It isn’t uncommon anymore to find organizations and workplaces that are diverse. Various surveys reveal that each year, for instance, the number of women and people from different ethnicity or race is increasing. For organizations, there are a number of benefits they can get from the differing backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that come with a diverse workforce.

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2. It isn’t uncommon
anymore to find
organizations and
workplaces that are
diverse. Various
surveys reveal that
each year, for
instance, the
number of women and people from different ethnicity
or race is increasing. For organizations, there are a
number of benefits they can get from the differing
backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that come
with a diverse workforce.
There are some disadvantages to this as well, of course.
One of the most common issues faced by organizations
is how to manage a group of people with different
personalities, cultures, and ways. In Canada, this is one
challenge many companies have to deal with. And since
there are millions of people from around the world who
work in Canada, companies are well aware of the
benefits and drawbacks of having a diverse workforce.
Here are some of them.
Benefits
According to studies, both gender and racial diversities
are positive contributors to profits, customers, and
sales in general. In particular, racial diversity was linked
to the increase in market share of the company, while
there was no concrete evidence saying that gender
diversity has the same results.
Another way that companies can take advantage of the
diversity among their workers is by encouraging
everyone to give their own opinions on certain matters.
When it comes to experience, it is interesting also that
hiring workers from different countries results to a very
rich talent pool for the company.
Drawbacks
For any company to be successful in maintaining a
diverse workforce, they must produce some kind of
workplace culture that centers on respect and dignity.
These components are important in preventing tension
among workers.
It is also important that the communication gap among
the members of the workforce be addressed
immediately and appropriately. This is one of the most
difficult things to do especially if the majority of the
workers do not use English as their mother language.
How to Deal with Diversity
Needless to say, addressing the issues that come as a
result of diversity in the workplace is not easy at all. In
order to manage a diverse workforce, it is crucial that
the managers within the organization be supported and
trained enough. It is a must for them to understand that
each individual in the organization needs support so
that it will be easier also to balance their conflicting
opinions and needs.
Employers need to understand also that every
employee, regardless of their position, has to be heard.
They also need to feel that others in the organization
respect what they think and how they feel. And once
they feel a sense of dignity and that the company places
enough value to their contributions and even their
career pathways, there is no doubt that they will be
motivated and productive.

3. Effective
communication is
a must-have in
any organization.
It is a very
important tool
that can boost
productivity,
lessen employee turnover, and improve the overall
environment in the workplace. Both employees and
supervisors or managers in a company have to make an
effort to communicate better because this is what may
define the kind of relationship they will have with one
another.
The problem, however, is that not all of us consider
communication as their strength. This is an important
thing to look at especially in diverse workplaces like
Canada. So many people from different countries go to
work in Canada. These workers speak different
languages, and also have unique cultures and ways. In a
workplace with such diversity, the proper use of the
following communication methods is crucial.
Listening
In the world of business, listening is considered more
important that speaking as a factor for effective
communications within organizations. As you interact
with others, you need to be a good listener to be able to
understand what you are being told more clearly. This
will also prevent you from getting confused, and more
importantly, listening is a sign of respect to the person
you are speaking with.
Take note also that listening is different from merely
hearing other people’s words. A good listener offers
good body language to signal that they are interested in
what the speaker is saying. The positive gestures you
may use involve nodding, making eye contact, and just
keeping still. In a particular workplace, if its members
practice good listening skills and behavior,
communication will certainly improve.
Speaking
Speaking is a form of art that should not be taken for
granted. Every word that comes out of your mouth can
yield positive and negative reactions from your
listeners. In a workplace, leaders need to understand
how powerful their words are. And so, it is ideal for
them to let their subordinates to speak first. This way,
they may know about each member’s opinions on a
specific matter. Taking notes is also recommended so
that nothing will be missed. After giving everyone the
chance to speak, it will be the leader’s turn to clarify
things and put a conclusion to the meeting.
A good leader, especially those who supervise people
coming from different background, will affirm what
everyone else has said. He or she should also not
hesitate to emphasize the things that he liked or didn’t
like about what everyone said, whether the input came
from an old employee or from a new Canadian
immigrant. This way, every opinion is considered, which
is important for boosting the confidence of the
employees. This attitude of a leader is also likely to be
followed by the employees, and this can greatly help
improve the way people communicate with one
another in the workplace.

4. With the rise of
globalization,
companies
have begun
recruiting
foreign
workers in
order for them
to cut labor costs. Aside from the financial benefits of
hiring workers from abroad, companies also see this as
a great opportunity to build diversity in their businesses
with the hopes of hiring creative people who can
contribute significantly to their growth and success.
Many of them are also generous enough to offer
assistance to their recruits especially in terms of the
costs involved in relocation.
If you have been given the chance to work in Canada or
any foreign country, it is important that you first know
what kind of assistance is available to you. If you have a
family, you would also need to consider the possibility
of taking them with you, which would mean more
expenses on your part. So, as you inquire about the
relocation assistance program offered by the company,
take time to look into these issues as well:
You have to know if the company is willing toFree Visit:
send you along with your spouse, if possible, to their
country just so you can have a feel of what it would be
like working and living there. This is an important aspect
of relocating abroad because so many things will change
in your life once you set foot in a foreign country.
If your spouse has his or her ownSpousal Employment:
career in your own country, this will be a big issue to
address if you were to take your family with you
abroad. What you can do is ask your employer if there is
also a possibility for your spouse to be employed. If not,
then you have to make a plan on how your spouse
should spend time out of work abroad. The best thing
you can do for your spouse is look for opportunities to
enhance his or her skills and acquire new ones. This
way, your spouse will be ready in case there are other
employment opportunities in your new location.
As a responsible parent, youChildren’s Adjustment:
cannot take for granted how your children will be
affected by your decision to relocate. Your child’s social
life is what could suffer the most in a foreign country.
This is actually one of the biggest challenges faced by
families who are considered new Canadian workers or
immigrants. Thus, you have to take the time to explain
to your child why it is necessary for all of you to move.
Also, reassure them that everything will be better and
that they will easily make friends in the new place.