The idea of valuing difference is concerned with promotion of managing differences in sex, race, creed and age for the benefit of the business (Gover, Gordon and Paterson, p.345). It also involves provision of good working environment where every employee feels comfortable despite of their cultural backgrounds. This strategy helps the business to get a diverse management team which helps an organization in realization of its goals. The strategy also helps an organization to get maximum benefits from its employees. Valuing difference ensures that every employee feels comfortable to work despite of their differences.
One of the main factors which have led to the emergence of the idea of valuing differences is the emergence of the global companies (Gover, Gordon and Paterson, p.345). These companies have been forced to employ people from different nationalities who are having differences in terms of race and cultural backgrounds. This has raised a need to have a strategy that will help these companies to benefit rather than lose from these differences.
The idea of valuing difference is all about helping employees to learn how to understand other cultures for maximum benefits of the business. Global companies operate in different regions with different cultural backgrounds. It is therefore important to train employees how to tolerate these differences. Employees are able to learn how to work together for the benefits of the company.
Gover, Gordon and Paterson observed that new ideas come from people and the difference in people's perspectives reflects differences in their ideas (p.347). When people come together with these differences, there are high chances of innovation and creativity in the company. This brings an improvement in the company's product which consequently leads to an increase in the profit margins.
Valuing difference helps an individual to learn more about themselves (Gover, Gordon and Paterson, p.365). Employees get a chance to learn more about themselves when they are exposed to diverse cultural environment. An employee gets a chance to realize their talents. This realization encourages them to strengthen their talents.
Gover, Gordon and Paterson continue to argue that valuing the difference requires acknowledgement, recognition and value. Acknowledgement is about understanding people and appreciating them for whom they are. It involves learning and tolerating the way others ways despite how unique they are to us.
Another important aspect in valuing the difference is recognition. It is very important for employees to understand themselves as well as their colleagues. It is after this recognition that the employees will be able to value these differences. Lack of this recognition is likely to bring misunderstandings in the company. Finally, it is very important to value these differences. Each employee should feel valued so that he or she feels free to express their minds.
In conclusion, valuing the difference is all about bringing together differences among the employees in order to gain maximum benefits from these differences. It is concerned with embracing the cultural differences among the employees. This gives them a chance to choose the best perspectives from different cultural backgrounds that will help them in increasing efficiency and profitability of the company. It helps the workforce to come up with a 'hybrid' culture that contains all the best traits from different cultures across the world.
