The Ethical Implications of Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity in the workplace is important.

Businesses should strive for diversity, not only because discrimination is illegal, but because it brings new ideas to the table and is good for growth. Acquiring diversity can present ethical dilemmas but it is definitely worth the trouble.

What Is Diversity?

Diversity is defined as the presence of people of different cultures, languages, ethnicities, genders, races, religions, ages, nationalities and social classes at a business. It has brought many benefits to firms that have embraced it.

Stereotypes

Despite its benefits, diversity can cause problems in the beginning. When people who come from different backgrounds are brought together for the first time, and these people previously only knew one another from negative stereotypes, there may be conflict and ethical dilemmas in finding a resolution.

Shared Values

Another ethical dilemma arises when one considers that the best workers share a company's values but that people from different backgrounds may have different values.

Hiring Candidates

Another ethical dilemma that occurs in efforts to diversify is that the best candidate may not be offered the job because the second-best candidate belongs to a group that is underrepresented in the firm.

Solutions

There are a number of ethical dilemmas that occur in a diverse workplace. However, stereotypes can be overcome with education, where the company doesn't take sides but people are taught to understand other perspectives. Hiring managers should not hire someone from a different background if they suspect that their values are very different from the company's. They should trust their gut instinct, as long as they know the candidate's minority status isn't the only factor in hiring. Finally, hiring managers should weigh many different factors when hiring a candidate, so basing a decision simply on a person's background should never be allowed to become a serious dilemma.

References

• "Perspectives in Business Ethics;" Laura P. Hartman; 2005.