Diversity, Essay Example

Diversity is a reality in today’s world (AONE Guiding Principles: For Diversity in Health Care Organizations, 2009). It is becoming an on-going tendency and organizations are using it in order to enrich brainstorming processes and provide opportunities for cultural exchange. It is evident that diversity in work groups has a great potential of leading to creativity and new ideas as such groups are able to exploit a variety of perspectives and skills (Kravitz, 2005). Taking in consideration possible misunderstandings and differences, diversity is still valuable for work groups as it can help to develop self-awareness and respect for others (Smith, Wertheimer, Fincham, 2005); practicing diversity in team working can be a matter of tapping into everyone’s different talents so as to bring the best to every task and project.

Diversity has many dimensions, which are reflected through characteristics of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, physical capabilities, religion, special, talents, abilities, human capacity, values, practice experiences, life skills, sexual orientation and generational influences (AONE Guiding Principles: For Diversity in Health Care Organizations, 2009). Diversity in healthcare organization suggests that with a culturally diverse and culturally competent workforce such organizations are better suited to provide services that meet culturally diverse health needs (Liu, 2007). In this specific field workforce diversity is instrumental in improving patient outcomes, saving lives, and having successful community practice. It is much more efficient and helpful when a healthcare professional or any member of his/her team is able to speak patient’s native language or has in-depth understanding of a specific culture (Smith, Wertheimer, Fincham, 2005). Not only can it ensure an opportunity of building trust and loyalty with the patient, but can also help to avoid misunderstandings and false judgments.

In order to ensure the diversity in project teams or work groups and its successful maintaining it is vital to hold on to guidelines of respecting individual differences and talents while, at the same time, avoiding stereotyping and discrimination (Smith, Wertheimer, Fincham, 2005). Finally, when considering diversity in workforce, one should keep in mind that it brings heterogeneity and provides a wide variety of talents in handling challenges and issues in the workplace.

References

Kravitz, D. (2005). Diversity in Teams: A Two-Edged Sword Requires Careful Handling (6^th ed.). George Mason University.

AONE Guiding Principles: For Diversity in Health Care Organizations. Retrieved June 21, 2009 from http://www.aone.org/aone/resource/PDF/AONE_GP_Diversity.pdf .

Liu, X. (2007). Diversity in Teamwork: MARKSTRAT as a Model for Diversity Training (p.2). Grin Verlag.

Smith, M. I., Wertheimer, A. I. and Fincham, J. E. (2005). Provisions of Care for Subpopulations: A Cultural Perspective. Pharmacy and the U. S. Health Care System (pp. 320-347). Informa Health Care.