Managers can no longer ignore the fact that the nation's workforce is becoming increasingly diverse. Affirmative action programs are no longer enough to deal with this increased diversity; instead, companies are taking a more far-sighted approach that includes setting up departments to assist employees in handling complaints and personal insults from customers, and to setting up workplace environments that foster harmonious and productive relationships among all employees. This research examines various diversity programs which have been implemented at companies in the United States, and considers the reasons behind their success.
According to analysts, 47.5 percent of the work force will be women by the year 2000, and 29 percent of the net additions to the work force will be non-whites (Flynn, 1995, p. 72). This means that managers and executives will be under increasing pressure to establish diversity programs which recognize that the American work force is no longer a homogeneous group of white males, but rather a diverse combination of gender and ethnicities. Employees who find companies which foster diversity are more likely to remain in those organizations than in companies which do not recognize the importance that diversity plays in the work place. Similarly, as word spreads that a particular organization has a strong diversity program, it is likely to find it easier to attract and retain high quality workers with diverse backgrounds. In other words, diversity programs can give companies a competitive edge in the marketplace (Rynes & Rosen, 1994, p. 68).
At Monsanto Agricultural Company (MAC), a program was undertaken to welcome minorities and women and to change the corporate culture in order to build an environment where employees are encouraged to reach their full potential. Based in St. Louis, the company was not under the same amount of pressure as companies based on either coast (where there is greater divers...