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Diversity is a mix of thing

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I found great synonyms for "diversity" on the new Thesaurus.com!

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Synonyms for diversity at Thesaurus.com with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Find descriptive alternatives for diversity.

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Diversity is range of different things. There are three different types of Diversity (genetic, species & ecosystem).

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Related Links

The Convention on Biological Diversity website contains the actual convention documents, which were signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and exist to promote sustainable development. The site also contains information resources related to the topic.

Green Facts is an independent, nonprofit organization with a multistakeholder governance and a nonadvocacy policy. The organization aims to bring complex scientific consensus reports on health and the environment to the reach of nonspecialists. Its site contains a wealth of detailed information related to biodiversity.

The National Agricultural Library is one of four national libraries of the United States. It houses one of the world's largest and most accessible agricultural information collections. Use the search engine to find publications and news releases containing the most recent information on biodiversity, including E.O. Wilson's book on the subject.

Biodiversity is the sum of all the different species of animals, plants, fungi and microbial organisms living on Earth and the variety of habitats in which they live. Scientists estimate that more than 10 million different species inhabit Earth.

Biodiversity underlies everything from food production to medical research. Humans use at least 40,000 species of plants and animals on a daily basis. Many people around the world still depend on wild species for some or all of their food, shelter and clothing. All our domesticated plants and animals came from wildliving ancestral species. In addition, almost 40 percent of the pharmaceuticals used in the United States either are based on or are synthesized from natural compounds found in plants, animals or microorganisms.

The array of living organisms found in a particular environment combined with the physical and environmental factors that affect them is an ecosystem. Healthy ecosystems are vital to life; they regulate many of the chemical and climatic systems that make available clean air, clean water and plentiful oxygen. Forests, for example, regulate the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, produce oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis and control rainfall and soil erosion. Ecosystems, in turn, depend on the continued health and vitality of the individual organisms that compose them. Removing just one species from an ecosystem can prevent the ecosystem from operating optimally.

Perhaps the greatest value of biodiversity is yet unknown. Scientists have discovered and named only 1.75 million species - fewer than 20 percent of those estimated to exist. Of those identified, only a fraction has been examined for potential medicinal, agricultural or industrial value. Much of Earth's great biodiversity rapidly is disappearing, even before we know what is missing. Most biologists agree that life on Earth now is faced with the most severe extinction episode since the event that drove the dinosaurs to extinction 65 million years ago. Species of plants, animals, fungi and microscopic organisms such as bacteria are being lost at alarming rates. Because of this, scientists around the world are focusing their research on cataloging and studying global biodiversity in an effort to better understand it and slow the rate of loss. As a result, the majority of current biodiversity research concentrates on preserving biodiversity and assessing environmental quality and change.

Benefits of Biodiversity

Biodiversity plays an important role in the way ecosystems function and in the services they provide. The following is a list of some of the benefits, or services, of biodiversity:

Provisioning services such as food, clean water, timber, fiber and genetic resources

Regulating services such as climate, floods, disease, water quality and pollination

Cultural services such as recreational, aesthetic and spiritual benefits

Supporting services such as soil formation and nutrient cycling

Types of Biodiversity

Biodiversity includes three main types: diversity within species (genetic diversity), between species (species diversity) and between ecosystems (ecosystem diversity).

Genetic Diversity

Every species on Earth is related to every other species through genetic connections. The more closely related any two species are, the more genetic information they will share, and the more similar they will appear. An organism's closest relatives are members of its own species, or organisms with which it has the potential to mate and produce offspring. Members of a species share genes, the bits of biochemical information that determine, in part, how the animals look, behave and live. One eastern gray squirrel, for example, shares the vast majority of its genes with other eastern gray squirrels, whether they live in the same area or are separated by thousands of miles. Members of a species also share complex mating behaviors that enable them to recognize each other as potential mates.

For virtually every species there is a similar and closely related species in an adjacent habitat. Western, instead of eastern, gray squirrels are found west of the Rocky Mountains. Although western gray squirrels are more similar to than different from their eastern counterparts, these animals do not share a common mating behavior with eastern gray squirrels. Even when brought into close proximity, eastern and western gray squirrels do not mate - so they constitute two distinct species.

Each species also has other, more remotely related species with which it shares a more general set of characteristics. Gray squirrels, chipmunks, marmots and prairie dogs all belong to the squirrel family because they share a number of features, such as tooth number and shape and details of skull and muscle anatomy. All of these animals are rodents, a large group of more distantly related animals who share similar, chisel-like incisor teeth that grow continuously. All rodents are related to a broader group, mammals. Mammals have hair, raise their young on milk and have three bones in the middle ear. All mammals, in turn, are more distantly related to other animals with backbones, or vertebrates. All these organisms are animals but share a common cell structure with plants, fungi and some microbes. Finally, all living organisms share a common molecule, ribonucleic acid (RNA), and most also have deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

While all species have descended from a single, common ancestor, species diverge and develop their own peculiar attributes with time, thus making their own contribution to biodiversity.

Species Diversity

Species diversity is the variety of species within a habitat or a region. Species are the basic units of biological classification and thus the normal measure of biological diversity. Species richness is the term that describes the number of different species in a given area. The world total is estimated at five to 10 million species, though only 1.75 million have been named scientifically so far.

Some habitats, such as rainforests and coral reefs, have many species. For example, tropical North and South America has about 85,000 flowering plant species, tropical and subtropical Asia has more than 50,000 and tropical and subtropical Africa has about 35,000. By contrast, all of Europe has 11,300 vascular plants. Yet other areas, such as salt flats or a polluted stream, have fewer species. Species are grouped together into families according to shared characteristics.

Ecological Diversity

Ecological diversity is the intricate network of different species present in local ecosystems and the dynamic interplay between them. An ecosystem consists of organisms from many different species living together in a region and their connections through the flow of energy, nutrients and matter. Those connections occur as the organisms of different species interact with one another. The ultimate source of energy in almost every ecosystem is the sun. The sun's radiant energy is converted to chemical energy by plants. That energy flows through the systems when animals eat the plants and then are eaten, in turn, by other animals. Fungi derive energy by decomposing organisms, which releases nutrients back into the soil. Thus, an ecosystem is a collection of living components (microbes, plants, animals and fungi) and nonliving components (climate and chemicals) that are connected by energy flow. Measuring ecological diversity is difficult because each of Earth's ecosystems merges into the ecosystems around it.

Related Issues

Biodiversity Agreements

Concern about environmental destruction led to the signing of several national and international agreements.

In 1972, the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment resolved to establish the United Nations Environment Programme. Governments signed a number of regional and international agreements to tackle specific issues, such as protecting wetlands and regulating the international trade in endangered species. Those agreements, along with controls on toxic chemicals and pollution, have helped slow the tide of destruction - but they have not reversed it.

An international treaty known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora went into effect in 1975 to outlaw the trade of endangered animals and animal parts. In the United States, the Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1973 to protect endangered or threatened species and their habitats.
In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) concluded that economic development must become less ecologically destructive. Then, in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a set of binding agreements was signed at the Convention on Biological Diversity. It was the first global agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. More than 150 governments signed the document at that conference, and since then more than 187 countries have ratified the agreement. The convention has three main goals: the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and sharing the benefits arising from commercial and other uses of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way.

Ethical and Social Considerations

Human Impact

Most biologists accept the estimate of American evolutionary biologist Edward O. Wilson that Earth is losing approximately 27,000 species per year. His estimate is based primarily on the rate of disappearance of ecosystems, especially tropical forests and grasslands, and on our knowledge of the species that live in such systems. That extraordinary rate of extinction has occurred only five times before in Earth's history. Mass extinctions of the geological past were caused by catastrophic physical disasters, such as climate changes or meteorite impacts, which destroyed and disrupted global ecosystems. Today's sixth extinction also primarily is being caused by ecosystem disturbance - but this time the destroying force is not the physical environment, but rather humankind. The human transformation of Earth's surface threatens to be as destructive as any of the past cataclysmic physical disasters.

The underlying cause of biodiversity loss is the explosion in human population, which now stands at seven billion and which is expected to double again by 2050. The human population already consumes almost half of all the food, crops, medicines and other useful items produced by Earth's organisms, and more than one billion people on the planet lack adequate supplies of fresh water. But the problem is not sheer numbers of people alone; the unequal distribution and consumption of resources and other forms of wealth on the planet also must be considered. According to some estimates, the average middle-class American consumes an amazing 30 times what a person living in a developing nation consumes. Thus, the impact of the almost 300 million American people must be multiplied by 30 to derive an accurate comparative estimate of the impact such industrialized nations have on the world's ecosystems.

The single greatest threat to global biodiversity is the human destruction of natural habitats. Since the invention of agriculture about 10,000 years ago, the human population has increased from approximately five million to the current six billion. During that time, but especially in the past several centuries, humans have radically transformed Earth. The conversion of forests, grasslands and wetlands for agricultural purposes, coupled with the multiplication and growth of urban centers and the building of dams and canals, highways and railways, physically has altered ecosystems to the current alarming pace of species extinction.

Conservation

As the scope and significance of biodiversity loss have become better understood, positive steps to stem the tide of the sixth mass extinction have been proposed and, to some extent, adopted. Several nations have enacted laws protecting endangered wildlife.

In the last three decades, focus has shifted away from the preservation of individual species to the protection of large tracts of habitats linked by corridors that enable animals to move between the habitats. Thus the movement to save, for example, the spotted owl of the Pacific Northwest, has become an effort to protect vast tracts of old-growth timber.

But as promising as these approaches are, conservation efforts never will succeed in the long run if the local economic needs of people living in and near threatened ecosystems are not taken into account. That is particularly true in developing countries, where much of the world's remaining undisturbed land is located. At the end of the 20th century, international organizations such as the World Bank and the World Wildlife Fund launched a movement for all countries in the developing world to set aside 10 percent of their forests in protected areas. But many communities living near those protected areas have relied on the rain forest for food and firewood for thousands of years. Left with few economic alternatives, those communities could be left without enough food to eat.

To address the problem, conservation biology emphasizes interaction with the people directly impacted by conservation measures. These biologists encourage such people to develop sustainable economic alternatives to destructive harvesting and land use. One alternative is harvesting and selling renewable rain forest products, such as vegetable ivory seeds from palms, known as tagua nuts and Brazil nuts. Where protection measures permit, rain forest communities may undertake sustainable rain forest logging operations, in which carefully selected trees are extracted in a way that has minimal impact on the forest ecosystem. Still other communities are exploring medicinal plants for drug development as ways to strengthen and diversify their economies.

Conservation biologists also work with established industries to develop practices that ensure the health and the sustainability of the resources on which they depend. For example, conservation biologists work with fishers to determine how many fish the fishers can harvest without damaging the population and the ecosystem as a whole. The same principles are applied to the harvesting of trees, plants, animals and other natural resources.

Preserving biodiversity also takes place at the molecular level, in the conservation of genetic diversity.

Efforts are being made around the world to collect and preserve endangered organisms' DNA. These collections, or gene banks, might consist of frozen samples of blood or tissue or, in some cases, might consist of actual live organisms. Biologists use gene banks to broaden the gene pool of a species, increasing the likelihood it will adapt to meet the environmental challenges that confront it. Many zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens work together to carefully maintain the genetic diversity in captive populations of endangered animals and plants, such as the giant panda, the orangutan and the rosy periwinkle. Captive animals are bred with wild populations or occasionally released in hopes they will breed freely with members of the wild population, thus increasing their genetic diversity. These gene banks also are an essential resource to replenish the genetic diversity of crops, enabling plant breeders and bioengineers to strengthen their stocks against disease and changing climate conditions.

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Biodiversity is the sum of all the different species of animals, plants, fungi and microbial organisms living on Earth and the variety of habitats in which they live. Scientists estimate that more than 10 million different species inhabit Earth. Biodiversity underlies everything from food production to medical research.

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Diversity~ The state or fact of being diverse

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[ dih-vur-si-tee, dahy- ] SHOW IPA

/ dɪˈvɜr sɪ ti, daɪ- / PHONETIC RESPELLING

noun, plural di·ver·si·ties.

the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness: diversity of opinion.

the inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation, etc.: diversity in the workplace.

a point of difference.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "SITE," "CITE," AND "SIGHT"!

Set your sights on wordy gold with this quiz on the commonly mixed up words "site," "cite," and sight"!

"Site" and "cite" derive from the same Latin root, "situs."

Origin of diversity

1300-50; Middle English diversite<Anglo-French <Latin dīversitās.See diverse, -ity

Words nearby diversity

diversify, diversion, diversional, diversionary, diversionist, diversity, divert, diverticular disease, diverticulectomy, diverticulitis, diverticuloma

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Content related to diversity

Words related to diversity

diversification, unlikeness, variegation, diverseness, multiplicity, divergence, medley, multifariousness, distinctiveness, range, distinction, variance, assortment, heterogeneity, dissimilarity, mixed bag, multiformity, variousness, multeity

Example sentences from the Web for diversity

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British Dictionary definitions for diversity

noun

the state or quality of being different or varied

logic the relation that holds between two entities when and only when they are not identical; the property of being numerically distinct

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Definition of diversity | Dictionary.com

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dih-vur-si-tee, dahy- ] SHOW IPA / dɪˈvɜr sɪ ti, daɪ- / PHONETIC RESPELLING the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness: diversity of opinion. the inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation, etc.: diversity in the workplace. a point of difference.

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Diversity:the state of being diverse; variety.

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The meaning of this picture is different and connected.

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Diversity:  the state of being diverse;   variety.
Being diverse is something that we all are, it is what makes us unique and one of a kind . Here in this article it shows how some companies it is hard to manage diversity

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Executive Summary

Diversity means different things to different people. A study of 180 Spanish corporate managers explored perceptions of diversity and found that depending on who is answering, diversity usually means one of three things: demographic diversity (our gender, race, sexual orientation, and so on), experiential diversity (our affinities, hobbies, and abilities), and cognitive diversity (how we approach problems and think about things). All three types shape identity - or rather, identities. Demographic diversity is tied to our identities of origin - characteristics that classify us at birth and that we will carry around for the rest of our lives. Experiential diversity influences we might call identities of growth. Cognitive diversity makes us look for other minds to complement our thinking: what we might call identities of aspiration.

Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images

Diversity means different things to different people. In a study of 180 Spanish corporate managers, we explored perceptions of diversity and found that depending on who is answering, diversity usually means one of three things: demographic diversity (our gender, race, sexual orientation, and so on), experiential diversity (our affinities, hobbies, and abilities), and cognitive diversity (how we approach problems and think about things). All three types shape identity - or rather, identities.

Demographic diversity is tied to our identities of origin - characteristics that classify us at birth and that we will carry around for the rest of our lives. Experiential diversity is based on life experiences that shape our emotional universe. Affinity bonds us to people with whom we share some of our likes and dislikes, building emotional communities. Experiential diversity influences we might call identities of growth. Cognitive diversity makes us look for other minds to complement our thinking: what we might call identities of aspiration.

It is important to remember that categories only serve the purpose of classification; in the real world, differences between these categories are blurred. Diversity is dynamic. But we believe this diversity framework, though somewhat artificial (as all frameworks are) can be useful to companies who are trying to refresh their approach to managing diversity. What kind of diversity does your company focus on? Could you benefit from broadening your perspective? Let's take a closer look at each in turn.

Managing identities of origin. Since the 1980s, most global companies have developed diversity and inclusion policies led by human resources. The most frequent include: assessment tools (climate surveys, statistics monitoring, minority targets), human resources programs (flexible policies, mentoring or coaching), communication campaigns, and training programs.

Consider Sodexho. In 2002 the company hired a chief diversity officer, Anand Rohini, to make diversity a priority. Some of the diversity priorities at Sodexho focused on gender, ethnicity, disabilities, and age. Its diversity strategy included a series of systems and processes covering human resources policies (such as flexibility measures, training, selection processes and career services); diversity scorecards; and quantitative targets, mainly regarding numbers of women and minorities, not only in the organization in general but also in leadership positions. By 2005 Sodexho was widely recognized as a diversity champion. For more than a decade it has been consistently ranked among the best of the DiversityInc top 50 list, and Anand Rohini has been widely recognized as a global diversity champion.

For Sodexho and other companies taking a similar approach, the result is an enhanced company image and reputation. Talented individuals in general, but from minorities in particular, select companies in which they expect to feel appreciated.

Managing identities of growth. Identities of growth often provide us with a feeling of security. Our likes and dislikes change over time, and so our affinity groups change. Identities of growth dictate who we spend time with.

Many companies have developed friendship-based communities among employees, typically organizing activities such as weekends away, departmental Christmas parties, and so on, in a bid to create emotional ties between workers and the company. But because emotional communities are held together as much by the likes as by the dislikes of members, they can be unpredictable and difficult to manage in the long term. As a result, these emotional communities can sometimes work to the benefit of organizations, but they can just as often end up having the opposite effect, particularly when people share a dislike for certain policies, a particular boss, or for what they consider to be an unfair situation.

Our research suggests that the best policy for dealing with communities of growth is through minimum intervention. Emotional communities will emerge in organizations, whether management likes it or not, and will have a life of their own. For that reason it is best to take a neutral position. Creating affinity groups is positive for the company. But these groups should always be voluntary and develop at their own pace, without management interference.

Managing identities of aspiration. Our cognitive differences find their place in a community of aspiration. In those communities, we are valued for our unique way of understanding and interpreting the world. A community of aspiration is a space where our ideas are valued for their contribution to a common project, regardless of our different traits or individual likes or dislikes.

Innovative organizations are shifting from managing units to managing challenges or projects, asking employees to voluntarily join projects, creating structures where employees can move out of their comfort zones to join temporary communities of aspiration that strengthen cross-organizational ties and help the company achieve its strategic goals.

Corporate experience shows that the most effective strategy for companies to manage communities of aspiration is to create the contexts and the projects for them to emerge.

Valve Corporation, a video game developer, has defined a unique corporate structure with no bosses or managers at all. Each member of the company is invited to define their contribution to the company according to their choices and preferences. A highly talented developer specialized in graphics animation might choose to work on a game by assuming a "group contributor role," becoming part of the group developing that game. After finishing this "group contribution," the same person might choose to work in a more individualistic fashion on the next task. This "free to choose" approach is mirrored in the firm's office design. Valve offices incorporate wheeled desks to foster mobility and allow the fast configuration and reconfiguration of groups as well as individual work.

Understanding multiple types of diversity is particularly relevant in our tribal times. Individuals now construct identities consciously. We want to play with a multiplicity of identities and use them in as many different roles as their different affiliations allow.

We live in complex times, when complex solutions are need it and where a one solution for all approach no longer works. Each form of diversity is different and requires its own management strategy to effectively integrate people. Diversity is a journey and, like any journey, requires careful navigation.

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The 3 Types of Diversity That Shape Our Identities

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Executive Summary Diversity means different things to different people. A study of 180 Spanish corporate managers explored perceptions of diversity and found that depending on who is answering, diversity usually means one of three things: demographic diversity (our gender, race, sexual orientation, and so on), experiential diversity (our affinities, hobbies, and abilities), and cognitive diversity (how we approach problems and think about things).

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Diversity: A variety of different thingsThe picture shows varieties of different countries

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Genetic Diversity is caused by can be caused by mutation; which can create entirely new alleles in a population

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Genetic Variation

Genetic variation is a measure of the variation that exists in the genetic makeup of individuals within population.

Learning Objectives

Assess the ways in which genetic variance affects the evolution of populations

Key Takeaways

Key Points

Genetic variation is an important force in evolution as it allows natural selection to increase or decrease frequency of alleles already in the population.

Genetic variation can be caused by mutation (which can create entirely new alleles in a population), random mating, random fertilization, and recombination between homologous chromosomes during meiosis (which reshuffles alleles within an organism's offspring).

Genetic variation is advantageous to a population because it enables some individuals to adapt to the environment while maintaining the survival of the population.

Key Terms

genetic diversity: the level of biodiversity, refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species

crossing over: the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes that results in recombinant chromosomes

phenotypic variation: variation (due to underlying heritable genetic variation); a fundamental prerequisite for evolution by natural selection

genetic variation: variation in alleles of genes that occurs both within and among populations

Genetic Variation

Genetic variation is a measure of the genetic differences that exist within a population. The genetic variation of an entire species is often called genetic diversity. Genetic variations are the differences in DNA segments or genes between individuals and each variation of a gene is called an allele.For example, a population with many different alleles at a single chromosome locus has a high amount of genetic variation. Genetic variation is essential for natural selection because natural selection can only increase or decrease frequency of alleles that already exist in the population.

Genetic variation is caused by:

mutation

random mating between organisms

random fertilization

crossing over (or recombination) between chromatids of homologous chromosomes during meiosis

The last three of these factors reshuffle alleles within a population, giving offspring combinations which differ from their parents and from others.

Evolution and Adaptation to the Environment

Variation allows some individuals within a population to adapt to the changing environment. Because natural selection acts directly only on phenotypes, more genetic variation within a population usually enables more phenotypic variation. Some new alleles increase an organism's ability to survive and reproduce, which then ensures the survival of the allele in the population. Other new alleles may be immediately detrimental (such as a malformed oxygen-carrying protein) and organisms carrying these new mutations will die out. Neutral alleles are neither selected for nor against and usually remain in the population. Genetic variation is advantageous because it enables some individuals and, therefore, a population, to survive despite a changing environment.

Geographic Variation

Some species display geographic variation as well as variation within a population. Geographic variation, or the distinctions in the genetic makeup of different populations, often occurs when populations are geographically separated by environmental barriers or when they are under selection pressures from a different environment. One example of geographic variation are clines: graded changes in a character down a geographic axis.

Sources of Genetic Variation

Gene duplication, mutation, or other processes can produce new genes and alleles and increase genetic variation. New genetic variation can be created within generations in a population, so a population with rapid reproduction rates will probably have high genetic variation. However, existing genes can be arranged in new ways from chromosomal crossing over and recombination in sexual reproduction. Overall, the main sources of genetic variation are the formation of new alleles, the altering of gene number or position, rapid reproduction, and sexual reproduction.

Genetic Drift

Genetic drift is the change in allele frequencies of a population due to random chance events, such as natural disasters.

Learning Objectives

Distinguish between selection and genetic drift

Key Takeaways

Key Points

Genetic drift is the change in the frequency of an allele in a population due to random sampling and the random events that influence the survival and reproduction of those individuals.

The bottleneck effect occurs when a natural disaster or similar event randomly kills a large portion (i.e. random sample) of the population, leaving survivors that have allele frequencies that were very different from the previous population.

The founder effect occurs when a portion of the population (i.e. "founders") separates from the old population to start a new population with different allele frequencies.

Small populations are more susceptible genetic drift than large populations, whose larger numbers can buffer the population against chance events.

Key Terms

genetic drift: an overall shift of allele distribution in an isolated population, due to random sampling

founder effect: a decrease in genetic variation that occurs when an entire population descends from a small number of founders

random sampling: a subset of individuals (a sample) chosen from a larger set (a population) by chance

Genetic Drift vs. Natural Selection

Genetic drift is the converse of natural selection. The theory of natural selection maintains that some individuals in a population have traits that enable to survive and produce more offspring, while other individuals have traits that are detrimental and may cause them to die before reproducing. Over successive generation, these selection pressures can change the gene pool and the traits within the population. For example, a big, powerful male gorilla will mate with more females than a small, weak male and therefore more of his genes will be passed on to the next generation. His offspring may continue to dominate the troop and pass on their genes as well. Over time, the selection pressure will cause the allele frequencies in the gorilla population to shift toward large, strong males.

Unlike natural selection, genetic drift describes the effect of chance on populations in the absence of positive or negative selection pressure. Through random sampling, or the survival or and reproduction of a random sample of individuals within a population, allele frequencies within a population may change. Rather than a male gorilla producing more offspring because he is stronger, he may be the only male available when a female is ready to mate. His genes are passed on to future generation because of chance, not because he was the biggest or the strongest. Genetic drift is the shift of alleles within a population due to chance events that cause random samples of the population to reproduce or not.

Small populations are more susceptible to the forces of genetic drift. Large populations, on the other hand, are buffered against the effects of chance. If one individual of a population of 10 individuals happens to die at a young age before leaving any offspring to the next generation, all of its genes (1/10 of the population's gene pool) will be suddenly lost. In a population of 100, that individual represents only 1 percent of the overall gene pool; therefore, genetic drift has much less impact on the larger population's genetic structure.

The Bottleneck Effect

Genetic drift can also be magnified by natural events, such as a natural disaster that kills a large portion of the population at random. The bottleneck effect occurs when only a few individuals survive and reduces variation in the gene pool of a population. The genetic structure of the survivors becomes the genetic structure of the entire population, which may be very different from the pre-disaster population.

The Founder Effect

Another scenario in which populations might experience a strong influence of genetic drift is if some portion of the population leaves to start a new population in a new location or if a population gets divided by a physical barrier of some kind. In this situation, it is improbable that those individuals are representative of the entire population, which results in the founder effect. The founder effect occurs when the genetic structure changes to match that of the new population's founding fathers and mothers.

The founder effect is believed to have been a key factor in the genetic history of the Afrikaner population of Dutch settlers in South Africa, as evidenced by mutations that are common in Afrikaners, but rare in most other populations. This was probably due to the fact that a higher-than-normal proportion of the founding colonists carried these mutations. As a result, the population expresses unusually high incidences of Huntington's disease (HD) and Fanconi anemia (FA), a genetic disorder known to cause blood marrow and congenital abnormalities, even cancer.

Drift and fixation

The Hardy-Weinberg principle states that within sufficiently large populations, the allele frequencies remain constant from one generation to the next unless the equilibrium is disturbed by migration, genetic mutation, or selection.

Because the random sampling can remove, but not replace, an allele, and because random declines or increases in allele frequency influence expected allele distributions for the next generation, genetic drift drives a population towards genetic uniformity over time. When an allele reaches a frequency of 1 (100%) it is said to be "fixed" in the population and when an allele reaches a frequency of 0 (0%) it is lost. Once an allele becomes fixed, genetic drift for that allele comes to a halt, and the allele frequency cannot change unless a new allele is introduced in the population via mutation or gene flow. Thus even while genetic drift is a random, directionless process, it acts to eliminate genetic variation over time.

Gene Flow and Mutation

A population's genetic variation changes as individuals migrate into or out of a population and when mutations introduce new alleles.

Learning Objectives

Explain how gene flow and mutations can influence the allele frequencies of a population

Key Takeaways

Key Points

Plant populations experience gene flow by spreading their pollen long distances.

Animals experience gene flow when individuals leave a family group or herd to join other populations.

The flow of individuals in and out of a population introduces new alleles and increases genetic variation within that population.

Mutations are changes to an organism's DNA that create diversity within a population by introducing new alleles.

Some mutations are harmful and are quickly eliminated from the population by natural selection; harmful mutations prevent organisms from reaching sexual maturity and reproducing.

Other mutations are beneficial and can increase in a population if they help organisms reach sexual maturity and reproduce.

Key Terms

gene flow: the transfer of alleles or genes from one population to another

mutation: any heritable change of the base-pair sequence of genetic material

Gene Flow

An important evolutionary force is gene flow: the flow of alleles in and out of a population due to the migration of individuals or gametes. While some populations are fairly stable, others experience more movement and fluctuation. Many plants, for example, send their pollen by wind, insects, or birds to pollinate other populations of the same species some distance away. Even a population that may initially appear to be stable, such as a pride of lions, can receive new genetic variation as developing males leave their mothers to form new prides with genetically-unrelated females. This variable flow of individuals in and out of the group not only changes the gene structure of the population, but can also introduce new genetic variation to populations in different geological locations and habitats.

Maintained gene flow between two populations can also lead to a combination of the two gene pools, reducing the genetic variation between the two groups. Gene flow strongly acts against speciation, by recombining the gene pools of the groups, and thus, repairing the developing differences in genetic variation that would have led to full speciation and creation of daughter species.

For example, if a species of grass grows on both sides of a highway, pollen is likely to be transported from one side to the other and vice versa. If this pollen is able to fertilize the plant where it ends up and produce viable offspring, then the alleles in the pollen have effectively linked the population on one side of the highway with the other.

Mutation

Mutations are changes to an organism's DNA and are an important driver of diversity in populations. Species evolve because of the accumulation of mutations that occur over time. The appearance of new mutations is the most common way to introduce novel genotypic and phenotypic variance. Some mutations are unfavorable or harmful and are quickly eliminated from the population by natural selection. Others are beneficial and will spread through the population. Whether or not a mutation is beneficial or harmful is determined by whether it helps an organism survive to sexual maturity and reproduce. Some mutations have no effect on an organism and can linger, unaffected by natural selection, in the genome while others can have a dramatic effect on a gene and the resulting phenotype.

Nonrandom Mating and Environmental Variance

Population structure can be altered by nonrandom mating (the preference of certain individuals for mates) as well as the environment.

Learning Objectives

Explain how environmental variance and nonrandom mating can change gene frequencies in a population

Key Takeaways

Key Points

Nonrandom mating can occur when individuals prefer mates with particular superior physical characteristics or by the preference of individuals to mate with individuals similar to themselves.

Nonrandom mating can also occur when mates are chosen based on physical accessibility; that is, the availability of some mates over others.

Phenotypes of individuals can also be influenced by the environment in which they live, such as temperature, terrain, or other factors.

A cline occurs when populations of a given species vary gradually across an ecological gradient.

Key Terms

cline: a gradation in a character or phenotype within a species or other group

sexual selection: a mode of natural selection in which some individuals out-reproduce others of a population because they are better at securing mates

assortative mating: between males and females of a species, the mutual attraction or selection, for reproductive purposes, of individuals with similar characteristics

Nonrandom Mating

If individuals nonrandomly mate with other individuals in the population, i.e. they choose their mate, choices can drive evolution within a population. There are many reasons nonrandom mating occurs. One reason is simple mate choice or sexual selection; for example, female peahens may prefer peacocks with bigger, brighter tails. Traits that lead to more matings for an individual lead to more offspring and through natural selection, eventually lead to a higher frequency of that trait in the population. One common form of mate choice, called positive assortative mating, is an individual's preference to mate with partners that are phenotypically similar to themselves.

Another cause of nonrandom mating is physical location. This is especially true in large populations spread over large geographic distances where not all individuals will have equal access to one another. Some might be miles apart through woods or over rough terrain, while others might live immediately nearby.

Environmental Variance

Genes are not the only players involved in determining population variation. Phenotypes are also influenced by other factors, such as the environment. A beachgoer is likely to have darker skin than a city dweller, for example, due to regular exposure to the sun, an environmental factor. Some major characteristics, such as gender, are determined by the environment for some species. For example, some turtles and other reptiles have temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). TSD means that individuals develop into males if their eggs are incubated within a certain temperature range, or females at a different temperature range.

Geographic separation between populations can lead to differences in the phenotypic variation between those populations. Such geographical variation is seen between most populations and can be significant. One type of geographic variation, called a cline, can be seen as populations of a given species vary gradually across an ecological gradient.

Species of warm-blooded animals, for example, tend to have larger bodies in the cooler climates closer to the earth's poles, allowing them to better conserve heat. This is considered a latitudinal cline. Alternatively, flowering plants tend to bloom at different times depending on where they are along the slope of a mountain, known as an altitudinal cline.

If there is gene flow between the populations, the individuals will likely show gradual differences in phenotype along the cline. Restricted gene flow, on the other hand, can lead to abrupt differences, even speciation.

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Genetic variation is a measure of the variation that exists in the genetic makeup of individuals within population. Assess the ways in which genetic variance affects the evolution of populations Key Points Genetic variation is an important force in evolution as it allows natural selection to increase or decrease frequency of alleles already in the population.

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diversity:the condition of having or being composed of different elements.

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: the condition of having or being composed of differing elements :

especially : the inclusion of people of different races (see ), cultures, etc. in a group or organization

programs intended to promote diversity in schools

: an instance of being composed of differing elements or qualities : an instance of being diverse

Synonyms

Examples of diversity in a Sentence

The handsome creatures have hooked the interest of evolutionists and ecologists because of their dazzling diversity of shapes, behaviors, and feeding habits, which include nibbling the fins and scales of other fish. - The island has more The city is known for its cultural The school aims for diversity in plant life than other islands nearby. diversity. diversity in its student population. Science, See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diversity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English dyversite "difference, separateness, variety," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French diverseté, diversité, borrowed from Latin dīversitāt-, dīversitās "separateness, condition of being different, difference of opinion," from dīversus "turned in different directions, situated apart, differing" + -itāt-, -itās -ity - more at diverse

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

The first known use of diversity was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near diversity

Cite this Entry

"Diversity." Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diversity. Accessed 23 Nov. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on diversity

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

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the condition of having or being composed of differing elements : variety; especially : the inclusion of people of different races, cultures, etc. in a group or organization; an instance of being composed of differing elements or qualities : an instance of being diverse... See the full definition

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One excellent way of understanding the importance of diversity today is by taking a look at biodiversity, in which the quantity of different organisms in any given ecosystem directly translates to the healthiness and productivity of that ecosystem.

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You'd truly have to be living under a rock - or, to put it lightly, pretty backwards in your thinking - not to recognize the extreme importance of diversity in today's world.

While diversity may feel a bit like a modern buzzword to some, it certainly isn't a new concept; in theory, it predates civilization. In practice, however, the evolution of diversity - and, more specifically, the support around and emphasis placed on it - is a much more recent development. You don't need a history degree to recognize that people haven't always been exactly gracious toward those who have differences from them in terms of backgrounds, life experiences, and identities. Racial discrimination in the U.S., just as one example, wasn't officially made illegal until 1964, and the recent Black Lives Matter movement testifies to how very far we still are from a post-racial world. Recent years have been full of both high-highs and low-lows for diversity - for every LGBTQ Supreme Court win, there's a Charlottesville just around the corner, it seems. And that's just the United States we're speaking about; diversity has far less of a foothold in other locations across the globe.

So, when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the most modern sense, what progress have we made and what work still awaits us? We'll take a look at this, as well as breaking down the different areas of diversity, below.

What is Diversity?

The definition of diversity, according to Merriam-Webster, is "the condition of having or being composed of differing elements; variety; especially the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization."

One excellent way of understanding the importance of diversity today is by taking a look at biodiversity, in which the quantity of different organisms in any given ecosystem directly translates to the healthiness and productivity of that ecosystem. Not only that, but more diverse ecosystems are actually able to withstand and recover from natural disasters better than less-diverse ones - which is proof that diversity makes the planet, as well as us, stronger.

Now that we've (briefly) touched on the importance of diversity, let's dig into its various forms.

Gender Diversity

To preface any conversation about gender diversity, it's important to first touch on gender identity and the understanding of how this is separate from sex and/or sexual orientation.

One's "sex" references to your biological makeup and the sex you were assigned at birth. Gender, on the other hand, is your innermost identification of self as male, female, a blend of both, or neither, which may be the same or different from your sex. Transgender is the broad term for someone whose sex and gender do not correspond; cisgender refers to people whose sex and gender identity are the same.

The two most common gender identities are male and female, and people often think these are, in fact, the only two gender identities - a concept known as the "gender binary." Gender is a spectrum, however, something more and more people and even companies are coming to realize - Facebook, for example, now offers more than 50 options beyond male and female, including terms like "gender questioning," "neither," and "androgynous" for users to describe their gender identity. Genderqueer, also referred to as non-binary, is increasingly being used as the umbrella term for those who don't identify as strictly masculine or feminine. Part of respecting people's gender identity means referring to them by the pronouns they choose to identify as - which may be "he/him" or "she/her," but can also be neutral pronouns like "zer/zim" or simply "they/them."

However, just because a person may choose which term(s) best describes them doesn't mean they're choosing which gender they "want" to identify as - psychologists have determined that most people, both transgender and cisgender, are aware of their basic gender identity by age four. The terms used to describe one's gender identity may change as the language surrounding gender continues to evolve, but it's erroneous and offensive to claim that people "choose" their gender, similarly to accusing homosexual people of "choosing to be gay." In most cases, one's gender identity is a constant throughout their life.

Just as people may believe "sex" and "gender identity" are the same thing, people often confuse the latter and sexual orientation as being the same, too. An important distinction to make here is that gender identity is highly personal and has solely to do with how we see ourselves. Sexual orientation, on the other hand, is interpersonal, having to do with how we relate to and connect with others - sometimes in a sexual way, but not exclusively (despite the moniker). Romantic and sexual orientations can be separate entities - i.e. who you are sexually attracted to is not necessarily who you are romantically attracted to, as is the case with asexual people (who do not relate to people in a sexual way).

Here are just a few of the many sexual orientations people may possess:

Heterosexual: Attraction to a gender different from your own (most frequently used to describe someone who is gender binary - male or female - attracted to the other binary gender)

Homosexual (or gay): Attraction to a gender the same as your own (most frequently used to describe someone who is gender binary and attracted to that same binary)

Lesbian: Women who are attracted to other women; a female-specific term for homosexual

Bisexual: Being attracted to two or more genders; it doesn't have to mean that you are equally attracted to each gender

Pansexual: Being attracted to all genders, and/or not relating gender to your attraction to someone

Polysexual: Being attracted to many (but not necessarily all) genders

Asexual: Not experiencing sexual attraction, though you may be romantically or emotionally attracted to others

Again, these are just a handful of the many sexual orientations that people may have. Sexuality can also be fluid, so people may identify with different orientations at different points in life.

Racial Diversity

Americans today are more racially and ethnically diverse than ever before - and we'll only become more so. By 2055, in fact, the U.S. is projected to not have a single racial or ethnic majority, according to Pew Research Center. A lot of this change is the result of immigration and our overall increasingly globalized society - in the past 50 years, nearly 59 million immigrants have arrived in the U.S., and a near-record 14 percent of today's U.S. population is foreign-born (compared to 5 percent in 1965). The majority of immigrants to the U.S. are coming from Asia and Latin America, with Asia recently replacing the latter as the largest source of new immigrants to the country. And, since the year is thankfully no longer 1950, the increasing diversification of the U.S. is resulting in a lot more of one thing in particular - mixed race babies. According to Pew, the number of mixed-race Americans is increasing three times faster than the population of the U.S. as a whole, and by the year 2050, the average American will be of mixed descent.

Current attitudes toward this ethnic diversity boon are, quite sadly, mixed. Though Pew reports that just over half of Americans embrace diversity, believe immigrants strengthen the country, and think that ethnic diversity makes the U.S. a better place to live, 38% of respondents said immigrants are a burden. And their attitude is unfortunately reflected elsewhere, too. Between the Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter counter-protests to the growing backlash against police brutality toward African Americans, to the white supremacists who overran Charlottesville in August, to Donald Trump's border wall plans, there's no shortage of recent examples that prove racism is still alive and well.

Cultural diversity has more to do with the customs, beliefs, values, and norms associated with a particular community and/or ethnic groups than with race or nationality. For instance, your race could be Korean, but you were born and raised in California, and therefore that is the culture you ascribe to.

The U.S. has a long history of stamping out cultural diversity, the academic term for which is cultural assimilation. As one example, between the years of 1790 and 1920, the government led a forced cultural assimilation effort against Native Americans in an attempt to bring them into "white" civilization (and thereby be forced to leave their own cultural heritage behind). As part of this effort, indigenous children were separated from their families and placed in white-run boarding schools, where they were forced to adopt white names and subscribe to EuroAmerican cultural practices - or otherwise risk punishment and ridicule. Historically, religion has often been used to justify these kinds of efforts - with claims that the ruling body is trying to "save" those who they're assimilating - but in reality, cultural assimilation is simply an extremely effective means of controlling an ethnic group that is different from your own. It's especially used against groups that have been conquered or otherwise severely wronged to divorce them from a sense of separateness from their oppressors.

We can protect cultural diversity from assimilation efforts by enfranchising the open practice of ALL cultural heritages - i.e., by enabling Muslim employees with time and/or spaces to pray, as one example, or by ensuring that community resources are accessible to more than just English speakers.

Diversity in Higher Education

Many a university has - or should have - an Office of Diversity on their campus or affirmative action policies. These types of programs are hugely important for a variety of reasons, one of which being that an Office of Diversity can work to help ensure that higher education is attainable to students from a wide variety of backgrounds, regardless of factors like race and socioeconomic status. And the promotion of diverse campuses aren't simply a boon to brown and Black students - everyone can stand to benefit from the rich blend of perspectives and experiences that come together when a commitment to diversity is part of campus life.

It's important to note that a commitment to diversity shouldn't simply be evident in a college's student population, but in their faculty and leadership, as well. Current statistics don't really support that this is seen as a priority, unfortunately - according to data from the U.S. Department of Education, 78 percent of full-time faculty members and 84 perfect of full-time professors at U.S. colleges and universities were white in 2013.

There are a number of crucial ways diversity in the workplace in all respects - gender, racial, ethnic, cultural, and in regards to sexual orientation - still needs to be improved today. We've broken down some of the key issues as they relate specifically to women below:

1) The Wage Gap

According to U.S. Census data, women in the U.S. make 82 cents for every dollar that a man earns - and that ratio only gets worse for non-white women. Yes, it has gotten better, but the US still ranks 74th in gender wage equality among 145 nations, down from 65th place in 2015. According to the World Economic Forum, it's going to take another 118 years for the global wage gap to close - just in time for our granddaughter's granddaughters to start looking for jobs.

2) Continuing Discrimination in Evaluation and Promotion

Women's accomplishments at work tend to be evaluated and perceived differently. Research from Stanford University's Clayman Institute for Gender Research found that "managers are significantly more likely to critique female employees for coming on too strong, and their accomplishments are more likely than men's to be seen as the result of team, rather than individual, efforts."

In 2011, McKinsey & Co.'s Joanna Barsh (a Fairygodboss advisor) found that women are often promoted based on performance while men are often promoted based on potential. What's so telling about these differences? In other words, Stephen gets the promotion because he seems like the kind of guy who can do the job, while Stephanie has to actually demonstrate excellence at all the components of the job before management feels comfortable promoting her.

3) Diversity Management - Not Enough Women in Leadership Roles

According to the Center for American Progress, women now hold 52% of all professional-level jobs. And yet very few of them make their way to the top of the ladder. More than 45% of legal associates are female, but men are four times more likely to make partner. Women account for 78% of the labor force in health care and social assistance, but only 15% of the industry's executive officers and 12% percent of its directors. The percentage of female CEOs in healthcare is zero.

In government, women hold 20% of Senate seats and 18.5% of House seats. America's 50 states have just five female governors.

Indeed, one of the main themes that has emerged in our research for Fairygodboss is that women in management roles feel a tremendous sense of isolation as they advance in their careers. On any journey up the corporate ladder, it helps tremendously to have allies, mentors and role models. Yet without more women in leadership positions, the rest of us lack those role models - and can end up in a vicious cycle of wage depression and early exit from the workforce.

4) A Lack of Affordable, Quality Childcare

As an article in Quartz points out, "the lack of affordable day care may be the real reason that the glass ceiling exists." In 30 states plus the District of Columbia, average annual daycare costs exceed in-state tuition at a 4-year college. In other words, the cost of daycare is such a high hurdle that many working mothers drop out of the workforce because they simply can't afford to continue working.

5) The "Always-on" Workplace Culture

Many studies agree that the vast majority of Americans now work far longer than the 40-hour standard. In addition, technology - which was meant to help make work more efficient - has added a late-night second shift for many professional employees. Because women traditionally have borne greater responsibility for housework and childcare duties, longer work hours harm them disproportionately. Even barring those gender norms, someone has to make it home to the kids, and that's usually the lesser earner (more often the woman - due to the wage gap). Combine that with a dissolving barrier between work and home life and, as Anne-Marie Slaughter wrote in a New York Times piece, "far too many [women] discover that what was once a manageable and enjoyable work-family balance can no longer be sustained - regardless of ambition, confidence or even a partner who shares tasks equally."

This is one of the most important issues facing the U.S. workforce today, and it also has one of the most concrete and actionable remedies. Here are two things you probably don't about paid maternity leave in America:

1. The US is the only developed economy in the world that doesn't mandate paid maternity leave. Let's put that in context: out of 185 countries measured by the International Labour Organization, the U.S. is one of only three, along with Oman and Papua New Guinea, that don't require employers to pay employees who have recently delivered a child.

2. As a result, just 12% of US workers have access to paid maternity leave through their employers.

Thankfully, there are a few companies out there who are addressing this issue. Barclays, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon, and Spotify have all recently made headlines by improving their paid maternity leave policies. Salesforce has recently undertaken a complete audit of compensation across its workforce, and is spending $3 million to close the gender pay gap. Microsoft is requiring employees to undergo diversity training to reduce unconscious bias. Google, Facebook and Dow Chemical (among others) have stepped up efforts to increase the number of women and minorities on their payrolls. SAS has been lauded for years for its exemplary on-site daycare program, which not only helps women but helps SAS attract talent. The company also encourages its employees to work no more than 37.5 hours a week, and makes a point to employ enough workers so that people aren't routinely forced to work long hours.

One major way we can start taking on the ground that's yet to be covered in workplace diversity is by placing more emphasis on (and pouring more resources into) diversity training at our companies.

Sustainability and human capital expert Jennifer Gilhool explains that many diversity programs haven't been updated for the modern workplace. "The diversity programs that were popular in 2007 remain popular today," she writes on LinkedIn. "These programs are, what I call, passive diversity programs. Little active engagement, if any, is required by organizational management."

Management's approach to diversity training is old-fashioned and, as many experts have noted, ineffective. Creating an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity is an inclusive process that can't be outsourced; doing this leads to a lack of accountability, and is ultimately a waste of time and resources.

Diversity and inclusion training is important, but it must be done in an effective and impactful way. While there isn't one perfect approach, there are some basics that can function as a foundation for a diversity training curriculum. Regardless of your organization's focus and structure, these guidelines will help you create a more inclusive and diverse workplace.

1) Don't "Divide and Conquer"

It's important to recognize that different people view the world (and the workplace) differently. Separating employees by one or two identifiers (race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) oversimplifies the problem and doesn't help contribute to a diverse workforce. As Gilhool writes, "None of us is just one thing. We have many identity characteristics, including race and gender but also our health status, political and religious affiliations, relationship status and more.... Distilling a human being down to a single category is dehumanizing."

Don't separate trainees by demographics, and keep the human element in every aspect of training. Create diversity training sessions that encompass the many outlooks on diversity in the workplace. Understand that everyone is a combination of their experiences and that individuals are more than just what they look like.

2) Focus On the Benefits

Many dated diversity programs focus on the legal aspect of diversity hiring, a.k.a. the potential lawsuits a company could receive. Harvard sociologist and researcher Frank Dobbin says that focusing training on the hiring and firing of team members makes managers feel like they personally are the problem.

"A lot of the diversity training for managers tends to be about the law," Dobbin told Fast Company. "They take the message that the employer is trying to prevent them from getting sued."

Instead, focus on what diversity brings to the workplace. Take opportunities to talk about your company's diversity goals and why it's important for the company to reach them. What will you gain by being more diverse? How will your diversity be better? Explaining the importance of these goals to your colleagues will get everyone on the same page faster.

3) Make it Voluntary

It sounds crazy, but hear us out. Maximizing active participation in diversity training is important. "Active participation" means that the attendees actively contribute to the conversation; instead of just watching somebody click through a PowerPoint, attendees should ask questions and share their experiences.

When diversity training opportunities are truly optional, employees feel better about making a personal diversity initiative by participating. "Ironically, if you make it mandatory, training programs lead to decreases in the diversity of management teams," Dobbin said. "If you force someone to go to something, they don't have to try to make their beliefs and actions line up. [They] can think, 'I'm only here because they forced me to do this.'"

A company that proved this successfully? Google. Their voluntary training program on unconscious bias was attended by 60,000 employees, making it a success by their internal standards as well as those of corporate America. And yet, as proved by the recent anti-diversity memo, Google (along with several other companies) still has a long way to go when it comes to making its workforce a more inclusive environment. You can help by looking at your company's policies and using the above advice to make a positive impact.

So, your company has enacted mandatory diversity training. How you can tell whether it's making your intended impact?

Determining a company's culture can be challenging because they may actually be diverse with regard to gender, age and race, but not inclusive. An inclusive culture acknowledges the unique experiences and perspectives each individual brings to the table. Each employee is respected and given equal opportunity to succeed. Here are some signs your company culture isn't inclusive.

1. Everyone looks the same. This is fairly easy to determine through simple observation, although there may be differences by department. If you can't find a company's diversity statistics online, ask to see them. Has there been any progress in the past couple of years? What are the company's diversity initiatives?

2. Everyone has similar backgrounds in education, work history and experience. This is less obvious. Employees may look diverse but might be recruited from the same schools and companies. This contributes to a lack of diverse thinking. People think the same and draw from similar work experiences. It limits innovation and creativity.

3. There are few women in leadership positions. Look at the organization chart. What is the percentage of women in leadership? Have these women been promoted from within? Is the company focused on advancing women? Are there initiatives in place to support their advancement or is the company paying lip service to gender diversity?

4. Sponsorship programs do not include women. Sponsorship has been proven to help women move into leadership positions. But often sponsorship is not available to women. This puts high-achieving women at a disadvantage compared to their male counterparts and the result is that more men are promoted than women.

5. There is no encouragement to share ideas and opinions. Or perhaps only men are encouraged. An inclusive culture is collaborative and provides a safe environment for everyone to speak their point of view and brainstorm with each other. Everyone counts and everyone is respected for their thoughts.

6. Assumptions aren't challenged. Leaders believe they have all the answers and do not provide an opportunity for open communication and debate. This can lead to a toxic culture where the only employees who get promoted are those who agree with leadership positions, right or wrong.

7. Affinity groups lack support. Often affinity groups are formed with company approval but they have no platform to share their ideas about how to improve the workplace culture. Very often these groups also lack resources and a budget to accomplish anything. They lack executive sponsorship.

Employment discrimination laws, as enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, prohibit discrimination against certain classes of individuals. The workers protected by these laws are known as a "protected class," and these protected classes are defined by specific statutes.

In addition to city and state anti-discrimination laws, there are federal protections available. Federal employment discrimination laws include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) (which includes the Pregnancy Discrimination Act), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). There is also the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) and certain sections of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which each target types of employment discrimination.

Title VII, for example, prohibits discrimination based on sex, which includes discrimination based on gender and pregnancy, and prohibits sexual harassment. Notably, though sexual orientation is not currently written into the statute; the EEOC treats sexual orientation as a protected class under Title VII. Title VII also provides protections based on an employee's national origin, race/color and religion.

This means that employers cannot make employment decisions based on these factors, including decisions related to hiring, firing, promotions, work assignments, discipline or any other terms and conditions of employment.

Now that you have a sense of the type of conduct that is prohibited by law, how do you know if your employer is engaging in discriminatory practices? There are several signs for which you should look out.

1. Questionable hiring practices and interview process could be a sign.

In general, employers are prohibited from asking interview questions that target an applicant's protected class. For example, an employer cannot ask female candidates about their marital status, whether they intend to become pregnant or any other questions related to their families or family planning.

Other examples of prohibited questions can include:

Do you have children?

How many kids do you have?

Are you pregnant or do you plan to become pregnant?

Who watches your children while you're at work?

2. Language that reveals an unlawful bias can be a sign.

Another way to spot workplace discrimination is by listening for language that reveals an employer's unlawful bias. This includes comments that stereotype certain protected classes and attack their fitness as workers based on their protected attributes.

The following are examples of an employer's language revealing unlawful bias:

Comments such as, "Women don't work as hard after they become mothers."

Comments that all members of a certain race are lazy or not hard-working

Remarks expressing distrust for members of a certain religious group

Speech that maligns the disabled and their abilities to perform their jobs

Remarks such as, "Older workers are bad for business."

3. Unfair promotions or assignment of work can be a sign.

If less-qualified male employees are consistently promoted over objectively more-qualified female candidates, the employer could be engaging in an unlawful practice discriminating against women based on sex.

Similarly, if male employees are consistently given "better" work assignments and are afforded more opportunities for growth and advancement than female workers, this too could be a sign of unlawful employment discrimination under Title VII.

4. Unequal pay could be a sign.

The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work. Title VII, the ADEA and the ADA also prohibit compensation discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability, but do not have the "substantially equal" requirement.

5. Assumptions regarding an employee's plans or abilities could be a sign.

Assumptions regarding an employee's plans or abilities can be another sign of workplace discrimination. Some examples of these assumptions include an employer:

Assuming a pregnant worker will not return to work after maternity leave

Assuming a pregnant worker will not be interested in taking on new projects during her pregnancy, or assuming she will be unable to perform her current job duties (These decisions are for the pregnant worker and her physician-not her employer.)

Assuming an older worker is automatically going to retire at a certain age

6. Disparate application of discipline or policies could be signs.

If an employer routinely disciplines female workers for conduct it permits male employees to engage in, this could be a sign of sex-based discrimination.

Similarly, if an employer enforces its attendance policy against employees of a certain protected class, and regularly permits employees outside the protected class to violate it, this too can be example of workplace discrimination.

7. Retaliation might be a sign.

Retaliation for engaging in protected activity is prohibited by law. Protected activity is the activity an employee engages in when they exercise their rights under Title VII or one of the other workplace discrimination statutes.

Protected activity can take several forms, including (but not limited to):

Filing a discrimination charge or lawsuit

Serving as a witness in someone else's employment discrimination charge or lawsuit

Participating in an agency or employer investigation of discrimination or harassment

Complaining directly to an employer about unlawful harassment

Requesting a reasonable accommodation for a disability

Requesting information on an employer's anti-discrimination policies

Resisting sexual harassment

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Diversity 101 - Definitions, Progress, and Best Practices

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You'd truly have to be living under a rock - or, to put it lightly, pretty backwards in your thinking - not to recognize the extreme importance of diversity in today's world. While diversity may feel a bit like a modern buzzword to some, it certainly isn't a new concept; in theory, it predates civilization.

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The diversity shown in this picture is quite amazing. It shows that no matter who you are,where your from, or what race you are everybody is the same.

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This video is about how people are coming together and making a change everywhere.

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Diversity - Video about Diversity - Diversity Definition - Flocabulary

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Learn about diversity and celebrate the diversity in your classroom community with Flocabulary's video and lesson activities.

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There are two main species of wolves; Grey and Red as well as Ethiopian

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how many species of wolves are there - Google Search

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The wolf (Canis lupus), also known as the gray wolf, timber wolf, western wolf, and its other ... Like the red wolf, it is distinguished from other Canis species by its larger size ... Although the fear of wolves is pervasive in many human societies, the ....

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It is people making changes in life all around the world.

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The state of being diverse

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Diversity:a range of different things. This picture explains how everyone skin color is different

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Diversity is the variety of different things. Such as race, religion, color, or really anything.

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Leveraging Cultural and Linguistic Diversity for Academic Achievement | Teachers College Columbia University

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The dynamic and ever-changing forms of cultural and linguistic diversity found in our public schools present unique challenges and opportunities for educators and youth development workers seeking to coach students to academic success. Although students' cultural practices and modes of communication may differ from those emphasized in traditional academic settings, they can serve as rich resources for learning and expression if strategically tapped.

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This video is about diversity and what it is and explains it

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The inclusion of diversity is an important component of our strategic human resources management.

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People are different all over the world put were all in the same community

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Diversity - Video about Diversity - Diversity Definition - Flocabulary

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Learn about diversity and celebrate the diversity in your classroom community with Flocabulary's video and lesson activities.

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The state of being diverse , variety

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The passage shows 50 different articles that benefit the work place and why its important

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Talk of diversity in the workplace is nothing new, but as more individuals, organizations, and politicians speak about feminism, immigration, gender identity, and the gender pay gap, it is coming to the forefront of business news once again. Additionally, studies are showing that the more diverse a workplace is, the more success it achieves, and organizations are looking to learn more about how to increase diversity and manage diversity.

To help hiring managers, executives, and others in the workforce learn more about diversity, we have rounded up 50 must-read articles on workplace diversity. We chose articles based on their relevance, writers' expertise, and timeliness. We also included articles that offer varying perspectives and analyses of diversity in the workplace in an effort to bring as many arguments to the table as possible. Please note, we have listed our 50 must-read articles on diversity in the workplace here, in no particular order.
1. Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions
Josh Greenberg's article on diversity in the workplace for The Multicultural Advantage provides an overview of diversity and briefly breaks down both the benefits and challenges of diversity. The article also recommends steps for achieving and maintaining diversity in the workplace and suggests solutions for it.
Three key points we like from Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions:
David Ingram's diversity in the workplace article for the Houston Chronicle details its advantages and disadvantages. As Ingram points out, it's the way in which organizations manage diversity that allow them to capitalize on the benefits and minimize the disadvantages.
Three key points we like from Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in Workplace:
Entrepreneur has been inspiring, informing, and celebrating entrepreneurs for nearly 45 years. Their guest writer Kim Abreu is a recruiting trends analyst at Glassdoor who makes the argument for building a diverse staff. As Abreu explains, "recruiting and retaining a diverse, inclusive group of employees lets your company reflect the world around you and makes your team better able to develop fresh ideas that will meet the needs of the whole marketplace."
Three key points we like from The Myriad Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace:
The Undercover Recruiter presents an article that examines the advantages of diversity in the workplace that is written by Sophie Deering, senior account executive at Link Humans, an employer branding agency. In the article, Deering explains that there is much more to diversity than age, gender, race, and cultural background.
Three key points we like from What Are the Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace?:
Global LT's article on diversity in the workplace specifically focuses on the advantages of cultural diversity that companies realize when they hire employees from a variety of backgrounds, races, ages, religions, and genders. Higher morale and different perspectives are just two of the benefits of diverse workplaces examined in this article.
Three key points we like from Advantages of Cultural Diversity in the Workplace:
NPR's Code Switch is comprised of a team of journalists who study race, ethnicity, and culture, the ways in which they play a role in our lives and communities, and how things are shifting. Lead blogger for the Code Switch team, Gene Demby examines what happens when diversity becomes nothing more than a corporate buzzword in this article on diversity in the workplace.
Three key points we like from 'Diversity' Is Rightly Criticized As An Empty Buzzword. So How Can We Make It Work?:
In this diverse workplace article, The Economist points outs that people think diversity sounds like a good idea and pay it a great deal of lip service, but in reality they think differently to the point that some HR consultants are concerned about diversity fatigue. The article also highlights the fact that companies may "starve themselves of talent" if they ignore diversity.
Three key points we like from Diversity Fatigue:
8. Cultural Diversity in the Work Place
@thebalance
@KimberlyAmadeo

President of WorldMoneyWatch.com and touting 20 years of senior-level experience in economic analysis and business strategy working for major international companies, Kimberly Amadeo gives a thorough overview of cultural diversity and its place in business in her article for The Balance. Amadeo also explores the many economic benefits of diversity and explains how diversity makes more money for companies.
Three key points we like from Cultural Diversity in the Work Place:
Sophia Kerby and Crosby Burns' article on diversity in the workplace for the Center for American Progress centers on the relationship between diversity and the economy and concludes that a diverse workforce is integral to a strong economy. The article also explains that diversity plays a key role in growing a strong, inclusive economy that will last over time.
Three key points we like from The Top 10 Economic Facts of Diversity in the Workplace:
Writing for the Harvard Business Review, Frank Dobbin, Harvard University professor of sociology, and Alexandra Kalev, Tel Aviv University associate professor of sociology, take an in-depth look at why diversity programs are failing to increase diversity. Dobbin and Kalev explore the factors that led to diversity in the workplace and the work companies need to do to promote diversity positively and successfully.
Three key points we like from Why Diversity Programs Fail: 11. Diversity and Inclusion: The Reality Gap
@DU_Press
@JulietBourke
Three key points we like from Diversity and Inclusion: The Reality Gap: @avanberkel Three key points we like from How to Increase Workplace Diversity:
Juliet Bourke, Stacia Garr, Ardie van Berkel, and Jungle Wong's Deloitte University Press article on diversity in the workplace states that diversity and inclusion in the workplace are CEO-level issues but companies face frustration and challenges in handling them. As the authors put it, there is a gap between intention and reality.

Three key points we like from Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Gets Innovative:
Written in the how-to style, this leadership guide is designed for CEOs who want to increase workplace diversity. As the guide points out, promoting diversity benefits the bottom line but companies must approach the hiring process holistically and take an active role in helping diverse workers feel comfortable and adjust to the work culture in order to curb turnover.
Three key points we like from Reaping The Benefits Of Diversity For Modern Business Innovation:
The Society for Human Resource Management is the world's largest professional association of HR professionals. Novid Parsi's SHRM article explores the fact that a homogenous workforce will not help companies succeed in the future because U.S. minorities will not be in the minority aby 2044 according to the Census Bureau.
Three key points we like from 5 Competitive Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace:
Ekaterina Walter is a Forbes contributor and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who explores the benefits of diversity in terms of modern business innovation. Walter highlights the role diversity plays in a company's ability to innovate and adapt in quickly changing environments.
Three key points we like from Why 'Thought Diversity' Is The Future Of The Workplace:
George Dickson's Bonusly article centers on the fact that diverse workforces are beyond beneficial; they play a significant role in the success of companies in the modern business landscape. To prove his point, Dickson highlights five ways in which companies that actively seek out and embrace diversity gain advantages over their competitors.
Three key points we like from 10 Ways Workplace Diversity Helps Your Business Grow:
Alison Griswold's Business Insider article raises an important point about diversity in the workplace: it goes beyond gender and race and ethnicity and religion and includes diversity of thought. People who think in different ways boost innovation, creativity, and problem solving within their companies.
Three key points we like from 13 benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace in 2017:
A partner at ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba, Diana Rodriguez-Zaba understands that diversity in the workplace is not reserved for large companies and enterprises; indeed, small businesses also need to embrace diverse workplaces to increase productivity and sales and to be a real member of the community. She explores the benefits of creating workplace diversity in her HuffPost article.
Three key points we like from Here's How You Can Make Diversity More Than a Buzzword in Your Office: 20. This is What You Get Wrong When You Talk about Diversity in the Workplace
@Recode
@HeyHeyESJ
Three key points we like from This is What You Get Wrong When You Talk about Diversity in the Workplace: @laurawp
Hult Business School's recent article on cultural diversity in the workplace lists seven benefits and six challenges of embracing a diverse workforce. It encourages companies to embrace diversity in order to gain a competitive edge on a global scale while recogniing that there are some challenges associated with doing so.
Three key points we like from The State of US Workplace Diversity in 14 Statistics:
Principal at Moementum INc., Jim Morris explores how to put diversity into practice rather than simply talk about it in this article for The Muse. Morris explains that smart leaders understand the value of diverse teams and do everything they can to create them because they know it "improves the department's product, increases innovation, and leads to better results."
Three key points we like from Everything You Need to Know About Diversity in the Workplace:
Eric Johnson's Recode article on diversity in the workplace centers on the highlights of a podcat with Code2040 CEO Laura Weidman Powers. Code2040 recognizes that 2040 is the year minorities are projected to become the majority of the U.S. population and says businesses need to act rather than claim to want to make progress on diversity and inclusion.
Three key points we like from What Are the Important Dimensions of Workplace Diversity?:
Blaze Stutes' ArchPoint article provides diversity in the workplace by the numbers. Rather than showing that companies are keeping up with the changing face of the U.S., the data shows that companies are not making diversity a priority.
Three key points we like from Step 1 to Promoting Diversity: Avoid the 'Lying, Crying, and Denying':
Head of customer marketing at When I Work and co-founder and CMO of Upgradeio, Rob Wormley provides an in-depth look at diversity in the workplace in this article, which also points out that there are two types of diversity: inherent and acquired. Wormley also reminds readers that diversity goes beyond culture and includes ideas.
Three key points we like from 7 Tips to Be Sure You're Managing Diversity in the Workplace Correctly:
Former Wall Street Journal staff reporter and current Envato Tuts+ copy editor and business writer, Andrew Blackman explores 10 dimensions of workplace diversity in his article. Written as a tutorial, the article encourages readers to think more broadly about diversity to create a fair and equal workplace and reap the benefits of doing so.
Three key points we like from Why Diversity in the Workplace Promotes Innovation and Problem Solving:
Tammy Binford's HR Hero article focuses on the role HR plays in promoting diversity in the workplace. HR recruits and retains diverse workers and communicates with employees and executives at every level about the importance of diversity, yet sometimes contributes to problems with diversity rather than being the solution.
Three key points we like from What Are the Advantages of a Diverse Workforce?:
Andrea Cook urges readers to consider managing diversity in a company like hosting a lively dinner: you assemble the right mix of people while working to bring them together, make them feel comfortable, and keep the conversation moving. When companies fail to manage diversity properly, employee turnover rises, employee relations are impacted, and companies are at risk of being charged with discrimination. On the other hand, building a diverse workplace and managing it properly has far more advantages than disadvantages, as Cook makes clear in her article.
Three key points we like from Use Cognitive Diversity to Get the Most Out of the Workplace:
CultureIQ enables companies to make positive, measurable changes in order to strengthen their culture. When it comes to diversity in the workplace, CultureIQ writer Taryn Barnes explains that it is a critical component of a business and explores two of the main reasons leaders should actively recruit and retain a diverse workforce.
Three key points we like from Men in Power: There's a Job Only You Guys Can Do for Diversity:
In her Houston Chronicle article, Rose Johnson points out that companies are making strides in achieving workplace diversity because we are in an era of economic globalization. Yet, companies still have a long way to go to create the diverse workplaces that will give them a competitive edge.
Three key points we like from How to Promote Cultural Diversity in the Workplace:
VP of marketing at Emergenetics International, Mark Miller explores the value of cognitive diversity in the workplace in his article. Miller explains that cognitive diversity in the workplace is just as powerful as strong leadership and great communication because it creates an inclusive, collaborative, and open space that empowers people to create and share ideas.
Three key points we like from Cultural Diversity in the Workplace, Part 1:
Aneri Pattani is a journalist who explores the findings of a study that suggest women and minorities are penalized when they advocate for diversity. As a result, white men in positions of power are the ones who will need to make strides in promoting diversity in the workforce.
Three key points we like from How to Foster Diversity in the Workplace:
Erin Ollila's article on diversity in the workplace centers on the critical role HR plays in creating an inclusive environment that takes into account the cultural diversity of your entire workforce - domestic and abroad. Ollila offers tips for fostering cultural diversity in the workplace and ensuring employees feel accepted.
Three key points we like from Does Your Workplace Lack Diversity? Employee Referral Programs Might be to Blame:
A leading provider of diversity and inclusion training tools and the top diversity calendar, Diversity Resources covers cultural diversity in the workplace in a series of articles. This is the first part of that series and focuses on four essential skills companies must possess in order to manage diversity in the workplace effectively.
Three key points we like from Perks and Benefits That Foster Workplace Diversity:
A helpful article for those looking to begin creating a diverse workforce, How to Foster Diversity in the Workplace offers a brief guide for doing so and provides a concise overview of it. The article also reminds readers that retaining a diverse workforce is just as important as creating one.
Three key points we like from A Workplace-Diversity Dilemma:
An associate editor of The Institute, Monica Rozenfeld examines whether employee referral programs are responsible for a lack of workplace diversity in her article. As Rozenfeld points out, recommending candidates is a popular practice for finding talent but hiring people referred by employees can lead to less diversity in the workplace.
Three key points we like from Here's Why Workplace Diversity Programs Don't Work:
Head of community at CultureIQ, Jamie Nichol outlines steps for creating and maintaining a workplace that fosters diversity and creativity in this Justworks article. Nichol highlights the fact that highly diverse workforces benefit their companies in countless ways, from increased creativity and innovation to higher earnings and returns on equity.
Three key points we like from Workplace Diversity Will Soon Include Artificial Intelligence:
In her Atlantic article on workplace diversity, Bourree Lam examines the counterintuitive idea that white male leaders are in a better position to promote diversity than female or minority leaders. Lam points to research completed by David Hekman, associate professor at the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business, and researchers from the National University of Singapore and the University of Texas that suggests women and minorities are judged harshly when promoting diversity in the workplace.
Three key points we like from 7 Ways to Promote Diversity in the Workplace:
A senior writer at The Cut, Dayna Evans explores why diversity programs don't work in her article. Evans points to research covered in the Harvard Business Review that reveals diversity programs and training yield the opposite results of what companies offering them intended.
Three key points we like from What Is Diversity in the Workplace and Why Should You Care?:
As if companies don't have enough to manage in terms of diversity, now technology is changing the game yet again. Rebekah Hayden points out in her phys.org article that artificial intelligence (AI) is capable of fulfilling desk jobs that previously could not be animated.
Three key points we like from Driving Diversity in the Workplace:
Kristen Walsh is a freelance writer and editor who explores the impact company culture has on diversity efforts in her article for Bentley University. As Walsh points out, hiring a diverse workforce is just one step; creating a company culture that supports it and is inclusive enough to make people want to stay is another.
Three key points we like from Leaders in Diversity and Inclusion: 5 Lessons From Top Global Companies:
Colliers' article on diversity in the workplace urges readers to consider it one of their biggest priorities because of the benefits your benefit will reap from it. The article also reminds readers that diversity is not compliance, a burden, or a source or challenge or trouble for companies; rather, it is about fully deploying a variety of resources for better outcomes that benefit everyone.
Three key points we like from Why Diversity Matters:
The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce offers Driving Diversity in the Workplace, an article that focuses on the need for diverse workforces to keep up with the shifting demographic and generational trends in the United States. As Lorraine Medici, director of training and development at Express Employment Professionals of Grand Rapids, explains: "Being a workforce that understands and responds to the changing cultural and generational climate means being an organization that truly values its people."
Three key points we like from We All Know Workplace Diversity Makes Sense: So Why is Change So Slow?:
Aperian Global's article on diversity in the workforce poses a hypothetical situation that shows how leaders charged with managing diversity must focus on designing and implementing a collective, multidimensional solution. Hiring minorities is not enough; companies also must create a culture that supports and sustains diversity.
Three key points we like from The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace:
Vivian Hunt, Dennis Layton, and Sara Prince look at the importance and benefits of diversity in their article for McKinsey & Company. The article highlights recent research that shows companies with more diverse workplaces perform better financially.
Three key points we like from Enhancing Diversity is an Ongoing Challenge for Companies:
Anthropologist and founder of Move the Elephant for Inclusiveness, Tinna Nielsen examines why it takes so long for companies to create diverse workplaces in her article for the World Economic Forum. As Nielsen points out, companies know the value of becoming more inclusive, yet they continue to struggle to create inclusive workplace cultures quickly enough.
Three key points we like from 6 Perspectives on Diversity in the Workplace:
The Institutional Investor's article on diversity in the workplace emphasizes the value of having workers from a variety of races, genders, and ages for gaining fresh ideas from a deep well of experience. A diverse workplace is one that helps resolve conflicts and situations that require mutual respect in order to reach a healthy conclusion.
Three key points we like from Transgenderism and Diversity in the Workplace:
Dr. Steven Lindner is a Daily News contributor who explores why diversity poses such a challenge for companies. Dr. Lindner highlights the fact that companies spend millions on advertising and recruiting from various communities and backgrounds and then on training and developing their workforce to be diverse only to find that the disparity between majority and minority workers continue.
Three key points we like from Building Sustainable Diversity in the Workplace:
Paul Jun's Help Scout article recognizes that research shows diverse teams are more effective than homogeneous ones, but companies continue to face challenges when creating a diverse workforce. Jun also points out that a diverse workforce is a powerful asset to forward-thinking companies.
Three key points we like from Gender Diversity in the Workplace: A Problem That Just Isn't Improving:
Shepell's article on diversity in the workplace centers on transgenderism. Inclusive workplaces need to consider gender and those with gender dysphoria in order to be entirely inclusive.
Three key points we like from Understanding Diversity in the Workplace:
Aon explores the most pressing business issues around the globe in The One Brief. Their article considers a Forbes study that suggests workplace diversity and inclusion are key drivers of internal innovation because alternative perspectives challenge assumptions and lead to new approaches.

China Gorman is a global business executive in the human capital management sector. Her article on the challenges in creating gender diversity in the workplace examines why the problem persists despite companies knowing the diversity results in more revenue and productivity.

Monique de Maio's article on diversity in the workplace for Business 2 Community takes a thorough look at diversity and the ways in which it benefits organizations. de Maio also examines managing diversity and offers three tips for creating a corporate environment that cultivates diversity.

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Diversity in the Workplace: 50 Articles on Benefits, Advantages, More - Wonolo

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Talk of diversity in the workplace is nothing new, but as more individuals, organizations, and politicians speak about feminism, immigration, gender identity, and the gender pay gap, it is coming to the forefront of business news once again.

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Diversity is a mix of different people and race in the same community

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all the countries and religions join together.

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Cultural diversity is important because our country, workplaces, and schools increasingly consist of various cultural, racial, and ethnic groups.

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What is CULTURAL DIVERSITY? What does CULTURAL DIVERSITY mean? CULTURAL DIVERSITY meaning

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the inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic stratum, and gender

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[ dih-vur-si-tee, dahy- ] SHOW IPA

/ dɪˈvɜr sɪ ti, daɪ- / PHONETIC RESPELLING

noun, plural di·ver·si·ties.

the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness: diversity of opinion.

the inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation, etc.: diversity in the workplace.

a point of difference.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "SITE," "CITE," AND "SIGHT"!

Set your sights on wordy gold with this quiz on the commonly mixed up words "site," "cite," and sight"!

"Site" and "cite" derive from the same Latin root, "situs."

Origin of diversity

1300-50; Middle English diversite<Anglo-French <Latin dīversitās.See diverse, -ity

Words nearby diversity

diversify, diversion, diversional, diversionary, diversionist, diversity, divert, diverticular disease, diverticulectomy, diverticulitis, diverticuloma

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Content related to diversity

Words related to diversity

diversification, unlikeness, variegation, diverseness, multiplicity, divergence, medley, multifariousness, distinctiveness, range, distinction, variance, assortment, heterogeneity, dissimilarity, mixed bag, multiformity, variousness, multeity

Example sentences from the Web for diversity

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British Dictionary definitions for diversity

noun

the state or quality of being different or varied

logic the relation that holds between two entities when and only when they are not identical; the property of being numerically distinct

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Definition of diversity | Dictionary.com

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dih-vur-si-tee, dahy- ] SHOW IPA / dɪˈvɜr sɪ ti, daɪ- / PHONETIC RESPELLING the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness: diversity of opinion. the inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation, etc.: diversity in the workplace. a point of difference.

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Showing some of the types of wolves, the diversity of them

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This photo tells me everyone is beautiful and strong deep inside. People come in different shapes, colors and sizes and equal in so many ways. Not everyone has to be the same and come from the same environment or area.

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Annual Diversity Retreat - Center for Diversity and Inclusion

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Each year for our annual diversity retreat, we examine and discuss identity, intersectionality, and the impact of privilege and oppression through a series of interactive activities, experiences, and critical dialogue . This is a day-long retreat where students will be challenged to engage in a critical reflection of their personal identities and how it impacts their ...

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Diversity is a range of different things. This can include race, gender, age, and religion or beliefs.

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There is different shoes for different types of styles

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Arts Fest in State College, Pennsylvania is one of the biggest functions of the year. This festival, celebrating the different forms of art made by people from around the country, draws many types of diverse people from near and far, much like the art itself. While at Arts Fest, Greg and I decided to take some pictures showcasing the many different types of people at Arts Fest. While doing this, we decided to specifically select one thing to photograph on these people: their shoes. For example, a white girl may be wearing her flip flops from Victoria's Secret, or an older man may be wearing his velcro sandals with high white socks. Oftentimes, the shoes people wear reflect their economic status in society. For example, a young teenager may wear his brand new Jordan sneakers to Arts Fest to show them off to make a statement about how "cool" they are, or a rich woman could wear her new heels. What people wear on their feet also says a lot about their culture. For example, some Asian women wear in public a form of slippers that has no tie or lace to it, or a person of European descent may wear their clogs (these would probably also be a part of the art at the stands). Shoes are also used to make fashion statements, for example if a man is wearing a suit, he will probably be wearing dress shoes like loafers. A woman who wears a dress, in contrast, probably would not. She would most likely wear either heels, or sandals. A man who works doing construction will probably not wear sneakers, he would wear boots. With so many different types of people, and such a wide selection of shoes that are available now, the diversity was relatively easy to photograph.

There are so many variants that can contribute to the type of shoe a person wears; gender, ethnicity, economic status, culture, weather, temperature, and even style, that it is very difficult to even find two people wearing the same shoes. One person today wasn't even wearing shoes, he was working at his booth and his shoes were being "uncomfortable" and "constricting", so he decided he would take them off and run his stand bare foot. Another woman we saw today was wearing purple Skechers boat shoes for comfortability. She said that she didn't like the way they looked, but that she felt most comfortable doing her art in these shoes. It was very interesting to see two artists both not wearing what they would normally wear on their feet today while doing their art. When we asked the woman why she was wearing something other than what she would normally wear, she said "When I'm sitting down, I don't want to get my shoes on the chalk because then I could mess up my shoes if I get chalk all over them. Not only would I ruin a good pair of shoes, but I would mess up my artwork as well, so I have to be very careful when I'm working." Her reasoning makes sense, but we didn't realize that wearing certain shoes while doing art could be so uncomfortable for artists.

While art is mostly from imagination, some artists need to not only be thoughtful while creating, but also comfortable. The woman we talked to was very kind in telling us that she wears comfortable clothes when she is creating. She told us it helps her be more focused and imaginative when she is relaxed and comfortable, and not thinking about how much her feet hurt. Comfortability all depends on the person, as we've seen today, because the man we talked to feels most comfortable when he's doing his work barefoot, but the woman is more comfortable when she is working in a pair of shoes that she normally wouldn't wear anywhere else. I'm sure that if we had gone around Arts Fest and asked every artist about their preference for what shoes they wear while working on their art, we would get a very wide variety of answers. These two artists were both doing work while sitting on the ground, so maybe someone doing a painting while sitting in a chair would think differently about what shoes they wear while working. After seeing some amazing art this weekend, it's hard to imagine that any of the artists were uncomfortable or distracted while making their work.

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Arts Fest in State College, Pennsylvania is one of the biggest functions of the year. This festival, celebrating the different forms of art made by people from around the country, draws many types of diverse people from near and far, much like the art itself.

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Here is a picture showing that we think diverse and that we all don't think the same.

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This article basically states that in the work place some of the bosses or the person in charge in preventing those who aren't white from moving up in the company like if you were a nurse the boss wont move you up to a doctor or a surgen

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Silicon Valley technology firms have had serious problems with demographic diversity, including accusations of hostile climates toward women and minority employees. A new analysis of company-level employment data I helped conduct finds, however, that some firms seem to have figured out how to create more diverse workplaces.

A 2016 report from the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, for example, concluded that the technology industry has a problem recruiting and retaining women of all races, as well as black and Hispanic men. And a 2017 report documented that while people of Asian descent were a large proportion of technology workers, their representation in management and executive positions lagged behind that of white men and white women. That suggested a glass ceiling prevented Asian workers from moving up corporate ladders.

Recent research from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst's Center for Employment Equity, where I am the director, analyzed employment data for the 177 largest Silicon Valley technology firms; included in the sampling frame were headline-making firms such as Airbnb, Cisco, Facebook, Google and Uber. We confirmed that there is a diversity problem in Silicon Valley, although we also found firms that are doing better than their peers.

Understanding diversity problems

There are two common explanations offered for the technology industry's diversity problem. The first is that there are relatively few diverse applicants in educational and professional pipelines.

The second reason, observed by industry critics, is that technology firms aren't welcoming for anyone other than white men. For instance, two-thirds of all women and three-quarters of black women in the industry reported having to prove themselves over and over again to managers and co-workers. Additionally, most women reported backlash from co-workers and managers when they did not conform to female stereotypes. Further, a recent report on people who leave tech firms shows that unfair, disrespectful and stereotype-infused treatment is widespread and an expensive source of female and minority turnover for technology firms.

Both explanations suggest that the problems are the same for every firm. That seemed improbable to us: Companies differ in many ways, and we reasoned that this must be the case in managing diversity as well.

Examining the data

In our study we looked at employee data firms supplied to the federal government about the gender and ethnic backgrounds of people working at different levels throughout the company, from entry level to top executive. We focused on the 177 largest firms in the region, but also developed a comparison to 1,277 smaller Silicon Valley-area tech workplaces.

What we found confirmed our suspicions that each company is different - despite the overall diversity problem in large Silicon Valley technology firms. In most of the top 177 firms we analyzed, there were few women in technical jobs and even fewer in top executive positions. Black and Hispanic men and women were rare, and were nearly entirely absent from managerial and executive jobs. Asian men and women were common in technical jobs, but rare in leadership positions.

These largest firms have more black men and women than the 1,277 smaller firms - but fewer Asian men and women, and more white men.

In contrast, we found that in 7 percent of these 177 largest Silicon Valley technology firms, most of the employees are women. In a handful of companies, black and Hispanic men and women make up more than 5 percent of the professional workforce, and more than 5 percent of management - which is four times their proportion in the local workforce. And though there are firms with no Asian men or women in management, there are also firms in which more than 20 percent of managers are Asian men and women.

Looking at leadership

We got access to the data by agreeing not to identify the names of the firms in our research. However, journalists at Reveal recently reported the numbers for the handful of Silicon Valley firms that have publicly released their employment counts. In that report, top gender-diversity performers include 23andMe, PayPal, Intuit and Airbnb. Nvidia, a firm that's growing quickly in the fields of artificial intelligence, gaming, visualization and data centers, is among the very lowest in terms of gender diversity. Cloud data company Netapp looked better than most of its competitors in terms of employing African-Americans and Hispanics. Women of color are rare in all firms, but Lyft, Google and Square did not have any women of color in their executive ranks at all.

In our data we examined whether the race and gender of leaders influenced diversity. Mostly we found that they did not. However, companies with more white men in executive positions tended to have fewer Asians in professional jobs. More promisingly, when there are more white women managers, companies tend to employ more black and Hispanic women in professional positions.

Evidence from other studies suggests that the main reason behind differences in diversity is whether leaders - regardless of their own demographic group - prioritize the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce.

Employment diversity problems are complex. But their solutions need not be. All of these 177 large technology firms develop innovative products, compete in dynamic global product markets, hire in competitive labor markets and are rapidly transforming societies around the globe. Our research shows that some of these firms are also able to hire diverse groups of employees - and raises the question why others are not.

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Searching for diversity in Silicon Valley tech firms - and finding some

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Silicon Valley technology firms have had serious problems with demographic diversity, including accusations of hostile climates toward women and minority employees. A new analysis of company-level employment data I helped conduct finds, however, that some firms seem to have figured out how to create more diverse workplaces. A 2016 report from the U.S.

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It is different jordans

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This is the diversity of different types of animals.

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This picture shows that everyone can be friends and work together.

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this picture shows everybody happy together from different places

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Diversity is a mixture or range of different types of people in the world, it can show where a person is from or what their culture or religion is, it can say something about their personality.

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In this link you can find a little information about how diversity is more like our identities and how there may be different categories for different people.

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Executive Summary

Diversity means different things to different people. A study of 180 Spanish corporate managers explored perceptions of diversity and found that depending on who is answering, diversity usually means one of three things: demographic diversity (our gender, race, sexual orientation, and so on), experiential diversity (our affinities, hobbies, and abilities), and cognitive diversity (how we approach problems and think about things). All three types shape identity - or rather, identities. Demographic diversity is tied to our identities of origin - characteristics that classify us at birth and that we will carry around for the rest of our lives. Experiential diversity influences we might call identities of growth. Cognitive diversity makes us look for other minds to complement our thinking: what we might call identities of aspiration.

Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images

Diversity means different things to different people. In a study of 180 Spanish corporate managers, we explored perceptions of diversity and found that depending on who is answering, diversity usually means one of three things: demographic diversity (our gender, race, sexual orientation, and so on), experiential diversity (our affinities, hobbies, and abilities), and cognitive diversity (how we approach problems and think about things). All three types shape identity - or rather, identities.

Demographic diversity is tied to our identities of origin - characteristics that classify us at birth and that we will carry around for the rest of our lives. Experiential diversity is based on life experiences that shape our emotional universe. Affinity bonds us to people with whom we share some of our likes and dislikes, building emotional communities. Experiential diversity influences we might call identities of growth. Cognitive diversity makes us look for other minds to complement our thinking: what we might call identities of aspiration.

It is important to remember that categories only serve the purpose of classification; in the real world, differences between these categories are blurred. Diversity is dynamic. But we believe this diversity framework, though somewhat artificial (as all frameworks are) can be useful to companies who are trying to refresh their approach to managing diversity. What kind of diversity does your company focus on? Could you benefit from broadening your perspective? Let's take a closer look at each in turn.

Managing identities of origin. Since the 1980s, most global companies have developed diversity and inclusion policies led by human resources. The most frequent include: assessment tools (climate surveys, statistics monitoring, minority targets), human resources programs (flexible policies, mentoring or coaching), communication campaigns, and training programs.

Consider Sodexho. In 2002 the company hired a chief diversity officer, Anand Rohini, to make diversity a priority. Some of the diversity priorities at Sodexho focused on gender, ethnicity, disabilities, and age. Its diversity strategy included a series of systems and processes covering human resources policies (such as flexibility measures, training, selection processes and career services); diversity scorecards; and quantitative targets, mainly regarding numbers of women and minorities, not only in the organization in general but also in leadership positions. By 2005 Sodexho was widely recognized as a diversity champion. For more than a decade it has been consistently ranked among the best of the DiversityInc top 50 list, and Anand Rohini has been widely recognized as a global diversity champion.

For Sodexho and other companies taking a similar approach, the result is an enhanced company image and reputation. Talented individuals in general, but from minorities in particular, select companies in which they expect to feel appreciated.

Managing identities of growth. Identities of growth often provide us with a feeling of security. Our likes and dislikes change over time, and so our affinity groups change. Identities of growth dictate who we spend time with.

Many companies have developed friendship-based communities among employees, typically organizing activities such as weekends away, departmental Christmas parties, and so on, in a bid to create emotional ties between workers and the company. But because emotional communities are held together as much by the likes as by the dislikes of members, they can be unpredictable and difficult to manage in the long term. As a result, these emotional communities can sometimes work to the benefit of organizations, but they can just as often end up having the opposite effect, particularly when people share a dislike for certain policies, a particular boss, or for what they consider to be an unfair situation.

Our research suggests that the best policy for dealing with communities of growth is through minimum intervention. Emotional communities will emerge in organizations, whether management likes it or not, and will have a life of their own. For that reason it is best to take a neutral position. Creating affinity groups is positive for the company. But these groups should always be voluntary and develop at their own pace, without management interference.

Managing identities of aspiration. Our cognitive differences find their place in a community of aspiration. In those communities, we are valued for our unique way of understanding and interpreting the world. A community of aspiration is a space where our ideas are valued for their contribution to a common project, regardless of our different traits or individual likes or dislikes.

Innovative organizations are shifting from managing units to managing challenges or projects, asking employees to voluntarily join projects, creating structures where employees can move out of their comfort zones to join temporary communities of aspiration that strengthen cross-organizational ties and help the company achieve its strategic goals.

Corporate experience shows that the most effective strategy for companies to manage communities of aspiration is to create the contexts and the projects for them to emerge.

Valve Corporation, a video game developer, has defined a unique corporate structure with no bosses or managers at all. Each member of the company is invited to define their contribution to the company according to their choices and preferences. A highly talented developer specialized in graphics animation might choose to work on a game by assuming a "group contributor role," becoming part of the group developing that game. After finishing this "group contribution," the same person might choose to work in a more individualistic fashion on the next task. This "free to choose" approach is mirrored in the firm's office design. Valve offices incorporate wheeled desks to foster mobility and allow the fast configuration and reconfiguration of groups as well as individual work.

Understanding multiple types of diversity is particularly relevant in our tribal times. Individuals now construct identities consciously. We want to play with a multiplicity of identities and use them in as many different roles as their different affiliations allow.

We live in complex times, when complex solutions are need it and where a one solution for all approach no longer works. Each form of diversity is different and requires its own management strategy to effectively integrate people. Diversity is a journey and, like any journey, requires careful navigation.

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The 3 Types of Diversity That Shape Our Identities

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Executive Summary Diversity means different things to different people. A study of 180 Spanish corporate managers explored perceptions of diversity and found that depending on who is answering, diversity usually means one of three things: demographic diversity (our gender, race, sexual orientation, and so on), experiential diversity (our affinities, hobbies, and abilities), and cognitive diversity (how we approach problems and think about things).

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This picture shows how we all look differently but at the end of the day we are all humans, difference shouldn’t matter.

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The state or fact of being diverse.

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this picture shows how we all look differently but were still people

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how diversity is in jobs

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Talk of diversity in the workplace is nothing new, but as more individuals, organizations, and politicians speak about feminism, immigration, gender identity, and the gender pay gap, it is coming to the forefront of business news once again. Additionally, studies are showing that the more diverse a workplace is, the more success it achieves, and organizations are looking to learn more about how to increase diversity and manage diversity.

To help hiring managers, executives, and others in the workforce learn more about diversity, we have rounded up 50 must-read articles on workplace diversity. We chose articles based on their relevance, writers' expertise, and timeliness. We also included articles that offer varying perspectives and analyses of diversity in the workplace in an effort to bring as many arguments to the table as possible. Please note, we have listed our 50 must-read articles on diversity in the workplace here, in no particular order.
1. Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions
Josh Greenberg's article on diversity in the workplace for The Multicultural Advantage provides an overview of diversity and briefly breaks down both the benefits and challenges of diversity. The article also recommends steps for achieving and maintaining diversity in the workplace and suggests solutions for it.
Three key points we like from Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions:
David Ingram's diversity in the workplace article for the Houston Chronicle details its advantages and disadvantages. As Ingram points out, it's the way in which organizations manage diversity that allow them to capitalize on the benefits and minimize the disadvantages.
Three key points we like from Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in Workplace:
Entrepreneur has been inspiring, informing, and celebrating entrepreneurs for nearly 45 years. Their guest writer Kim Abreu is a recruiting trends analyst at Glassdoor who makes the argument for building a diverse staff. As Abreu explains, "recruiting and retaining a diverse, inclusive group of employees lets your company reflect the world around you and makes your team better able to develop fresh ideas that will meet the needs of the whole marketplace."
Three key points we like from The Myriad Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace:
The Undercover Recruiter presents an article that examines the advantages of diversity in the workplace that is written by Sophie Deering, senior account executive at Link Humans, an employer branding agency. In the article, Deering explains that there is much more to diversity than age, gender, race, and cultural background.
Three key points we like from What Are the Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace?:
Global LT's article on diversity in the workplace specifically focuses on the advantages of cultural diversity that companies realize when they hire employees from a variety of backgrounds, races, ages, religions, and genders. Higher morale and different perspectives are just two of the benefits of diverse workplaces examined in this article.
Three key points we like from Advantages of Cultural Diversity in the Workplace:
NPR's Code Switch is comprised of a team of journalists who study race, ethnicity, and culture, the ways in which they play a role in our lives and communities, and how things are shifting. Lead blogger for the Code Switch team, Gene Demby examines what happens when diversity becomes nothing more than a corporate buzzword in this article on diversity in the workplace.
Three key points we like from 'Diversity' Is Rightly Criticized As An Empty Buzzword. So How Can We Make It Work?:
In this diverse workplace article, The Economist points outs that people think diversity sounds like a good idea and pay it a great deal of lip service, but in reality they think differently to the point that some HR consultants are concerned about diversity fatigue. The article also highlights the fact that companies may "starve themselves of talent" if they ignore diversity.
Three key points we like from Diversity Fatigue:
8. Cultural Diversity in the Work Place
@thebalance
@KimberlyAmadeo

President of WorldMoneyWatch.com and touting 20 years of senior-level experience in economic analysis and business strategy working for major international companies, Kimberly Amadeo gives a thorough overview of cultural diversity and its place in business in her article for The Balance. Amadeo also explores the many economic benefits of diversity and explains how diversity makes more money for companies.
Three key points we like from Cultural Diversity in the Work Place:
Sophia Kerby and Crosby Burns' article on diversity in the workplace for the Center for American Progress centers on the relationship between diversity and the economy and concludes that a diverse workforce is integral to a strong economy. The article also explains that diversity plays a key role in growing a strong, inclusive economy that will last over time.
Three key points we like from The Top 10 Economic Facts of Diversity in the Workplace:
Writing for the Harvard Business Review, Frank Dobbin, Harvard University professor of sociology, and Alexandra Kalev, Tel Aviv University associate professor of sociology, take an in-depth look at why diversity programs are failing to increase diversity. Dobbin and Kalev explore the factors that led to diversity in the workplace and the work companies need to do to promote diversity positively and successfully.
Three key points we like from Why Diversity Programs Fail: 11. Diversity and Inclusion: The Reality Gap
@DU_Press
@JulietBourke
Three key points we like from Diversity and Inclusion: The Reality Gap: @avanberkel Three key points we like from How to Increase Workplace Diversity:
Juliet Bourke, Stacia Garr, Ardie van Berkel, and Jungle Wong's Deloitte University Press article on diversity in the workplace states that diversity and inclusion in the workplace are CEO-level issues but companies face frustration and challenges in handling them. As the authors put it, there is a gap between intention and reality.

Three key points we like from Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Gets Innovative:
Written in the how-to style, this leadership guide is designed for CEOs who want to increase workplace diversity. As the guide points out, promoting diversity benefits the bottom line but companies must approach the hiring process holistically and take an active role in helping diverse workers feel comfortable and adjust to the work culture in order to curb turnover.
Three key points we like from Reaping The Benefits Of Diversity For Modern Business Innovation:
The Society for Human Resource Management is the world's largest professional association of HR professionals. Novid Parsi's SHRM article explores the fact that a homogenous workforce will not help companies succeed in the future because U.S. minorities will not be in the minority aby 2044 according to the Census Bureau.
Three key points we like from 5 Competitive Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace:
Ekaterina Walter is a Forbes contributor and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who explores the benefits of diversity in terms of modern business innovation. Walter highlights the role diversity plays in a company's ability to innovate and adapt in quickly changing environments.
Three key points we like from Why 'Thought Diversity' Is The Future Of The Workplace:
George Dickson's Bonusly article centers on the fact that diverse workforces are beyond beneficial; they play a significant role in the success of companies in the modern business landscape. To prove his point, Dickson highlights five ways in which companies that actively seek out and embrace diversity gain advantages over their competitors.
Three key points we like from 10 Ways Workplace Diversity Helps Your Business Grow:
Alison Griswold's Business Insider article raises an important point about diversity in the workplace: it goes beyond gender and race and ethnicity and religion and includes diversity of thought. People who think in different ways boost innovation, creativity, and problem solving within their companies.
Three key points we like from 13 benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace in 2017:
A partner at ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba, Diana Rodriguez-Zaba understands that diversity in the workplace is not reserved for large companies and enterprises; indeed, small businesses also need to embrace diverse workplaces to increase productivity and sales and to be a real member of the community. She explores the benefits of creating workplace diversity in her HuffPost article.
Three key points we like from Here's How You Can Make Diversity More Than a Buzzword in Your Office: 20. This is What You Get Wrong When You Talk about Diversity in the Workplace
@Recode
@HeyHeyESJ
Three key points we like from This is What You Get Wrong When You Talk about Diversity in the Workplace: @laurawp
Hult Business School's recent article on cultural diversity in the workplace lists seven benefits and six challenges of embracing a diverse workforce. It encourages companies to embrace diversity in order to gain a competitive edge on a global scale while recogniing that there are some challenges associated with doing so.
Three key points we like from The State of US Workplace Diversity in 14 Statistics:
Principal at Moementum INc., Jim Morris explores how to put diversity into practice rather than simply talk about it in this article for The Muse. Morris explains that smart leaders understand the value of diverse teams and do everything they can to create them because they know it "improves the department's product, increases innovation, and leads to better results."
Three key points we like from Everything You Need to Know About Diversity in the Workplace:
Eric Johnson's Recode article on diversity in the workplace centers on the highlights of a podcat with Code2040 CEO Laura Weidman Powers. Code2040 recognizes that 2040 is the year minorities are projected to become the majority of the U.S. population and says businesses need to act rather than claim to want to make progress on diversity and inclusion.
Three key points we like from What Are the Important Dimensions of Workplace Diversity?:
Blaze Stutes' ArchPoint article provides diversity in the workplace by the numbers. Rather than showing that companies are keeping up with the changing face of the U.S., the data shows that companies are not making diversity a priority.
Three key points we like from Step 1 to Promoting Diversity: Avoid the 'Lying, Crying, and Denying':
Head of customer marketing at When I Work and co-founder and CMO of Upgradeio, Rob Wormley provides an in-depth look at diversity in the workplace in this article, which also points out that there are two types of diversity: inherent and acquired. Wormley also reminds readers that diversity goes beyond culture and includes ideas.
Three key points we like from 7 Tips to Be Sure You're Managing Diversity in the Workplace Correctly:
Former Wall Street Journal staff reporter and current Envato Tuts+ copy editor and business writer, Andrew Blackman explores 10 dimensions of workplace diversity in his article. Written as a tutorial, the article encourages readers to think more broadly about diversity to create a fair and equal workplace and reap the benefits of doing so.
Three key points we like from Why Diversity in the Workplace Promotes Innovation and Problem Solving:
Tammy Binford's HR Hero article focuses on the role HR plays in promoting diversity in the workplace. HR recruits and retains diverse workers and communicates with employees and executives at every level about the importance of diversity, yet sometimes contributes to problems with diversity rather than being the solution.
Three key points we like from What Are the Advantages of a Diverse Workforce?:
Andrea Cook urges readers to consider managing diversity in a company like hosting a lively dinner: you assemble the right mix of people while working to bring them together, make them feel comfortable, and keep the conversation moving. When companies fail to manage diversity properly, employee turnover rises, employee relations are impacted, and companies are at risk of being charged with discrimination. On the other hand, building a diverse workplace and managing it properly has far more advantages than disadvantages, as Cook makes clear in her article.
Three key points we like from Use Cognitive Diversity to Get the Most Out of the Workplace:
CultureIQ enables companies to make positive, measurable changes in order to strengthen their culture. When it comes to diversity in the workplace, CultureIQ writer Taryn Barnes explains that it is a critical component of a business and explores two of the main reasons leaders should actively recruit and retain a diverse workforce.
Three key points we like from Men in Power: There's a Job Only You Guys Can Do for Diversity:
In her Houston Chronicle article, Rose Johnson points out that companies are making strides in achieving workplace diversity because we are in an era of economic globalization. Yet, companies still have a long way to go to create the diverse workplaces that will give them a competitive edge.
Three key points we like from How to Promote Cultural Diversity in the Workplace:
VP of marketing at Emergenetics International, Mark Miller explores the value of cognitive diversity in the workplace in his article. Miller explains that cognitive diversity in the workplace is just as powerful as strong leadership and great communication because it creates an inclusive, collaborative, and open space that empowers people to create and share ideas.
Three key points we like from Cultural Diversity in the Workplace, Part 1:
Aneri Pattani is a journalist who explores the findings of a study that suggest women and minorities are penalized when they advocate for diversity. As a result, white men in positions of power are the ones who will need to make strides in promoting diversity in the workforce.
Three key points we like from How to Foster Diversity in the Workplace:
Erin Ollila's article on diversity in the workplace centers on the critical role HR plays in creating an inclusive environment that takes into account the cultural diversity of your entire workforce - domestic and abroad. Ollila offers tips for fostering cultural diversity in the workplace and ensuring employees feel accepted.
Three key points we like from Does Your Workplace Lack Diversity? Employee Referral Programs Might be to Blame:
A leading provider of diversity and inclusion training tools and the top diversity calendar, Diversity Resources covers cultural diversity in the workplace in a series of articles. This is the first part of that series and focuses on four essential skills companies must possess in order to manage diversity in the workplace effectively.
Three key points we like from Perks and Benefits That Foster Workplace Diversity:
A helpful article for those looking to begin creating a diverse workforce, How to Foster Diversity in the Workplace offers a brief guide for doing so and provides a concise overview of it. The article also reminds readers that retaining a diverse workforce is just as important as creating one.
Three key points we like from A Workplace-Diversity Dilemma:
An associate editor of The Institute, Monica Rozenfeld examines whether employee referral programs are responsible for a lack of workplace diversity in her article. As Rozenfeld points out, recommending candidates is a popular practice for finding talent but hiring people referred by employees can lead to less diversity in the workplace.
Three key points we like from Here's Why Workplace Diversity Programs Don't Work:
Head of community at CultureIQ, Jamie Nichol outlines steps for creating and maintaining a workplace that fosters diversity and creativity in this Justworks article. Nichol highlights the fact that highly diverse workforces benefit their companies in countless ways, from increased creativity and innovation to higher earnings and returns on equity.
Three key points we like from Workplace Diversity Will Soon Include Artificial Intelligence:
In her Atlantic article on workplace diversity, Bourree Lam examines the counterintuitive idea that white male leaders are in a better position to promote diversity than female or minority leaders. Lam points to research completed by David Hekman, associate professor at the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business, and researchers from the National University of Singapore and the University of Texas that suggests women and minorities are judged harshly when promoting diversity in the workplace.
Three key points we like from 7 Ways to Promote Diversity in the Workplace:
A senior writer at The Cut, Dayna Evans explores why diversity programs don't work in her article. Evans points to research covered in the Harvard Business Review that reveals diversity programs and training yield the opposite results of what companies offering them intended.
Three key points we like from What Is Diversity in the Workplace and Why Should You Care?:
As if companies don't have enough to manage in terms of diversity, now technology is changing the game yet again. Rebekah Hayden points out in her phys.org article that artificial intelligence (AI) is capable of fulfilling desk jobs that previously could not be animated.
Three key points we like from Driving Diversity in the Workplace:
Kristen Walsh is a freelance writer and editor who explores the impact company culture has on diversity efforts in her article for Bentley University. As Walsh points out, hiring a diverse workforce is just one step; creating a company culture that supports it and is inclusive enough to make people want to stay is another.
Three key points we like from Leaders in Diversity and Inclusion: 5 Lessons From Top Global Companies:
Colliers' article on diversity in the workplace urges readers to consider it one of their biggest priorities because of the benefits your benefit will reap from it. The article also reminds readers that diversity is not compliance, a burden, or a source or challenge or trouble for companies; rather, it is about fully deploying a variety of resources for better outcomes that benefit everyone.
Three key points we like from Why Diversity Matters:
The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce offers Driving Diversity in the Workplace, an article that focuses on the need for diverse workforces to keep up with the shifting demographic and generational trends in the United States. As Lorraine Medici, director of training and development at Express Employment Professionals of Grand Rapids, explains: "Being a workforce that understands and responds to the changing cultural and generational climate means being an organization that truly values its people."
Three key points we like from We All Know Workplace Diversity Makes Sense: So Why is Change So Slow?:
Aperian Global's article on diversity in the workforce poses a hypothetical situation that shows how leaders charged with managing diversity must focus on designing and implementing a collective, multidimensional solution. Hiring minorities is not enough; companies also must create a culture that supports and sustains diversity.
Three key points we like from The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace:
Vivian Hunt, Dennis Layton, and Sara Prince look at the importance and benefits of diversity in their article for McKinsey & Company. The article highlights recent research that shows companies with more diverse workplaces perform better financially.
Three key points we like from Enhancing Diversity is an Ongoing Challenge for Companies:
Anthropologist and founder of Move the Elephant for Inclusiveness, Tinna Nielsen examines why it takes so long for companies to create diverse workplaces in her article for the World Economic Forum. As Nielsen points out, companies know the value of becoming more inclusive, yet they continue to struggle to create inclusive workplace cultures quickly enough.
Three key points we like from 6 Perspectives on Diversity in the Workplace:
The Institutional Investor's article on diversity in the workplace emphasizes the value of having workers from a variety of races, genders, and ages for gaining fresh ideas from a deep well of experience. A diverse workplace is one that helps resolve conflicts and situations that require mutual respect in order to reach a healthy conclusion.
Three key points we like from Transgenderism and Diversity in the Workplace:
Dr. Steven Lindner is a Daily News contributor who explores why diversity poses such a challenge for companies. Dr. Lindner highlights the fact that companies spend millions on advertising and recruiting from various communities and backgrounds and then on training and developing their workforce to be diverse only to find that the disparity between majority and minority workers continue.
Three key points we like from Building Sustainable Diversity in the Workplace:
Paul Jun's Help Scout article recognizes that research shows diverse teams are more effective than homogeneous ones, but companies continue to face challenges when creating a diverse workforce. Jun also points out that a diverse workforce is a powerful asset to forward-thinking companies.
Three key points we like from Gender Diversity in the Workplace: A Problem That Just Isn't Improving:
Shepell's article on diversity in the workplace centers on transgenderism. Inclusive workplaces need to consider gender and those with gender dysphoria in order to be entirely inclusive.
Three key points we like from Understanding Diversity in the Workplace:
Aon explores the most pressing business issues around the globe in The One Brief. Their article considers a Forbes study that suggests workplace diversity and inclusion are key drivers of internal innovation because alternative perspectives challenge assumptions and lead to new approaches.

China Gorman is a global business executive in the human capital management sector. Her article on the challenges in creating gender diversity in the workplace examines why the problem persists despite companies knowing the diversity results in more revenue and productivity.

Monique de Maio's article on diversity in the workplace for Business 2 Community takes a thorough look at diversity and the ways in which it benefits organizations. de Maio also examines managing diversity and offers three tips for creating a corporate environment that cultivates diversity.

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Diversity in the Workplace: 50 Articles on Benefits, Advantages, More - Wonolo

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Talk of diversity in the workplace is nothing new, but as more individuals, organizations, and politicians speak about feminism, immigration, gender identity, and the gender pay gap, it is coming to the forefront of business news once again.

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diversity:the state of being diverse; variety.

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This picture shows that many backgrounds and ancestors can come together to make one person.

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This image shows that people of all religion, color and backgrounds can come together to make the world a better place and work together.

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This picture shows how everyone is friends no matter looks

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Gender Diversity

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Introduction

On an intellectual level, most of us realize that in order to be fair and equitable in the workplace, we need to have an equal representation of men and women. However, this isn't always the case - even in modern times. Gender diversity, as it relates to a work environment, means that men and women are hired at the same rate, paid equally for equal work, and promoted at the same rate. Granted, we have come a long way in the last 50 years or so, but we are still a very long way from achieving true gender diversity and equality in the workforce.

In this lesson, we will explore gender diversity - and the lack of it - in the workforce.

Modern-Day Gender Diversity Facts

As of last year, according to the McKinsey Report, a well-respected report on this subject, women made up about 40% of the global workforce. However, only about 5% of CEOs ( chief executive officers, or leaders of large corporations) are women. How can that be, you may ask...

In addition to that gross disparity, would you believe that women still earn only 80% of what their male counterparts do? That means that a male accountant who has been with XYZ Company for 5 years earns $70,000, but a female accountant who does the same job and has also been with XYZ Company for 5 years very likely earns only $56,000.

Furthermore, at XYZ Company, that same female is much more likely than her male counterpart to be passed over for a promotion because there are assumptions that she has children who require more time and attention from her than the male's children do (after all, his wife can care for the kids). If she's of childbearing age, it's often believed that she will give up her career if she gets pregnant.

A Sobering Example

Let's look at three workers at XYZ Company. XYZ is a law firm where Jane, Judy, and Joe all work. Jane is 27 and a recent graduate of a prestigious law school. She was first in her class, and her grades were stellar. She is also transgender. Judy is 40 and has been with the firm for 12 years. She, too, did very well in school and has won some tough cases while at the firm. Joe is 32 and has been with the firm for 2 years. While he has some experience in the courtroom, his win/loss record is about 50/50. It is pertinent to mention here that Joe and Jane are both single, while Judy is married and has two children. Judy's husband is also an attorney, although he works at a different firm.

There has recently been an opening for a partner at the firm. All three of these people apply for the position. Keep in mind that law, even today, is a male-dominated field. In fact, four of the five partners at this firm are men. Although Jane has only been with the firm for about a year, she makes a point not to dress in a feminine way and is always talking and joking with the other men on her floor. Judy usually wears nice dresses, along with a strand of pearls, and she usually keeps to herself, preferring to keep her door closed while she's working. Joe is a casual dresser and is one of Jane's friends and confidants.

Even though Judy has the most courtroom wins and the most experience, she is about 15% less likely to get promoted than Joe is. In addition, when her daughter was sick and had a risky surgery last year, Judy took an extended amount of time off, and this will probably hurt her chances for getting this promotion as well. One of the partners even said to her last year, 'At least you won't lose much income while you take off work since your husband probably makes more money at his job than you do here!'

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gender diversity in the workplace: definition

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trends & examples - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Definition, Trends & Examples - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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On an intellectual level, most of us realize that in order to be fair and equitable in the workplace, we need to have an equal representation of men and women. However, this isn't always the case - even in modern times.

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this image shows the diverse of gender.