Managing diversity refers to the proactive recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce such that employee differences become an asset rather than a liability for the organisation:
The basic concept of managing diversity accepts that the workforce consists of a diverse population of people… [including] factors such as sex, age, background, race, disability and work style. It is founded on the premise that harnessing these differences will create a productive environment in which everybody feels valued, where their talents are being fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met. (Kandola & Fullerton, 1999, Managing the mosaic: Diversity in action, p. 8)
Managing diversity effectively requires a strategic cycle approach, consisting of:
- Organisational preparation
- Needs assessment
- Strategy development and implementation
- Evaluation of progress.
