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Workplace sociology
Gerhard Ohrband1st lectureManaging Diversity
Course structure
Part I Introduction1 Managing diversity2 History and context for Work and Organizational
Psychology / Roles and methods
Part IIPeople at work3 Job Analysis and Design4 Personal Selection5 Training
Course structure
6 Performance Appraisal: Assessing and Developing Performance and Potential
7 Job Stress and Health
Part IIIHuman Factors at Work8 Workload and Task Allocation9 Work Environments and Performance10 The Design and Use of Work Technology11 Safety at Work
Course structure
Part IVOrganizations at Work12 Leadership and management13 Work motivation14 Teams: the challenges of cooperative work15 Organizational development (OD)
Start up!
Presentation Course rules GradingLanguage mattersLiterature
Presentation
Gerhard Ohrband, born 29 of August, 1979 in Hamburg/Germany
University of Hamburg – Spanish and Portuguese University of Hamburg – PsychologySpecialized in Work and Organizational Psychology and
Educational PsychologyAreas of interest in Psychology: almost everything, specially
motivationHobbies: music (guitar – jazz/Heavy Metal), cooking
(vegetarian cuisine), nature, swimming, language learning, meditation …
Course behaviorSuggestions: Attentive listening (no need to do much, just imagine being an
antenna …) Curious questioning (please express all your questions, doubts
and suggestions Active discussing Presence: Maximum of 2 (two!) absences permitted, otherwise maximum
of 5 as the final grade. “Spare” your absences economically. ExceptionsTeaching style: The 1st half: Presentation: teacher-centered: I talk – mostly, you
listen The 2nd half: Group work/discussions/Practical projects: student-
centered: You talk – I listen
Literature Chmiel, Nik (2000). Introduction to Work and
Organizational Psychology – A European Perspective. Oxford: Blackwell
Internet resources
European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP)
http://www.eawop.org/web/
European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/1359432X.asp
Work and Organizational Psychology Arena http://www.workpsychologyarena.com/
Internet resourcesEurope Chapter of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Europe Chapter, is organised to serve the needs of the human factors profession in Europe. Its purpose is to promote and advance through the interchange of knowledge and methodology in the behavioural, biological, and physical sciences, the understanding of the human factors involved in, and the application of that understanding to the design, acquisition, and use of hardware, software, and personnel aspects of tools, devices, machines, equipment, computers, vehicles, systems, and artificial environments of all kinds.
http://www.hfes-europe.org/
Internet resources
European Association For Aviation Psychology The objective of EAAP is to promote the study of psychology and the scientific pursuit of applied psychology in the field of aviation and to promote the contribution of aviation psychology and human factors to the enhancement of safety and the optimization of human performance in all aspects of aerospace.
http://www.eaap.net/
Key journals
International Journal of Selection and Assessment
Journal of Applied Psychology Journal of Occupational and
Organizational Psychology Journal of Organizational Behavior Personnel Psychology
Managing diversity - content Difference in the workplace Responses to difference in the workplace The theoretical components of managing
diversity The benefits of managing diversity Implementation of diversity approaches Who manages diversity? Organizational processes to manage
diversity The future of diversity at work
Difference in the workplace
Labour markets in the 20th century have undergone tremendous change in terms of employee diversity.
Increasingly heterogeneous workforce Despite affirmative action schemes in
the USA, women and non-white members remain in the lower ranks of organizations
Responses to difference in the workplace
Anti-discrimination legislation: example UK – Equal Pay Act 1984; Sex Discrimination Act 1986; Race Relations Act 1976; Disability Discrimination Act 1996)
Equal opportunities
Honey, Meager and William, 1993 Surveyed employment practices of disabled
workers in the UK. Only one in twenty organizations
approached the legal quota (of disabled employees), and over 50 % expressed stereotypical views of disabled people and their ability to do the job.
However, three-quarters of companies who had employed disabled workers experienced no difficulties and half incurred no extra cost.
Gender gap Melamed (1995) compared the
importance of sex discrimination to alternative explanations: personality characteristics, human capital attributes, demographics, career choices, labour market forces and structural organization features.
Over 55 % of the gender gap was attributed to sex discrimination
‘Glass ceiling’ effect The progress of women in organizations is
obstructed by the presence of an invisible ‘glass’ barrier
Second, higher ceiling for women in executive positions (Lyness and Thompson, 1997)
Women have lower salary expectations (Stevens, Bavetta and Gist, 1993)
Managers attribute performance less to ability than in male counterparts (Greenhaus and Parasuraman, 1993)
Exercise
To examine bias inherent in the way we think about different groups in society, spend a few minutes thinking about the colours black and white. What associations and phrases come to mind?
The theoretical components of managing diversity
Managing diversity: assumption that difference, heterogeneity and diversity between people can in some way be managed or harnessed for the benefit of all.
Equal opportunities: difference as deficit
Loden and Rosener, 1991 Six assumptions embedded in contemporary
organizational culture1. ‘Otherness’ is a deficiency;2. Diversity poses a threat to efficient functioning;3. Expressing discomfort with dominant values shows
oversensitivity;4. Those who are different wish to assimilate into the
dominant group;5. Equal treatment means the same treatment;6. Managing diversity requires changing people not the
culture
Implementation of diversity approaches Triandis et al. (1993): four interventions1. Societal change, through government
policy, tax incentives and large-scale educational programmes;
2. Organizational change in terms of operating procedures – affirmative action and educational programmes;
3. Interpersonal relationship change in terms of understanding the views of other members;
4. Attitudinal change in terms of interpersonal processes.
Kandola and Fullerton, 1994 Examined the use of 40 possible diversity initiatives from the
literature From a sample of 2000 UK companies, 285 organizations returned
the survey. Ten frequently implemented strategies:1. EO (Equal opportunities) policies;2. EO monitoring;3. EO strategy;4. Physically changing the work environment;5. Eliminating age criteria from selection procedures;6. Harassment policy;7. Flexible working arrangements;8. Time off beyond legal requirements for carers;9. Fair selection training for recruiters;10. Having ongoing contact with local/national specialist groups
Kandola and Fullerton, 1994 Least implemented: assistance on career
breaks, target setting, childcare assistance and surveying opinion on equal opportunities.
Many organizations implemented policies with little understanding of how they fitted in with overall objectives, and little or no evaluation of whether these actions were successul.
Managers choose easier options rather than more strategic responses.
Discussion points1. Consider the economic/business and moral case for
managing diversity. How does it differ from traditional equal opportunity approaches?
2. Identify the primary stakesholders in implementing a managing diversity programme in an organization. How would you communicate the benefits to the different stakeholders?
3. Explore the links between managing diversity approaches and other kinds of organizational initiatives, e.g. the learning organization?
Literature Greenhaus, J.H. and Parasuraman, S. (1993). Job performance and career advancement
prospects: an examination of gender and race effects. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 55, 273-97.
Honey, S., Meager, N. and Williams, M. (1993). Employers’ attitudes towards people with disabilities. Dorset: BEPC.
Kandola, R. and Fullerton, J. (1994). Managing the mosaic: diversity in action. London: IPD.
Loden, M. and Rosener, J.B. (1991). Workforce America! Managing employee diversity as a vital resource. Homewood, IL: Business One Irwin.
Lyness, K.S. and Thompson, D.E. (1997). Above the glass ceiling? A comparison of matched samples of female and male executives. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82(3), 359-75.
Melamed, T. (1995). Barriers to women’s career success: human capital, career choices, structural determinants, or simply sex discrimination. Applied Psychology: an International Review, 44(4), 295-314.
Stevens, C.K., Bavetta, A.G. and Gist, M.E. (1993). Gender differences in the acquisition of negotiation skills: the role of goals, self-efficacy and perceived control. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(3), 723-35.
Triandis, H.C., Kurowski, L.L. and Gelfand, M.J. (1993). Workplace diversity. In H.C. Triandis, M.D. Dunnette and L.M. Hough (eds), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology, volume 3. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
