The American society today includes people of all ages, races, sexual orientations, religions, faiths, ethnicities, genders, political affiliations and cultures. The United States hence acts as a melting pot providing the opportunity of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” for everyone within the region.
As companies and organizations in today’s world evolve, there is a growing responsibility on them to add diversity to their workplace. As part of this motive, they should try to represent the varying cultures, diasporas and ethnicities living in the developed American society. Diversity is a hot word today and has taken the world by storm.
Although organizations strive to create an environment of cultural inclusivity and diversity, they do face challenges and roadblocks on the way. In this article we take a look at these challenges and understand the impact they have on organizations.
Ethnic and Cultural Differences
Although the population in the United States is predominantly white, the ethnic and racial spectrum is continuously evolving as more and more people emigrate from their countries to actualize their American dream.
According to the most recent data available from the Census Bureau, the 325 million people residing in the United States are grouped in the following ethnicities:
- 76.9% of people self-identify as white;
- 17.8% self-identify as Hispanic or Latino;
- 13.3% of people self-identify as Black or African-American;
- 5.7% of people self-identify as Asian;
- 2.6% of people self-identify as two or more races;
- 1.3% of people self-identify as American Indian or Alaska Native; and
- 0.2% of people self-identify as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
This unique mix of ethnicities can create challenges for organizations when it comes to creating and managing an inclusive workplace.
Communication Barriers
Most workers coming from outside the United States do not have as much command over the English language as a native would. Since English is often a second or third language for them, this lack of command is understandable. However, this leads to barriers in communication where subtle references aren’t interpreted as they should be.
Respecting and Accepting Each Other
Diversity isn’t just about creating a workplace with everyone in it. However, it is more about making people respect and accept the differences they have. Once people do that, they are better able to work together in an office environment that harbors coalition and communication. Efficiency cannot be achieved without mutual respect between disparate individuals.
We at JS Benefits Group have worked with numerous clients to work on building more inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. You can get in touch with JS Benefits Group immediately to discuss and devise a plan.
