Managing Diversity In Public Sector Workforces

Essentials Of Public Policy And Administration Series

Norma Riccucci

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9780429978708
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Politics
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Addresses increased diversity in government work forces, and management strategies appropriate for managing diversity. Today, public employers are poised to create productive work forces that are represented of the global population. As we enter the twenty-first century, Americas workforce looks markedly different than it ever has before. Compared with even twenty years ago, more white women, people of color, disabled persons, new and recent immigrants, gays and lesbians, and intergenerational mixes now work in America. The way in which government employers embrace this opportunity of diversity will clearly distinguish effective and efficient organizations from those which are unproductive and unable to meet the demands and necessities of the American people in the new century. This book addresses the demographic changes to the labor force and workplace and the ways in which government employers are managing the imminently diverse populations that now fill public sector jobs. It addresses the specific management strategies and initiatives relied upon by public sector employers as well as the implications of effectively managing variegated workforces for the overall governance of American society.

1
Workforce Diversity and the Twenty-First Century

As we enter the third millennium, America's workforce looks markedly different than it ever has before. In a way, it can be described as polytypic. Compared with the workforce of even twenty years ago, more white women, people of color, disabled persons, new and recent immigrants, gays and lesbians, and intergenerational mixes (i.e., baby boomers, Generation Xers, and Generation Nexters) now work in America. To say that this has created challenges for managing the workplace is an understatement. The way in which government employers embrace this opportunity of diversity will clearly distinguish effective and efficient organizations from those that are unproductive and unable to meet the demands and necessities of the American people in the twenty-first century.

Today, public and private sector employers are poised to create productive workforces that are truly representative of not simply the national but the global population. This book will examine the demographic changes to the labor force and workplace and the ways in which government employers are managing the imminently diverse populations that now fill public sector jobs. It will address the specific management strategies and initiatives relied on by public sector employers as well as the implications of effectively managing variegated workforces for the overall governance of American society. Although the book does not address the normative considerations around the importance of diversity, it certainly makes clear the reality that demographic changes to the population in general have, as a corollary, led to changes in the labor pools from which both public and private sector employers draw their workers. In short, workforce diver

TABLE 1.1 Comparing EEO, Affirmative Action, and Managing Diversity

EEO	Affirmative Action	Managing Diversity
Qualitatlve/Quantitative. Emphasis is on preventing or ending discrimination	Qualitative/Quantita five. Em phasi s is on redressing past discrimination and achieving diverse, representative workforces	Behavioral. Emphasis is on building specific skills and creating a productive work environment with the organization's human resources
Legally driven. Mandated by federal law	Managerialfy and legally driven. Involves voluntarily developed goals as well as court-ordered programs. Common law has defined its legality and constitutionality	Strategically driven. Behaviors and policies are seen as contributing to organizational goals and objectives such as productivity
Fairness. Seeks to end discrimination and create equal opportunities	Remedial and compensatory. Specific voluntarily developed goals as well as court-ordered programs.	Pragmatic. The organization benefits in terms of morale and increases in productivity
Access Model. Model assumes that protected-class persons will be able to access organizations	Assimilation model. Model assumes that persons and groups brought into the system will adapt to existing organizational norms. Can result in “sink or swim” atm osphere/environment	Synergy model. Model seeks to change organizational culture to accommodate diverse groups. Assumes people will develop new ways of working together in a pluralistic environment
Level playing field. Seeks to ensure equal opportunity and access	Opens doors. Seeks to affect hiring and promotion decisions in organizations	Opens the system. Seeks to affect managerial practices and policies

Sources: Adapted from Riccucci (1997), Henderson (1994), and Gardenswartz and Rowe (1993).

sity will prevail in public and private sector organizations in the twenty-first century. To the extent that the demographics of the workforce reflect that of the general population that it serves and it is effectively managed, the delivery of public services will be greatly enhanced.¹

Diversity qua Diversity

When we speak of managing diversity in the context of the workplace, we often think of concepts such as equal employment opportunity (ΕΈΟ) and affirmative action. Although diversity has evolved from these concepts, it is significantly different. The easiest way to understand the differences in these concepts is to compare and contrast them. Table 1.1 illustrates the conceptual differences and similarities between and among EEO, affirmative action, and managing diversity.

As the table shows, EEO is largely viewed as a means to prevent discrimination in the workplace on the basis of such factors or characteristics as race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ability, and age. Affirmative action, on the other hand, which emerged in response to pervasive employment discrimination, embodies proactive efforts to redress past discriminations as well as to diversify the workplace in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, physical abilities, and so forth. Affirmative action has been viewed as a legal tool to ensure equal employment opportunity or diversity. Its emphasis on proaction has been the cause of endless controversy and public debate over its use as an employment tool or social policy. Indeed, opponents to affirmative action very early on were quick to label it "reverse discrimination."

Managing diversity is the next iteration on the continuum. It refers to the ability of top managemen...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Tables and Figures
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• 1 Workforce Diversity and the Twenty-First Century
• 2 Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity
• 3 Initial Steps in Preparing for Diversity in the Workplace
• 4 Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Management
• 5 Diversity Management and Women in Public Sector Workforces
• 6 Managing the Multigenerational Workplace
• 7 Diversity in Ability
• 8 Diversity and Sexual Orientation
• 9 Epilogue: Public Sector Organizations Positioning for the Future
• Index