What is diversity management?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: Diversity management is ensuring that factors are in place to provide for and encourage the continued development of a diverse workforce by combining these actual and perceived differences among workers to achieve maximum productivity. Because every person, culture, and business situation is unique, there are no simple rules for managing diversity; but diversity experts say that employers need to develop patience, open-mindedness, acceptance, and cultural awareness. Diversity management focuses on the principle that all workers regardless of any factor are entitled to the same privileges and opportunities. According to R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., former president of the American Institute for Managing Diversity, "diversity and diversity management are about managing and engaging people who are different and similar, all for the benefit of the organization and its goals." If organizations want to remain competitive in the marketplace, diversity has to be a part of the strategic goal. New York-based accounting giant KPMG employs more than 23,000 people in the United States. It has a complex diversity program that includes a diversity advisory board, diversity networks, diversity recruiting, accountability mechanisms, scorecards, mandatory training, and a diversity officer. Kathy Hannan, national managing partner for diversity and corporate social responsibility with KPMG, reports directly to the CEO. Programs that highlight a firm's diversity management program can be used to help attract desirable recruits.