
Diversity Management

Surface-Level Diversity

Deep-Level Diversity

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Two levels of diversity
 When we look at the workplace we can recognize two
levels of diversity.
 Surface-level diversity represents the characteristics that
are easily observed such as race, gender, age etc.
 Deep-level diversity represents the aspects that are more
difficult to see at first glance such as values, personality,
and work preferences.

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Biographical Characteristics
and How Are They Relevant to OB
Those readily available in a personnel file
 Age
 Belief is widespread that job performance declines with
increasing age.
 Sex
 Few issues initiate more debates, misconceptions, and
unsupported opinions than whether women perform as well on
jobs as men do.
 Few, if any, important differences between men and women affect
job performance.
 Race and Ethnicity
 Employees tend to favor colleagues for their own race in
performance evaluations, promotion decisions, pay raises.

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  Disability- Differently-abled
 A person is disabled who has any physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life
activities.
 The “reasonable accommodation” is problematic for
employers.
 Strong biases exist against those with mental impairment.

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  Tenure
 The issue of the impact of job seniority on job
performance has been subject to misconceptions and
speculations.
 Religion
 Although employees are protected by U.S. federal law
regarding their religion, it is still an issue in the
workplace.
 Gender identity
 Often referred to as transgender employees, this topic
encompasses those individuals who change genders.

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Discrimination
 “Discrimination” is to note a difference between
things.
 Unfair discrimination is assuming stereotypes about
groups and refusing to recognize differences.

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 Types of discrimination

Insert Exhibit 2.1

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Intellectual Ability
and Its Relevance to OB
Ability is an individual’s current capacity
to perform various tasks in a job

 Two types
 Intellectual abilities
 Physical abilities

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 Intellectual abilities are abilities needed to perform
mental activities—thinking, reasoning, and problem
solving.
 Most societies place a high value on intelligence, and
for good reason.

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 Dimensions making up intellectual ability
Number
Aptitude
Verbal
Comprehension
Memory

Intellectual Ability
Spatial Perceptual
Visualization Speed

Deductive Inductive
Reasoning Reasoning
Exhibit 2.2

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Contrast Intellectual from Physical Ability
 Physical Abilities
 The capacity to do tasks demanding stamina,
dexterity, strength, and similar characteristics.

 The three main categories of physical ability

are…
 Strength
 Flexibility
 And Other characteristics

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 Contrast Intellectual
from Physical Ability

Insert Exhibit 2.3

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 Importance of ability at work increases difficulty in
formulating workplace policies that recognize
disabilities.
 Recognizing that individuals have different abilities
can be taken into account when making hiring
decisions
 It is also possible to make accommodations for
disabilities.

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How Organizations Manage Diversity
Effectively

Attracting, Selecting,
Developing, and Retaining
Diverse Employees

Diversity in Groups Effective Diversity

Programs

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 Describe How Organizations
Manage Diversity Effectively

Effective Diversity
Programs
Teach Legal
Framework

Teach the
Market
Foster the Skills Advantages
and Abilities of
All Workers

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 Diversity

The variety of differences and similarities/

dimensions among people, such as:
Age Generation Parental status
Belief Geography Personality type
system Job role and Race
Class/caste function Religion
Culture Language Sexual
Disability Marital status orientation
Education Mental health Thinking style
Ethnicity Nationality Work
Gender Native or experience
Gender indigenous Work style
identity origins

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Diversity and Inclusion in Pakistan
 2018 Diversity and Inclusion survey
 Conducted by HR Metrics
 The information in this report is based on the data
collected from 51 companies
 This report is based on the data collected from
organizations during the period from 1 July 2018 to 30
Sep 2018.

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 Accessibility for the differently-abled in public spaces
is a much ignored area in Pakistan. In congested cities
where office buildings are usually confined and
cramped – a lot of them with no lifts – accessibility
and mobility are huge problems, especially for those
with walking, speech or hearing disabilities.
 Telenor Pakistan has been creating opportunities to
realise the value that people with special needs can
bring to the society.

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 Managerial Implications and Summary
This lecture looked at diversity from many
perspectives paying particular attention to
three variables:
biographical characteristics
ability
diversity programs

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 Managerial Implications and Summary
Diversity programs
Selection
An effective selection process will improve the fit
between employees and job requirements.
Diversity Management
Diversity management must be an ongoing
commitment that crosses all levels of the
organization.

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