T.M.PREMNATH, Assistant Professor, Department of Management Studies, J.J. College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai.

S.PALANIAPPAN, M.Phil Scholar, Department of Management Studies, J.J. College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai.

______________________________________________________________________________ DIVERSITY AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN CORPORATE INDIA Abstract: The concept of diversity management has been in news since the past two decades. On comparing workforce in the present with that of the past, we see a considerable demographic shift in terms of nationalities, ethnic background, socio-economic status etc. Owing to the increasing workforce diversity more and more organizations are seriously considering the diversity management techniques to maintain harmony among the workers. The Present Paper aims at throwing some lights on various measures to manage diversity in workplace Diversity: Diversity refers to any perceived difference among people, age, race, religion, profession, sexual orientation, geographic origin, and lifestyle, tenure with the organization or position and any other perceived difference. Diversity in India: In democratic country like India, where people are given freedom to adopt the religion they want, speak the language of their choice etc. it becomes essential to acknowledge various regions religions, languages, genders, socio economic backgrounds etc. this leads to diversity amongst population of India. Diversity is inherent to Indias culture and is perfect example of Unity in diversity. Diversity in Corporate India: When we talk about India Inc.; Corporate India is transforming itself from small homogeneous organizational units to heterogeneous conglomerate. In todays business arena, beyond marketing,

finance or production, a range of legal, political, cultural and sociological dimensions enter the picture. Large numbers of women are joining the work-force; Young workers in the work-force are increasing. International careers and expatriates are becoming common. Because of factors like this diversity management is becoming important concern for HR department. Diversity in Globalization Era: In the Context of Globalization, Diversity is Inevitable to all organizations. In globalization one of the major challenges in front of India Inc., which is difficult to quantify and control, is cultural diversity. Diversity Management: Diversity management is concerned with ensuring the factors which should be in place to provide for and encourage the continued development of a diverse workforce by recognizing the actual and perceived differences among workers to achieve maximum productivity. Diversity management involves creating a supportive culture where all employees can be effective. In creating this culture it is important that top management strongly support workplace diversity as a company goal and include diversity initiatives in their companies' business strategies. Although the management of late has recognized the importance of diversity management, it has not been easy for them to implement. It calls for changing the organization so that it is acceptable to the diverse work force. Effecting a Diversity Management program is often accompanied by resentment from the dominating group because of their perception that the new policies will make the minority dominant and will not be supportive to their interests. Also, organizational change is in itself a complex task. Issues in Diversity Management: In order to manage diversity effectively its essential to consider female employee needs, such as child care and job sharing, to prevent their turnover, Commitment from top management towards value diversity is a pre-requisite.

Religious and cultural diversity if not answered properly will become a hot issue. India: is a multi cultural country. HR managers should accommodation religious beliefs and cultural practices in finalizing company calendars and holidays. Differently able people Issues should be answered by providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and nondiscriminatory workplace environment should be promoted There should be an apprenticeship program to trained promising prospective employees properly before they are actually hired on a permanent basis, employer should set up a support group to provide a nurturing climate for employees who would otherwise feel isolated, to conduct diversity audit to review the effectiveness of an organization's diversity management programmes, Benefits of Workplace Diversity : Increased adaptability Broader service range Variety of viewpoints More effective execution Communication Resistance to change

Challenges of Diversity in the Workplace:

Communication: There should be a proper communication which includes speeches by senior executives, inclusion of diversity in corporate vision statements, the publication of diversity brochure and inclusion of diversity as a topic in new employee orientation; Managers need to be sensitive to the needs of working parents. Learning as a means of inculcating diversity management: For effecting Diversity Management in the system, employees should be receptive to new ideas. Learning is a continuous process which leads to change in behavior. Learning makes the firm more adaptive to changing business environment.

Steps to manage diversity: Some of the steps to manage diversity in organizations are summarized as follows:

Recognition Respect Acknowledgement Valuing the differences among the people Clarifying Motivation Clarifying Vision Expanding Focus Auditing Corporate Culture Modifying Assumptions Modifying System Helping People Pioneer Continue Affirmative Action

The Three Steps Of Diversity Management: ABC Building Blocks of Diversity Management Assessing and Affirming Differences Building Bridges to support workforce diversity Cultivating capabilities and competitive advantage.

Assessing and Affirming Differences: To begin with, the management should assess the demographics of the workforce so that every section of workers is taken into consideration. This will also ensure that resistance to change is minimized Building Bridges to support workforce diversity: Building bridges to support workforce diversity is the second step in organizational change. The top management should be involved in the implementation for it to succeed. Many times the indifference of the top management results in the failure of effective implementation of the change. The management should be passionate enough and assess the reason why there is a need for organizational change. Involving the workers also minimizes the chance of resentment.

Cultivating capabilities and competitive advantage: The third building block is cultivating capabilities and competitive advantage. This step is seen as members coming together and a brainstorming session is conducted. Every member is free to give his suggestion and the best suggestion is implemented. Thus it is disseminated in the organization. Diversity Rules: How to Interact with Colleagues from Different Backgrounds Dont make assumptions Communicate appropriately Search for common ground Be aware of formal versus informal work environments. Conclusion: A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world and marketplace. Diverse work teams bring high value to organizations. Respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity. Diversity management benefits associates by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges. Management tools in a diverse workforce should be used to educate everyone about diversity and its issues, including laws and regulations. Most workplaces are made up of diverse cultures, so organizations need to learn how to adapt to the environment.. If the above points are considered it will become easy for India Inc to overcome the challenge of diversity management. It will help in large scale business transformation, high quality customer service, and it will give power to work-force, which will lead to total quality improvement, alliances with suppliers and customers. Ultimately all these will lead to uninterrupted learning process and hence uninterrupted functioning of organizations.