Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Diversity And Success, In The Workplace

This article relates to the Diversity in the Workplace Competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. This competency explores whether your organization provides understanding and supports interaction among diverse population groups while respecting individuals' personal values and ideas. Research shows that by fostering a climate where equity and mutual respect are intrinsic, an organization can create a success-oriented, cooperative and caring work environment that draws intellectual strength and produces innovative solutions from the synergy of its people.

All businesses can benefit from a diverse body of talent bringing fresh ideas, perspectives, and views to the workplace. However, a diverse workforce means that the managers within your organization must be capable of capitalizing on the mixture of genders, cultural backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles present in your staff to respond to business opportunities more rapidly and creatively.

This short story, Diversity----and Success, in the Workplace, was part of EngagedMetrics's Compilation, Tales from the Corporate Frontlines. It illustrates how one manager recognized and used a diverse team to achieve the best possible work product for the company, and win new business as well.

Anonymous Submission

It was a project unlike any our small ad agency had ever undertaken. A new client, selling a completely different product than we usually worked with. And our team had been awarded the opportunity to develop the perfect campaign and win the continued business of this new client. We all looked at our project manager, who was with us now for six whole months, like he had lost his mind. Why not team A? They had twice the experience and were always the group chosen to woo new clients with their work. Surely they were a safer choice. Why risk the client on us?

Our project manager patiently explained that out team had the required diversity for this project. If ever a project demanded workforce diversity---this was it. We looked around at each other, sure enough, we referred to ourselves as the "odds and ends" we were all so different. Our writers and designers represented a mixture of newbie talent, on fire with ambition, more mature people on their second careers, and new hires who earned their stripes far away, in big city agencies. We worked okay together, but our projects so far were small cast offs from the senior teams.

Yes, the project manager continued, this campaign required a diversity that the more entrenched teams lacked. More of our members represented the target demographic, and the deadline demanded quick turnaround. That was one of the reasons our company had landed the project. Times were tight and potential long-term clients were nothing to sneeze at. He was confident that if we pulled together, we'd achieve the best possible outcome for everyone--- a brilliant campaign that would lure the new client onto our roster forever.

Still thinking that he was crazy, we began our work. The entire process was amazing. Our brainstorming sessions produced several great concepts that we developed eagerly. The newbies provided smart, stylish slogans, while the latecomers worked overtime to combine them with vibrant design. Our client loved it. So much so that our firm was awarded three more projects with the expectation that our team would do the required work.

Yes, our project manager was crazy. Crazy enough to go against the usual procedure and capitalize on the workforce diversity of our team to the benefit of the company. We succeeded ---with his guidance, of course.

© 2005 EngagedMetrics, Inc. - All Rights Reserved

This article may be reprinted, provided it is published in its entirety, includes the author bio information, and all links remain active.

Measure. Report. Improve your organization with EngagedMetrics employee surveys.

Josh Greenberg is President of EngagedMetrics, Inc.

EngagedMetrics provides organizations of all sizes a powerful web based method for measuring employee satisfaction, determining employee engagement, and increasing employee retention.

Launch your EngagedMetrics Employee Survey System with EngagedMetrics.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


The Armaments Industry and Holy (?) Roman Emperors

"The time for fixing every essential right on a legal... Read More

Business Ethics: An Oxymoron?

Why do I believe good PR and business ethics are... Read More

The Views of Karl Marx VS Max Weber

Compare and contrast the views of Karl Marx and Max... Read More

Ethics in Business - Please Have Some

Is your business ethical?What I mean is "Does your business... Read More

Are You Selling Out Your Integrity?

Integrity in business is a quality that is highly under-rated... Read More

Work Ethics ? A Paradigm Shift

Work ethics is a hot topic in today's business and... Read More

Ethics? How To Take the Measure Business

When asked to write a small piece pertaining to ethics... Read More

Vice of Buggery at FTC

At the Federal Trade Commission we have seen attorneys who... Read More

Conflict: Not Necessarily a Bad Thing

I got yelled at tonight. Not the type of yelling... Read More

Is Your Management Style Lead By Intimidation?

So many women make the mistake of thinking that they... Read More

Six Reasons to Give

If you run a business, you undoubtedly feel many pressures... Read More

Mind Your Own Damn Business Sexcess

You have certainly heard the expression "mind your own damn... Read More

Brain Development and Due Process

DUE PROCESSAfricans, especially Nigerians are stereotyped on the internet and... Read More

Dont Hate Them Because Theyre Beautiful

Tonight I'm going out with two extremely impressive ladies who... Read More

Business Ethics: An Oxymoron

An oxymoron: the juxtaposition of contradictory words or concepts. That... Read More

Private Carrier Pepsi Embraces Diversity Amongst Employees

Many companies claim to be committed to diversity, but private... Read More

Diversity

I know that diversity has been a big topic of... Read More

Business Ethics

There is much talk today about ethics in business -... Read More

Do Organizations Serve Us Or Do We Serve Organizations

We have seen an erosion in the confidence that society... Read More

How To Detect Liars In Your Business & Personal Life

We live in a world full of lies and deception.... Read More

Communicable Corporate Diseases Hurting Business Sexcess!

Enron Executive goes to prison for 10 years, Martha Stewart... Read More

No Credit is Due: Bad Telemarketing

Just a few minutes ago I was debating what to... Read More

Ethics In The Workplace

Workplace Ethics is a subject that we have all heard... Read More

Top 10 Principles for Positive Business Ethics

This morning, I read about a company using on-line auctions... Read More

The Need to Survive; A Death Knell For Organizations

Changing the driving force upon which business decisions are based... Read More

Better Business Boundaries

To get a new client, we might be inclined to... Read More

The Everyday Business Ethics Crisis Or Im Mad as Hell and Not Going to Take it Anymore

Breaking news may feature the Enron debacle, WorldCom activities, or... Read More

Enron?s Ultimate Victim: Ethics

FROM the 'MORAL HIGH GROUND', where we imagine ourselves, the... Read More

Business Ethics: Functional Choices

Years of experience have taught me there is no such... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Work Ethics and the Customer

This article relates to the Ethics in the Workplace competency,... Read More

Financial Projections in Business Plans

One of the most difficult sections to write in a... Read More

The Three Schools of Business Ethics

G. Richard Shell, author of Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies... Read More

Minding Your Global Manners

To say that today's business environment is becoming increasingly more... Read More