A summary of the CIPD Executive Briefing
Based on the findings of a two year action research programme this report explains how nine very different organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors made progress in managing diversity. The report was written by Dr Gary Mulholland of the University of Hertfordshire, Dr Mustafa Ozbilgin of Queen Mary, University of London, and Dianah Worman OBE, Chartered FCIPD, Diversity Adviser, CIPD. The full report is available to purchase online – please visit our bookstore for more details and to find out how to order.
Some of the organisations involved are noted for their experience and expertise in diversity while others had not started to address it. The understanding about diversity ranged from a version of equal opportunities covered by legislation, through to the concept of ‘inclusion’ – which to some cognoscenti in the diversity field is a preferable term, involving similar values and principles with an added objective of not only achieving diversity, but also cohesion between workers. The definition of managing diversity promoted by the CIPD is inclusive:
Managing diversity is about valuing people as individuals, as employees, customers and clients – everyone is different.
The research shows that managing diversity is not about identifying an unchanging set of individual differences, but about recognising and benefiting from individual difference as an outcome of dynamic changes in individual experiences, needs, aspirations and interactions in the context of work and organisation.
To add value to business performance, diversity initiatives need to reflect organisational and personal contexts, circumstances, needs and preferences - all of which change over time. There are no quick fixes or one size fits all solutions to managing diversity.
The report covers four contemporary diversity management themes and their interplay with business performance. These themes have general relevance across all economic sectors and organisations and include:
- communicating diversity messages to bring about change
- strategic development: making diversity an integral part of, and contributor to, the business strategy
- getting started and quick wins
- the representation of women at senior levels.
This report contains short summaries of the projects carried out by the organisations which took part in the CIPD action research programme, and the generic learning from them, in the form of general lessons, tricks to spot, recommendations and top tips for progressing diversity.
MULHOLLAND, G., OZBILGIN, M., and WORMAN, D. (2006) Managing diversity: words into actions. Executive briefing. London: CIPD.