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Tag: Shan Simpson

Age Diversity and the Workplace

Age diversity is the ability to accept all different types of ages within a workplace environment. A workplace composed of different age groups creates an environment where each generation brings different skills and talents to the workplaces.  Each employee brings attributes and attitudes that have value to the workplace and each has a role to play in the success of workplaces.

Workplaces are becoming increasingly diverse in age. This increase in age diversity is creating a workplace environment that is rich with experience and maturity as well as youthful exuberance. Workplaces that employ workers in a broader range of age have the advantage of creating a dynamic workplace with a diverse range of skills.  Employers need to develop strategies that will allow age diversity to be an asset to workplaces as each employees’ potential is maximized.

Age diversity is a reality in today’s workplace, and will only increase in the future. Workplaces will be more successful when employers gain an understanding of how to effectively blend the age diversity together to utilize the full potential of each of their employees. Workplaces that encourage age diversity can inspire all of their employees to perform to their highest level of ability. In contrast,  a workplace that is heavily composed only of people in a particular age demographic runs the risk of becoming obsolete.

Every employee can benefit from being exposed to new ideas and thinking. Younger employees will typically have a better understanding of modern technology while older employees will bring more years of experience. So developing a diversity of both younger and older employees could be very beneficial within the workplace.  Interacting regularly with the different generations in the workforce can add different perspectives and an understanding of the various approaches differing generations take in the workplaces and their daily lives.  Employees of all ages can add value to workplaces, and will be important components in the diverse workplace of the future. The age diversity has improved in the modern day workplace, but employers still need to be more aware of the potential beneficial aspects of promoting age diversity in the workplace.

This article was contributed by volunteer blogger Shan Simpson.

Critical Life Choices and Events Shaping People

Each of us have significant moments, experiences, and events in life that can change our perceptions.

Our perceptions of the world can also change as we age or mature throughout our life. People have various values, beliefs and come from different ethnic backgrounds which contributes to shaping who we are.  Every employee will usually bring specific skills into the workplace and these employees can develop additional skills through training programs that can be an asset to workplaces if employees are willing to effectively manage these skills.  Workplaces will be more successful when the strengths and weaknesses of employees are properly managed so that the workplace can maximum the potential of individual employees.

I grew up in a small town in the United States which helped me to form my perceptions of the world.

Spending a few months per year living in larger cities in the United States as an adult has changed some of the early perceptions that I had developed at a younger age and further shaped who I am as an individual. Being physically disabled has also altered my perceptions and that experience have given me a unique perception of life that may differ from the perceptions that most people typically will have in their life.  As I’ve matured I’ve had experiences that have allowed me gain a much broader perception of the world around me than I could have had when I was younger as well.  For example, my mom died of breast cancer which caused me to be less naive and made me learn to be more self-reliant. Traveling to other countries has also helped me to form different perceptions than I had prior to those experiences and my education also adjusted my perceptions as well.

It is important that employers are aware of the perceptions and skills that each employee can bring to the workplace.  Supervisors and employers need to be aware of their own skills, strengths, and weaknesses as well.  Training and management strategies must be implemented that will allow workplaces to successfully operate more efficiently while also providing an opportunity for each employee to maximize their full potential.  Diverse employee backgrounds should not be seen as a weakness within the workplace, but rather as a strength that can greatly benefit workplaces. Employers should be willing to encourage more diversity in the workplaces so that a wider variety of ideas can be developed that can benefit the workplace.

This article was contributed by volunteer blogger Shan Simpson.

Gender Diversity in the Workplace

Gender is normally a factor that influences the role that people have within their society.  Societies expect specific behavior patterns from the two genders.  People are expected to behave in a certain way which makes them an acceptable part of the society. The difference in these gender roles can be observed everywhere including the workplace.  Apart from the physical differences, there exist the mental differences which distinguish both the genders. Females are generally stronger in their language skills which enhances their writing skills while males are stronger in their visual skills.

Males and females have specific attributes to contribute to the workplace. Gender differences consist of both physical and emotional factors. These physical and emotional characteristics influence the behavior of males and females in the workplace. Various psychological and physiological factors allow men and women to differ in perception. These differences in perceptions can be an asset to workplaces when gender differences are managed correctly by employers. Employers should be willing to accept gender diversity within the workplace and encourage input from both genders when important decisions are being made.

Some organizations still are hesitant to maintain an adequate gender diversity within their organization. For many years the dominant group in the workforce was always men, but in modern times this has begun to change as there has been an increase of women in the workforce and upper management positions. This change has made it necessary for managers to develop practical techniques and strategies to successfully manage a more mixed gendered workforce. In many workplaces an overhaul of all operating practices would be required to retain women and enable them to take on management positions in large numbers. There still needs to be more progress made to increase the gender diversity within workplaces, but with the implementation of effective strategies gender diversity can be a significant asset.

This article was contributed by volunteer blogger Shan Simpson.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwTVf3KnDl4]

Diversity in Disabilities

Diversity consists of the ways that people differ from each other.  There are diverse types of disabilities including physical disabilities, mental disabilities, and even emotional disabilities. These disabilities can create several challenges for disabled employees. Every person, whether disabled or not disabled, possesses diverse individual strengths and weaknesses. Workplaces obviously need to become aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each employee.   

A physical disability is a limitation on a person’s physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina

A mental disability is a significant behavioral or psychological syndrome characterized by a lower mental ability than an average person. An emotional disability is a condition that, over a long period of time, consistently interferes with a person’s learning process and adversely affects the person’s workplace performance.

I was born with the physical disability Spina Bifida which has caused my lower body to be weak.

I have used a wheelchair for several years. It has also been difficult for me to find job in the small community where I live due to accessibility issues. It is also challenging for me to be as mobile during the winter months due to bad weather. However, I do have skills and abilities that could be useful within a workplace.   

Workplaces need to be aware of disability issues and address these issues properly so that the workplace can function as effectively as possible. Training is one of the most important aspects that will eventually deal with most of the factors concerning disabilities in a workplace. When a person with a disability is hired this person may require different training methods to help this person to be successful within the workplace. Specific training strategies for him to sharpen his skills faster. Reasonable accommodation is another important element. Employees with disabilities deserve an accommodation that suits their rational requirements for expected productivity. Communication with these employees is another factor you need to pay heed to. If an employee has problems with speech, ask him again what you don’t understand. Just because he cannot take active part, doesn’t mean he/she isn’t allowed to participate in activities/discussions/meetings. These strategies could be useful to allow the workplace to function more effectively and efficiently.

This article was contributed by volunteer blogger Shan Simpson.