Chapter 2 Saturday January 24 2015 7 27 PM Demographic Characteristics of U S Workforce Compared to 1976 women are more likely to be employed full time have more education and earn wages comparable to women Earning gap b w Whites and other racial and ethnic groups decreased significantly The aging of the workforce was consistently the most significant concern of HR managers Levels of Diversity Surface level diversity differences in easily perceived characteristics such as gender race ethnicity age level of education or disability not thoughts or feels Deep level diversity the sharing of more important characteristics such as personality and values instead of being concerned about demographic differences Deep level similarities ex sharing a common way of thinking about important work problems introversion vs extroversion can potentially overshadow the more superficial differences b w them Although if two people are similar surface level characteristics their deep level diversity may pose a problem for them to collaborate at work Discrimination Discrimination noting of a difference b w things based on stereotypes regarding an individual s demographic group Often called unfair discrimination assumes everyone in a group is the same Table 2 1 provides definitions and examples of various forms of discrimination in organizations Exclusion or incivility are hard to root out because they are impossible to observe and can occur because the actor is unaware of the effects of his her actions Discrimination can lead to reduced productivity and citizenship behavior negative conflicts and increased turnover Biographical Characteristics Biographical characteristics age race gender race disability and length of service Surface level diversity Age the relationship b w age and job performance can be an issue of increasing importance because of these 3 reasons Org Behavioral Page 1 because of these 3 reasons As you get older job performance declines Companies seek to increase their attractiveness to older workers by providing training that meets semi retired s needs US legislation outlaws mandatory retirement most US workers do not have to retire at age 70 Perceptions of older workers Positive can bring quality experience judgment a strong work ethic and commitment Negative lacking flexibility and resisting new technology Sex there are no consistent male female differences in problem solving ability analytical skills competitive drive motivation sociability or learning ability Psychological studies found women are more agreeable and willing to conform to authority whereas men are more aggressive and are expected to succeed BUT these differences are minor Working mothers are more likely to prefer part time work flexible work schedules encourage work life balance Women have higher rates of absenteeism more likely to turn over because of family responsibilities Men are increasingly sharing responsibility for child care Race and Ethnicity Evidence suggests that some people find interacting with other racial groups uncomfortable unless there are clear behavioral scripts to guide their behavior Race the biological heritage people use to identify themselves Ethnicity the additional set of cultural characteristics that often overlaps with race Individuals tend to slightly favor colleagues of their own race in performance evaluations promotion decisions and pay raises Racial differences exist in attitudes toward affirmative action African Americans generally have the worst brunt than Whites They receive lower ratings in employment interviews receive lower job performance ratings paid less promoted less frequently Disability According to Americans Disabilities Act ADA in 1990 employers are required to make reasonable accommodations so their workplaces will be accessible to individuals w physical or mental disabilities Disable person Classified by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission person who has any physical or mental impairment that can limit one or more major life events Ex missing limbs seizure disorder Down Syndrome deafness schizophrenia alcoholism diabetes and chronic back pain Individuals with disabilities tend to encounter lower performance expectations and are less likely to be hired Tenure expressed as work experience appearing as a good predictor of employee productivity Tenure and job satisfaction are positively related Religion violent differences can erupt among sects of the same religion Although US federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on their religion there is still can be conflict within the workplace Today the greatest religious diversity issue in the US revolves around Islam There are nearly 2 million Muslims in the US and one of the most popular religions across the world Faith can be an employment issue when religious beliefs prohibit or encourage certain behaviors Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity employers differ widely in their treatment of sexual orientation Federal law DOES NOT prohibit discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation though many states and municipalities do Some companies domestic partner benefits or nondiscrimination clauses for gay employees Dealing with transgender employees requires some special considerations such as Org Behavioral Page 2 Dealing with transgender employees requires some special considerations such as bathrooms employee names and so on Ability Ability An individual s current capacity to perform the various tasks in a job Intellectual Abilities Abilities needed to perform mental activities thinking reasoning and problem solving Most societies value intellectual abilities There are various types of intellectual ability Number aptitude verbal comprehension perceptual speed inductive reasoning deductive reasoning spatial visualization memory IQ tests are designed to test a person s general intellectual abilities General mental ability General intelligence suggesting positive correlations among specific intellectual ability dimensions The Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test is used for hiring decisions measures speed and power questions get harder Physical Abilities Physical abilities The capacity to do physical tasks that can demand stamina strength dexterity There are 9 basic physical abilities Org Behavioral Page 3 The Role of Disabilities It is discriminatory to make assumptions about people based on their disability It is possible to make accommodations for the disabled