What Are the Causes of Diversity in the Workplace?

Diversity in the workplace can be a financial benefit to a company, according to business expert Sharon Douglas writing on the Workforce Diversity Network website. Workforce diversity can help a company expand into new markets and it can also create differing points of view that can help the company devise more creative solutions to problems. In order to create a diverse workforce, a company needs to first understand what causes workforce diversity.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against race, sex, color, religion or ethnic background, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There is also the Age Discrimination Act of 1967 which protects people over the age of 40 from discrimination. Federal laws and policies that a company itself creates to eliminate discrimination in the workplace can cause diversity in the workforce. The policies create a workplace atmosphere that is more open to minorities and older workers, which can cause a diverse workforce to develop.

A company is going to use the local available workforce to satisfy the need for employees in order to maintain production. If the population in the area where the company is located is comprised of a diverse demographic, then the company will be creating a workforce based on that population draw. The company will be looking to hire the most qualified employees available, and the diversity of qualified candidates from the local area will help establish a diverse workforce.

More efficient transportation and methods of communication have helped to connect various parts of the world. A global economy means that people are moving to different parts of the world to find work, rather than just looking within their own country. If your company requires areas of expertise that happen to be popular in various parts of the world, then the employment opportunities you are offering may be attractive enough to the global workforce that some people from other countries would consider relocating to your area to work for your company.

A diverse workforce can be the result of having several company locations in different parts of the country or the world. Companies that have global locations may prefer to use internal resources to help get employees where they are needed. For example, an employee in the United States may offer to take a company transfer to China for the chance to move up in the company ranks. As these transfers and use of internal resources continues, the mixing of employees from various locations creates a diverse workforce.