Diversity at work--whether it's a matter of religious background, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation--has the potential to make or break employee relationships. If employees allow diversity issues to drive them apart, you as a manager are left with less productivity and a broken team. Instead, using diversity issues to bring a group closer together gives you a stronger, more creative and productive team. By establishing protocol and fostering communication, you can facilitate an atmosphere of understanding and cooperation, regardless of background or differences.
Step 1
Establish protocol and policy at work regarding diversity. Georgette Bennett, president of the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, tells the website America that the existence of a written policy can remove any questions of bias and discrimination. Create a diversity workbook or manual that answers questions about religious holidays, interpersonal relationships and discipline for showing discrimination at work. Set clear guidelines for employees to follow.
Step 2
Foster communication between employees regarding diversity issues, according to the website Training Solutions. If two employees are at odds, the problem can fester and taint the workplace atmosphere. Holding regular diversity awareness meetings can give employees a chance to talk. Set up a monthly program in which one employee gives a brief presentation on her background and other employees can ask questions and become more aware of a person's religion, history or orientation.
Step 3
Arrange team assignments so that employees from different backgrounds and situations get a chance to work together in various capacities. Cliques in the workplace can cause discrimination to occur among the employees. By giving employees a chance to work together, you create an atmosphere of creativity and production as you help break down barriers and stop the formation of exclusive cliques and groups.
Step 4
Analyze your own prejudices, and keep them in mind while you deal with diversity issues in the workplace, according to the University of Florida Cooperative Extension. If you find that some of your own prejudices alter your judgment in dealing with diversity issues, it might be time to hand the problem to another coworker. Calling in human resources might be the best option when you can't separate your own feelings and background from the problem at hand.
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