Introduction New Age Technologies1 (NAT) builds next generation communications networks including communications systems, products, technologies and customer support in a highly competitive and global market. For NAT, diversity in all areas of its operations is not only a reflection of values and corporate responsibility; it is recognized as an integral part of NAT's business environment that creates competitive advantage.NAT's success in leveraging diversity will be directly related to the extent to which this diversity becomes effectively communicated and put into practice - with observable changes in behavior, environment, customer satisfaction and market impact.Successfully leverag ...view middle of the document...
The advice and suggestion of all levels of the organization should be drawn upon as issues or opportunities arise. 'Softer' skills such as empathy and other personality qualities should be harnessed. Not everyone thinks or learns in the same way. A homogenous workplace can be divisive, causing social problems and high staff turnover. Successful management of diversity in the workplace comes down to treating each other with respect. There might be more than one way of doing things. There is more than one group of people to recruit from. Remuneration policies and frameworks should be established that allow individual employees to receive their remuneration to suit their lifestyles. Young people can come into an organization with a whole new set of dynamics, skills and attitudes. Organization should embrace the potential of all workers. Organization should actively ensure that older workers have the opportunity to productively participate in the workforce. Learning is a lifelong process for all workers: continual upgrading of skills is key to adapting to the workplace of the future. Survey's Findings Diversity these days is more than simply compliance or 'doing the right thing'. It is now being taken seriously as a way of furthering the vision of an organization and, potentially, its bottom line.NAT is part of a world trend that has seen many organizations move to actively manage diversity in the workplace to help improve efficiency, equity, effectiveness or freedom of choice for employees.Diversity in the workplace once meant that an organization was implementing an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy. Now it is seen as a much broader question that extends beyond legal and social issues. It often includes changing the dynamics of the organization and encouraging the integration of differences in attitudes and values in the workplace.The broad issues relate to the HR practices that will provide a framework for excellence in people management; ways of discovering and utilizing difference to improve productivity. The challenge is to identify and manage diversity so that the specific business goals of an organization are met, while maintaining an open and inclusive workplace, which values differences.Managers need to analyze the knowledge, skills and experiences currently available to them in their staff and ask how they might be best deployed. Are there people, who ...