cultural diversity in the workplace essay

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• Diversity in the Workplace: Online Diversity Training Words: 1110
• Diversity in the Workplace: Analysis and Evaluation Words: 874
• Workplace Diversity Is an Essential Concept Words: 1945
• Cultural Diversity Audit Research Report of PwC Words: 1766
• The Impact of Workplace Diversity on Organizations Words: 591
• Cultural Diversity in Contemporary Society Words: 631
• Coca-Cola Company’s Global Operation and Cultural Diversity Words: 576
• Diversity in Workplace Communication Words: 551
• AT&T Company’s Diversity at Workplace Words: 1014
• Management Issues: Diversity in the Workplace Words: 1731

Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

Introduction, the significance of cultural diversity in the workplace.

The culture is considered to be under the influence of constant changes connected with religious, ethnic, and social factors backgrounds and their development. The success of any business lies in covering these transformations in the process of companies’ operations development. Cultural Diversity in the workplace is considered to be a significant factor ensuring the success of any business plan in the modern period. Nowadays the enforcement of diversity training is perceived as an important element in companies’ working environment maintenance. The business sphere experiences the impact of cultural diversity increase affecting local communities, employees, and even the country in general.

It is necessary to underline the fact that the importance of cultural diversity in the workplace is to be identified through the term highlight; ‘diversity’ has the meaning of all experiences and characteristics defining every individual. Nowadays this concept covers work style, geographic origin, economic status, and organizational role. The basic goal of every modern company is aimed at making cultural diversity be an integral part of its operations and planning, as it impacts the level of business productivity, sustained competitiveness, and organizational effectiveness. One is to take into account that the recognition of diversity significance in the workplace has a direct attitude to the competitive advantage of the company. (Workplace Diversity: A global Necessity and an Ongoing Commitment. 2004).

Cultural diversity matters in the development of personal and professional aspects. It is necessary to highlight the idea that human resources making the diversity rich out country and make the community and industry survive. In the case of every social and cultural segment utilization, diversity benefits community development. It is necessary to underline the fact that nowadays cultural diversity in the workplace is getting more desired n most world countries. Life experience, ethnicity, and religion are taken into account in the working environment. The management and enforcement of diversity in the business sphere are to be fulfilled through the necessity to respect, recognize and follow the individuals’ backgrounds, taking into account their race, gender and ethnicity. The companies’ development of diversity should be based on the idea that cultural groups differ in their styles and values which may provide different effects on the way their business is performed. The analysis of modern cultural diversity role in the companies’ management allows outlining basic cultural factors discriminating against social opportunities in the workplace:

• Religious (it means that non-Christians are non-privileged in the American business sphere);
• The age should be 21-50;
• Sexual orientation (heterosexual is valued);
• Female gender (women have fewer opportunities to take a high position in the company.)

It should be taken into account that the promotion of diversity agenda in modern companies is the method of successful business objectives execution. The analysis of cultural diversity in some enterprises demonstrated the fact that some companies managed to create affinity groups covering employees, or diversity committees, contributing to the encouragement and fostering of diversity goals (Patterson, 2001).

The necessity to enforce cultural diversity in the workplace has a direct connection to the rate of business productivity and quality of performed work by employees. Most companies’ leaders started to develop diversity training impacting and supporting key diversity initiatives of any organization. This step is aimed at employees’ learning the ways of effective and appropriate interaction in the workplace; this method influences the development of new skills and abilities of the workers being important for their duties performance. It is necessary to underline the fact that the diversity training allows the company to create a common reference frame and identify certain foundations being helpful for the employees in understanding each other and eliminating barriers faced by the companies’ cultural inclusion promotion. Flexible training programs developed by most companies allow the employees to understand the importance of cultural diversity and influence the formation and perception of individuals’ cultural characteristics within the staff.

Cultural diversity is especially stressed within the top management of the company; most managers and supervisors are trained for the purpose of working atmosphere improvement through their direct influence on other workers. Usually, such companies strive to work out a special course for top management training them in a common understanding of diversity significance for the benefits of the company (Cultural Diversity in the Workplace. 2005).

It is necessary to underline the fact that business ethics and cultural diversity introduction in the workplace are interconnected with each other. The development of training of moral and ethical norms and standards within the company’s operating process is considered to be dependent on the way of cultural diversity promotion within the staff. Nowadays, it is important to work for a company taking into account the role of cultural diversity; this aspect is especially related to the people being of Asian or African origin. It is necessary to underline the idea that such companies always value the employees’ contributions to business operations; they grant the staff promotions and train the workers on taking more responsibility. Such a working atmosphere is considered to be stimulating and provides ambitions for the workers to put more and more effort into the job performance.

It is necessary to stress that cultural diversity enforcement in the workplace is the method of dissolving ethnic and racial prejudices in a business environment giving a chance to all individuals to express their skills and professionalism through their work. For example, Asian Americans, who are perceived in modern society as low skilled specialists, have an opportunity to take higher positions in case of demonstrating true professionalism (Schlegelmilch, 1998).

The analysis of cultural diversity’s role in the workplace allowed evaluating the reasons for the necessity of its enforcement. The working environment is closely dependent on the productiveness and quality of employees’ work performance. Business ethics is considered to be an integral part of companies’ successful operations and the effectiveness of their functioning. Business leaders are to create balance and respect through cultural diversity enforcement as it impacts the development of workers’ skills and abilities, as well as the introduction of an appropriate working environment. The cultural diversity respect within any organization is the basic step to effective cooperation with the customers and productiveness of the manufacturing and service fields.

The role of cultural diversity can be considered significant through its functioning as the link in ethnic, religious, national, and social harmony. It is the principal method of uniting the company’s employees making them work for one common purpose.

• Cultural Diversity in the Workplace. (2005).
• Patterson, Th. (2001). Cultural diversity in the United States: a critical reader. Wiley-Blackwell.
• Schlegelmilch, B. (1998). Marketing ethics: an international perspective. Cengage Learning EMEA.
• Workplace Diversity: A global Necessity and an Ongoing Commitment. (2004). The Career Advancement Subcommittee of the FCC’s Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age.

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The Importance of Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

Let’s face it, today’s business world is set on a global stage. Technology is just one factor that’s making our world smaller and giving companies of all sizes the freedom to recruit the best people, wherever they are. And as technology takes great strides into the future, the people who access it are jogging along in tandem.

Millennials are shaping the workplaces of today and the future. And the words on everyone’s lips is “cultural diversity.” It’s a trend that’s most definitely here to stay. But first, what exactly is cultural diversity?

For an actual definition, turn to The Oxford Dictionary. Here you’ll find it described as, “the existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society” [1]. In other words, it’s a population where all differences are represented. From a business perspective, types of workplace diversity include, “race, ethnicity, age, ability, language, nationality, socioeconomic status, gender, religion, or sexual orientation” [2].

And with our political and worldwide backdrop, it’s imperative to understand what cultural diversity in business looks like. It’s not about tokenism and conforming to expectations.. From creating varied perspectives, to driving innovation, there’s a lot to be said for fostering this culture.

In this article, we’ll run through the importance of cultural diversity and its benefits. Designed as an expert guide to cultural diversity, we’ll answer those key questions. Through helping you improve understanding of this topic within your organization and develop a guide on how to promote cultural diversity in the workplace.    

What is cultural diversity?

Culture is what shapes us, it is the reason we have certain beliefs, influences how we behave and is what gives us our identity. Cultural diversity is the representation of different cultural and ethnic groups in society.

When talking about cultural diversity in the workplace, it is the inclusion of employees from different backgrounds, different races, different sexual orientations and different political views [3]. The term cultural diversity encourages an environment of inclusion, with representatives from a range of various backgrounds that come together to work as a team.

It’s easy to talk about the theory and definitions of cultural diversity, but when it comes to creating that within an organization, it very much depends on the practices used during the hiring process.

Why is cultural diversity important?

We’ve touched on the idea of the benefits cultural diversity offers, but equality and diversity are something that hasn’t just received lip service within the media. There’s been extensive research into its positive effects and the importance of business inclusivity .

Studies looking at why cultural diversity is important give us solid stats to work from when thinking about its benefits. For instance, economically, research shows that the 43 most diverse public corporations were 24% more profitable than the S&P 500 [4]. Other studies show that almost 95% of directors agree that diversity brings unique perspectives [5].

Ultimately, workplace diversity and inclusion allow businesses to build teams that bring different viewpoints and talents to the mix, increasing innovation and driving higher revenues.

Types of workplace diversity

To get a deeper understanding of what cultural diversity looks like, you need to start with a rundown of different types of recognized workplace diversity.

We are all defined by characteristics that go beyond the basic HR capture forms. We could write an everlasting list with all the types of cultural diversity with this theory in mind.

In HR terms, there are a few primary types of diversity characteristics to bear in mind [6]:

• Gender – women make up a bigger percentage of the workforce than ever before. But there is still a gap in terms of fair pay and the percentage of women in leadership roles.
• Race and ethnicity – as ethnic and racial identities evolve, standardized forms with ethnic groups fail to hit the mark. By opening the conversation with employees and candidates on race and ethnicity, this goes a step towards improving cultural diversity.
• LGBT – the LGBT community includes a complex range of people in terms of backgrounds, experiences and challenges. To work towards eliminating discrimination, careful attention needs to be paid towards a strategy as an LGBT employer.
• Age – both younger and older workers can be discriminated against in terms of preconceptions. Through steps like opening apprenticeships to all ages and providing cross-generation mentoring programs, these prejudices can be addressed.
• Workers with disabilities – disabilities can cover many differences, from the ability to form social relationships to physical disabilities. Part of this can be helped with a neurodiversity program, as well as fighting against negative perceptions.
• Mental health – focusing on mental health along with workplace wellness support can combat a variety of issues, from absenteeism to behavioral problems.
• Neurodiversity – recognizing and providing a supportive environment for those with neurological differences that include dyslexia, autism and Tourette’s helps organizations to celebrate differences and the benefits they can offer in well-matched job types.
• Thought style – different personalities and thought styles can enhance creativity if the individual and the role are well matched. In contrast, it can cause stress if ill-matched.

It’s worth noting that this is by no means an exhaustive list. To be truly diverse, researching and considering other differences from marital status, to education, language and accents, all come into the mix [7].  

Six benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace

The benefits of diversity are long and varied. But here are our headline three benefits to fostering a culturally diverse policy in your organization.

1. Cultural diversity helps develop and maximize skillsets  

A culturally diverse workplace empowers people to develop their talents and skills. A range of ideas and expertise enables those to learn from a more diverse collection of colleagues.

It can also boost problem-solving capabilities and increase happiness and productivity. In an environment where all voices are heard, this spirit of innovation and encouragement to contribute can drive business success [8].

2. Cultural diversity improves the recruitment process

Surveys show that two-thirds of candidates cite diversity as an important consideration during a job hunt [9]. By developing a strategy for cultural diversity, you can broaden your appeal to prospective employees, and reach out to more high-level candidates across the globe.

3. Cultural diversity can help you to retain talent  

Aside from attracting a broader talent pool in the first place, cultural diversity is the key to building the ideologies of respect between company and employee, and cooperation. In turn, this makes you a more attractive proposition to valuable candidates making you stand out in the marketplace.

4. Cultural diversity improves your teams creativity

Studies have shown the positive impact a culturally diverse workforce can have on a team and companies creativity. By bringing together people from different backgrounds you will see a more diverse series of solutions to issues and approaches to projects you might have.

A more diverse workforce allows you to bring new ways of thinking into the business that can be applied in many different ways. By listening to each employee's voice and way of thinking, a company will no longer be pigeon-holed in one direction.

A company that actively encourages diversity in the workplace will see more perspectives being discussed and more solutions being thought of than ever before. This can inspire employees to perform to the highest of their abilities.

5. Cultural diversity can help increase employee engagement

The best way to learn about other cultures and ethnicities is by talking to someone with that background. Research can only get you so far and has a far less personal touch. By communicating with someone with a different culture or background you not only gain firsthand knowledge, you connect with someone directly.

Employees who engage with others about their background during lunches or out of hours drinks will feel better connected to a company, feel truly listened to and in turn engage further with their colleagues and the business.

Employee engagement helps build trust, starting from the very top and moving all the way down throughout the company. Engagement is always positive for the company, it can lead to greater motivation, collaboration and loyalty.

6. Cultural diversity will improve your company’s reputation

A company that employs people from all different types of cultures and backgrounds will be considered a good employer. This reputation amongst employees will elevate a company’s standing and attract more people to come and work there.

Your company’s reputation amongst its customers is one of the most important things. Customer service and reputation can be greatly improved through a diverse workforce, with different employees being able to assist customers in a more personal way thanks to shared experiences and understanding.

Examples of cultural diversity at work

The proof is there for the taking if you want to see just how effective cultural diversity in the workplace can be. Here are three of our favorite examples to give you some inspiration.

Johnson & Johnson

Top of the list in a few guides on the subject. Johnson & Johnson bring a true company-wide approach to cultural diversity. From using technology to eliminate gender bias, to training interviewers to recognize and combat bias during the hiring process. 

With 4,000 languages available to users, Google brings a real-world solution to a global audience. This has been the driving force behind the company’s success. Their motto is inspiring, “never judge a search engine by its interface".

Ranked number 21 on DiversityInc’s 2019 list [10], Kellogg’s has more women in leadership roles than the national average. A third more. And they promote benefits such as longer maternity pay.  

How to manage and promote workplace diversity

As such a complex topic, there are naturally big challenges that come with developing a culturally diverse strategy in the workplace.

It is best to look at this from two different perspectives to help improve diversity, promote it and ensure the messages are being understood. It can be broken down into what the business can do and what the employees can do.

When it comes to what a business can do to manage and promote diversity across the organization, strategies that can be implemented include:

• Boosting your cultural competency
• Encouraging and embracing different viewpoints
• Offering implicit bias training
• Promoting the use of mentors [11] [12]

Employees also have their own responsibility when it comes to managing and promoting diversity. For many, there will be opportunities to introduce colleagues to their culture and background and teach them what they should know and understand such as:

• Organizing events celebrating their culture
• Volunteering in organizations that serve the needs of underrepresented groups, this can be done as a team building exercise

How to manage a culturally diverse team

Understanding that globalization has caused the positive cultural chasms that have created culturally diverse teams is part of the equation that organizations need to face. With greater employee mobility and even more organizations now making the effort to develop virtual teams, coming across more diverse teams is only going to grow.

However, there are challenges when it comes to developing the right management structure and identity when it comes to building a culturally diverse team. A multicultural team is a team whose members originate from various countries and cultures. Naturally, these people speak different languages as well.

It’s things like language which are sometimes easy to identify as part of how to manage a diverse team, but it’s not always easy to understand how you can best do it.

We are going to take a closer look at the kinds of things you need to know when it comes to managing a culturally diverse team. The biggest caveat will depend on the structure/diversity within the team as to how widespread some of these issues will occur when managing your own team.

Encourage cultural sensitivity from the offset

You need to start the process of cultural sensitivity from the offset, it’s not something that you can ingrain later in the career journey for many. From hiring to onboarding, it’s important to make this a priority. 

Understanding if a candidate is culturally sensitive during an interview is essential, especially in a large multicultural work environment. Another thing to promote is cross-cultural training in your on-boarding process. This will instil multicultural values right from the start and make it clear to new hires what is expected of them, as well as giving them the skills they need to work well in a multicultural environment.

Reinforce these values regularly. Have a clear company culture that respects diversity and communicates it often.

Consider and accommodate different cultural habits and requirements

A multicultural workplace should focus on bringing together culturally diverse needs that are directly related to work, but also more broader needs and habits. 

Think of things like food provided in the staff canteen or at work events that are culturally inclusive i.e. vegetarian and halal options. You may even want to consider quiet rooms for prayer or meditation to match cultural needs.

Consider different communication styles

There really is no one-size fits all approach when it comes to better managing culturally diverse teams. Importantly, different cultures have different ways of communicating, and your style of communication may not be the best appreciated by some.

That’s why you have to understand that there may be different communication styles in order to better manage people and the situation you may also find yourself in. It’s easier to try and learn the basics in different verbal and non verbal cues, or the use of phrases which can help in putting a point across or understanding if there are difficulties.

Plan around time zone differences

This is going to apply to the teams who work virtually and around the world but, remembering that different people are in different time zones is essential. It could be that you’re based on the west coast of the United States working with Europe. When they are about to log off for the day, you may be starting. Understanding the time differences can help you better achieve your goals.

Another thing to consider is if you’re working with teams who follow strict religious code and may be at prayer when you want them to work or have scheduled a meeting. Get a timezone application to help you better plan your working days with teams around the world.

Organize suitable training

The purpose of this type of training is to overcome cultural challenges at the office. This is a good way to get people to get to know each other and educate themselves about various cultural beliefs.

This training should highlight:

• How to minimize the culture barriers
• How to avoid stereotypes and prejudices
• How to appreciate your own and the skills of other cultures
• How to improve your social skills
• How to become a better listener
• How to aim your attention on common principles rather than differences
• It is important to keep this training bespoke to the needs of the team.

Avoid stereotypes

It is sometimes a bit too easy to get confused between cultural differences and stereotypes. Understanding how people behave and respond in a business environment is essential, especially when there are clear differences but making vast generalizations is counterproductive.

To avoid stereotyping, become acquainted with every team member and get to know them on an individual level. You will realize culture shapes behavior but ultimately does not dictate it.

Approach feedback sensitively

Being able to provide your team with honest and constructive feedback is essential part of leadership and management duties. Your colleagues deserve to know the truth about the quality of their work, be it positive or negative.

Honest feedback for a multicultural team is essential however, it needs to be done with a level of understanding. Different cultures and nationalities respond to feedback in different ways. Some cultures may find that constructive feedback can feel negative whilst others, like American culture will be positive verbally whilst negative in a written manner.

Understanding these differences can contribute to better feelings overall when managing different cultures and staff.

Cultural diversity in the workplace challenges

It’s not always an easy road to creating a culturally diverse workplace. While different companies will experience their difficulties along the way, there are some common themes to watch out for.

They include preconceptions from underrepresented cultures on being marginalized, misinterpretation across cultures and languages, the intricacies of employment law, and conflicting working styles and etiquette [13].

Working with Thomas

As a specialist that helps companies to realize the true potential in their people, we at Thomas are experts in helping you to develop culturally diverse strategies.

Our psychometric assessments increase diversity and inclusivity by removing unconscious bias from the recruitment process which can be influenced by a hiring manager’s background, cultural environment and personal experiences.

By mitigating bias and increasing a manager’s self-awareness, this leads to stronger decision making that isn’t reliant on gut reaction or instinct.

References:

• https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/cultural_diversity
• https://www.thebalance.com/cultural-diversity-3306201
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/09/13/the-benefits-of-cultural-diversity-in-the-workplace/#68f8988671c0
• https://www.allegisgroup.com/en-gb/insights/blog/2018/april/workplace-diversity-types
• https://builtin.com/diversity-inclusion/types-of-diversity-in-the-workplace
• https://www.hult.edu/blog/benefits-challenges-cultural-diversity-workplace/#creativity
• https://www.glassdoor.com/about-us/twothirds-people-diversity-important-deciding-work-glassdoor-survey-2/   
• https://www.diversityinc.com/the-2019-top-50-diversityinc/
• https://www.bentley.edu/news/7-ways-promote-diversity-workplace
• https://www.hult.edu/blog/promoting-diversity-in-workplace/
• https://www.hult.edu/blog/benefits-challenges-cultural-diversity-workplace/#talent

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Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

Cultural diversity in the workplace provides strength as well as challenges to businesses today. Diversity is a reality in today’s workforce. Diversity is otherness or those human qualities that are different from our own and outside the groups, to which we belong, yet present in other individuals and groups. It is important to understand how these dimensions affect performance, motivation, success, and interactions with others. Institutional structures and practices that have presented barriers to some dimensions of diversity should be examined, challenged, and removed. Managing diversity well provides a distinct advantage in an era when flexibility and creativity are keys to competitiveness. An organization needs to be flexible and adaptable to meet new customer needs. With effective management of diversity, the campus develops a reputation as an employer of choice. Not only will you have the ability to attract the best talent from a shrinking labor pool, but you can also save time and money in recruitment and turnover costs.

Managing diversity is about valuing differences. It is about treating people with dignity and allowing everyone to be able to perform to their level of ability. From the organization’s perspective, it means improved effectiveness and efficiency.

Lifeskills – Cultural Differences

Managing diversity means acknowledging people’s differences and recognizing these differences as valuable; it enhances good management practices by preventing discrimination and promoting inclusiveness. Good management alone will not necessarily help you work effectively with a diverse workforce. It is often difficult to see what part diversity plays in a specific area of management.

According to a recent survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), one-third of UK organizations have already adopted a strategy that ‘brings components such as learning and development, together with aspects of the working environment, into the benefits package… It goes beyond standard remuneration by embracing the company culture and is aimed at giving all employees a voice in the operation, with the employer in return receiving an engaged employee performance. (Spiers).

Managing diversity focuses on maximizing the ability of all employees to contribute to organizational goals. Organizations that proactively learn from diversity and which integrate the varied perspectives and ways of working holistically can fully unleash the benefits of a diverse workforce. Key organizational features contributing to the success of diversity management are openness, communication, and flexibility. Cultural diversity within our workforce is now the norm as well as an economic necessity. Spurred on by globalization and increased personal mobility, the need for skilled immigrants to fulfill labor shortages has brought many changes to the workplace. Challenges can be broad-ranging from basic communications and language difficulties to complexities in decision-making processes and team management. Effectively managing cultural diversity enables organizations not only to overcome such challenges but also to fully exploit the opportunities of cultural synergy to strategic advantage.

Apart from valuing employees for whom they are and giving them increased job satisfaction, a successfully managed multicultural workplace generates opportunities for learning, creativity, innovation, and leadership among others. Diversity and cultural diversity management interact with other organizational strategies. To fully benefit across the organization strategies need to be well integrated and a holistic encompassing approach should be adopted. In this way diversity, management will interlink and mediate with other strategies to enhance their effectiveness. Employees, teams, managers, and leaders all perform better in open communicative environments. Effective people management improves the motivation, behavior, and performance of all employees in the multicultural workplace. By removing barriers and facilitating workplace communication and by creating an open accepting organizational culture, diversity management programs increase the productivity and efficiency of all employees. Workplace Diversity provides business managers with the creative and effective solutions they need to succeed in today’s multifaceted and ever-changing workplace. With insights into the most difficult and sensitive issues managers encounter, Workplace Diversity offers timely, practical, and invaluable guidance.

An individual’s cultural identity may be based on heritage as well as individual circumstances and personal choice. Cultural identity may be affected by such factors as race, ethnicity, age, language, country of origin, acculturation, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, religious/spiritual beliefs, physical abilities, occupation, among others. These factors may influence behaviors such as communication styles, diet preferences, health beliefs, family roles, lifestyle, rituals, and decision-making processes. Culture is neither ethnic nor racial. Culture is learned and varies from person to person. Every culture has something distinctive to offer.

Cultural diversity is the characteristic of Europeans. People who at some stage in their history migrated from an original homeland and settled in a European country that is diasporic groups, estimated to be eight percent of the European Union (EU). The local, the national, and the transnational are the three crucial spatial and cultural contexts where the experience of diasporic groups evolves. The local is where every day is lived; the national is where citizens’ rights and obligations are formed and formal rules for political and cultural exclusion/inclusion are set; the transnational is the global diasporic networks expand and where diasporic communities are sustained. New information and communication technologies gain a growing role in sustaining communication and networks in and across the three spatial positions; in representing diasporic groups to themselves and the rest of the society; and in finding a voice and establishing a visible presence for excluded groups.

Hiring people from a medley of cultures can add that extra dash of color and spice to any organization. Workplace diversity is a result of globalization. Increased collaboration between different cultures is essential since companies are expanding geographically. This makes it necessary for companies to understand the culture in these new markets. (Diverse Culture).

Many of the popular media talk on behalf of communities, although they are usually run by small groups of individuals, minority entrepreneurs, or organizations. Such community projects often raise internal conflicts about who has the right to talk in the name of whom, reflecting similar conflicts about representatives as those expressed about other media. Firms reach out to a broader customer base, they need employees who understand particular customer preferences and requirements.

The dominant trend is the lack of connection between cultures, including media, policies, and migrant, or diasporic, exclusion policies. Migration is usually considered either a phenomenon or a problem and policy often undermines the integration and participation of diasporas and migrant groups in European and national societies.

The result is that many policy documents exclude minorities from mainstream cultural projects on the national and European levels. Policies that integrate migration, minorities, and cultural and socio-economic issues are rare and inconsistent.

London is now more diverse than any city that has ever existed. Altogether, more than 300 languages are spoken by the people of London, and the city has at least 50 non-indigenous communities with populations of 10,000 or more. (Wood et al).

The policy discourse, when addressing issues of minority integration and participation, focuses on majorities when it looks at issues of racism, representation of minorities in the media, and on informing the wider public about minorities, their needs, and rights. This approach contributes to the image of minorities as voiceless, or as a problem, and undermines the fact that these diasporic groups actively construct cultures and identities and experience exclusion from public and cultural projects.

Managing diversity means maximizing potential advantages while minimizing the barriers such as prejudices and bias that can undermine the functioning of a diverse workforce which involves both compulsory and voluntary management actions. There are many legally compulsory actions employers must take to minimize employment discrimination.

To manage a culturally diversified organization, organizational activities should focus on strong leadership. The Company must assess the current state of affairs concerning diversity management. The common tools for measuring diversity include equal employment hiring and retention metrics, employee attitude surveys, management, and employee evaluation, and focus groups.Management can provide diversity training and education if required. Organizational activities should be combined with other concrete steps aimed at changing the organization’s culture and management systems. Evaluate the diversity management program and ensure that employee attitude surveys must indicate at least some improvement in employees’ attitudes toward diversity. Training immigrants in their native language can facilitate learning as well as compliance with matters such as safety rules and harassment policies, and thereby facilitate their entry into the workforce.

It can be concluded that the failure to recognize Diversity can often lead to problems in teamwork where different members of the team are unable to understand or adjust with each other. Cross County Cultural Mix in Teams further aggravates the problem and only then do Organizations realize the potential problems and swing into action. For the smooth running of the business it is necessary to understand cross-cultural economic, social, cultural and civic networks could be measured from observation and interviews to establish whether there are any ethnically and culturally mixed business associations, social clubs, religious groups, political parties and movements. The ethnic community in the UK enjoys many privileges and the diasporic media culture of the land puts them in a better position.

Diverse Culture. Citeman Network. 2008. Web.

Lifeskills – Cultural Differences. IET: The Institute of Engineering and Technology. 2008. Web.

Spiers, Carole. Weekend: Workplace Culture. Khaleej Times Online. 2007. Web.

Wood, Phil., Landry, Charles., & Bloomfield, Jude. Cultural Diversity in Britain: A Tool Kit for Cross Cultural Co-Operation. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 2006. Web.

Questionnaire for employees

• Does diversity threaten unity?
• How often do you receive professional training on cultural diversity provided by your company?

Often Never Rarely

• Are you often encouraged to express different ideas in your organisation?

Rarely Yes No

• Are there barriers to cultural expression that you have experienced with regard to your work or environments?
• Are there any particular places and spaces in your organisation that you feel encourage intercultural mixing?
• To what extent do people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds actually cooperate and collaborate?

Some extent Great extent Not at all

• Would you say your company is an intercultural city or do people keep to their own groups?

Questionnaire for Management

• How the cultural insensitivities lead to business losses?
• Is it often for your organisation to deal with the opinion conflicts formally?
• How much people are working in your organization with diverse culture? Some extent Great extent Not at all
• What role did the existence of a diverse population have in your choice?
• What sort of training programmes can be implemented to avoid cultural insensitivities?
• what are the different kinds of cultural insensitivities and how the cultural insensitivities lead to business losses?
• Are there colours, designs and symbols that you would like to use on your businesses that would help to express your culture?
• What kind of people do you mix with in terms of where they live, their age, their cultural or socio-economic backgrounds?
• What do these diversity programs look like and how do they address attitude changes?
• Do you feel that your physical environment expresses the cultural diversity of the local community – i.e. are there artworks, designs, signs and decorations that celebrate cultures?
• Are there colours, designs and symbols that you would like to use on your homes or businesses that would help to express your culture?
• How many people are working in your organisation?

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• How to Write a Diversity Essay | Tips & Examples

How to Write a Diversity Essay | Tips & Examples

Published on November 1, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

Table of contents

What is a diversity essay, identify how you will enrich the campus community, share stories about your lived experience, explain how your background or identity has affected your life, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Diversity essays ask students to highlight an important aspect of their identity, background, culture, experience, viewpoints, beliefs, skills, passions, goals, etc.

Diversity essays can come in many forms. Some scholarships are offered specifically for students who come from an underrepresented background or identity in higher education. At highly competitive schools, supplemental diversity essays require students to address how they will enhance the student body with a unique perspective, identity, or background.

In the Common Application and applications for several other colleges, some main essay prompts ask about how your background, identity, or experience has affected you.

Why schools want a diversity essay

Many universities believe a student body representing different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community.

Through the diversity essay, admissions officers want students to articulate the following:

• What makes them different from other applicants
• Stories related to their background, identity, or experience
• How their unique lived experience has affected their outlook, activities, and goals

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Think about what aspects of your identity or background make you unique, and choose one that has significantly impacted your life.

For some students, it may be easy to identify what sets them apart from their peers. But if you’re having trouble identifying what makes you different from other applicants, consider your life from an outsider’s perspective. Don’t presume your lived experiences are normal or boring just because you’re used to them.

Some examples of identities or experiences that you might write about include the following:

• Race/ethnicity
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation
• Nationality
• Socioeconomic status
• Immigration background
• Religion/belief system
• Place of residence
• Family circumstances
• Extracurricular activities related to diversity

Include vulnerable, authentic stories about your lived experiences. Maintain focus on your experience rather than going into too much detail comparing yourself to others or describing their experiences.

Keep the focus on you

Tell a story about how your background, identity, or experience has impacted you. While you can briefly mention another person’s experience to provide context, be sure to keep the essay focused on you. Admissions officers are mostly interested in learning about your lived experience, not anyone else’s.

When I was a baby, my grandmother took me in, even though that meant postponing her retirement and continuing to work full-time at the local hairdresser. Even working every shift she could, she never missed a single school play or soccer game.

She and I had a really special bond, even creating our own special language to leave each other secret notes and messages. She always pushed me to succeed in school, and celebrated every academic achievement like it was worthy of a Nobel Prize. Every month, any leftover tip money she received at work went to a special 509 savings plan for my college education.

When I was in the 10th grade, my grandmother was diagnosed with ALS. We didn’t have health insurance, and what began with quitting soccer eventually led to dropping out of school as her condition worsened. In between her doctor’s appointments, keeping the house tidy, and keeping her comfortable, I took advantage of those few free moments to study for the GED.

In school pictures at Raleigh Elementary School, you could immediately spot me as “that Asian girl.” At lunch, I used to bring leftover fun see noodles, but after my classmates remarked how they smelled disgusting, I begged my mom to make a “regular” lunch of sliced bread, mayonnaise, and deli meat.

Although born and raised in North Carolina, I felt a cultural obligation to learn my “mother tongue” and reconnect with my “homeland.” After two years of all-day Saturday Chinese school, I finally visited Beijing for the first time, expecting I would finally belong. While my face initially assured locals of my Chinese identity, the moment I spoke, my cover was blown. My Chinese was littered with tonal errors, and I was instantly labeled as an “ABC,” American-born Chinese.

I felt culturally homeless.

Speak from your own experience

Highlight your actions, difficulties, and feelings rather than comparing yourself to others. While it may be tempting to write about how you have been more or less fortunate than those around you, keep the focus on you and your unique experiences, as shown below.

I began to despair when the FAFSA website once again filled with red error messages.

I had been at the local library for hours and hadn’t even been able to finish the form, much less the other to-do items for my application.

I am the first person in my family to even consider going to college. My parents work two jobs each, but even then, it’s sometimes very hard to make ends meet. Rather than playing soccer or competing in speech and debate, I help my family by taking care of my younger siblings after school and on the weekends.

“We only speak one language here. Speak proper English!” roared a store owner when I had attempted to buy bread and accidentally used the wrong preposition.

In middle school, I had relentlessly studied English grammar textbooks and received the highest marks.

Leaving Seoul was hard, but living in West Orange, New Jersey was much harder一especially navigating everyday communication with Americans.

After sharing relevant personal stories, make sure to provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your perspective, activities, and goals. You should also explain how your background led you to apply to this university and why you’re a good fit.

Include your outlook, actions, and goals

Conclude your essay with an insight about how your background or identity has affected your outlook, actions, and goals. You should include specific actions and activities that you have done as a result of your insight.

One night, before the midnight premiere of Avengers: Endgame , I stopped by my best friend Maria’s house. Her mother prepared tamales, churros, and Mexican hot chocolate, packing them all neatly in an Igloo lunch box. As we sat in the line snaking around the AMC theater, I thought back to when Maria and I took salsa classes together and when we belted out Selena’s “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” at karaoke. In that moment, as I munched on a chicken tamale, I realized how much I admired the beauty, complexity, and joy in Maria’s culture but had suppressed and devalued my own.

The following semester, I joined Model UN. Since then, I have learned how to proudly represent other countries and have gained cultural perspectives other than my own. I now understand that all cultures, including my own, are equal. I still struggle with small triggers, like when I go through airport security and feel a suspicious glance toward me, or when I feel self-conscious for bringing kabsa to school lunch. But in the future, I hope to study and work in international relations to continue learning about other cultures and impart a positive impression of Saudi culture to the world.

The smell of the early morning dew and the welcoming whinnies of my family’s horses are some of my most treasured childhood memories. To this day, our farm remains so rural that we do not have broadband access, and we’re too far away from the closest town for the postal service to reach us.

Going to school regularly was always a struggle: between the unceasing demands of the farm and our lack of connectivity, it was hard to keep up with my studies. Despite being a voracious reader, avid amateur chemist, and active participant in the classroom, emergencies and unforeseen events at the farm meant that I had a lot of unexcused absences.

Although it had challenges, my upbringing taught me resilience, the value of hard work, and the importance of family. Staying up all night to watch a foal being born, successfully saving the animals from a minor fire, and finding ways to soothe a nervous mare afraid of thunder have led to an unbreakable family bond.

Our farm is my family’s birthright and our livelihood, and I am eager to learn how to ensure the farm’s financial and technological success for future generations. In college, I am looking forward to joining a chapter of Future Farmers of America and studying agricultural business to carry my family’s legacy forward.

Tailor your answer to the university

After explaining how your identity or background will enrich the university’s existing student body, you can mention the university organizations, groups, or courses in which you’re interested.

Maybe a larger public school setting will allow you to broaden your community, or a small liberal arts college has a specialized program that will give you space to discover your voice and identity. Perhaps this particular university has an active affinity group you’d like to join.

Demonstrating how a university’s specific programs or clubs are relevant to you can show that you’ve done your research and would be a great addition to the university.

At the University of Michigan Engineering, I want to study engineering not only to emulate my mother’s achievements and strength, but also to forge my own path as an engineer with disabilities. I appreciate the University of Michigan’s long-standing dedication to supporting students with disabilities in ways ranging from accessible housing to assistive technology. At the University of Michigan Engineering, I want to receive a top-notch education and use it to inspire others to strive for their best, regardless of their circumstances.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
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• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

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• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
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In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

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Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

How it works

Cultural diversity in the areas of work is essential since it mirrors the differences of people at the level of society (Anjorini and Jansari, 2018). The numerous cultural differences that can be observed at the workplace include religion, age, gender, social status, and sexual orientation. To start with, different people hold different spiritual views and practice different morals and behaviors that relate to spiritual elements. Also, individuals at the workplace are diverse in their ages with some coming from different generations. In addition, gender differences in the workplace mean that people are denoted separately based on their biological identities.

Moreover, the social status of individuals is also observed and it is based on the levels of schooling and their financial position. Finally, sexual orientation can be observed at the workplace and it is an individual and cultural identity based on physical attractions.

The culture of an individual can have an impact on his or her response to work hours and schedule flexibility due to religious practices. Some religions, for instance, require an individual to take time off during work days to worship or celebrate. The time off required can have an impact on output and execution of responsibilities due to absence at the workplace. Additionally, culture difference can influence the response to advancement due to the social values which can discourage career advancement for certain members such as women. Moreover, the cultural difference can also influence their response to travel requirements due to aspects such as dressing and the individual can be subject to inhumane travel conditions.

In my opinion, organization leaders should try and adjust workplace standards to unique cultural values in order to embrace diversity. The modern workplace employs people from local and international countries who come from diverse cultural backgrounds. Adjusting the standards helps ensure that all employees feel accepted and embraced by the organization.

The incident which involves a faith-based adoption agency and the Michigan state is an example of a current event which requires a leader to utilize a keen sense of cultural awareness. The matter has been reported by CNN and involves an adoption agency which is suing the Michigan state for declining to work with the agency since it refused to admit children from same-sex couples (Lou and Griggs, 2019). The adoption agency which is faith-based declined to take in the children since it believes same-sex unions are sinful. Cultural sensitivity is important in this case since it helps embrace different cultures and positions and allows leaders to tolerate and accept all cultures without resentment. By embracing cultural sensitivity leaders can be able to make determinations that are fair to all parties.”

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Cultural Diversity Essay & Community Essay Examples

If you’ve started to research college application requirements for the schools on your list, you might have come across the “cultural diversity essay.” In this guide, we’ll explore the cultural diversity essay in depth. We will compare the cultural diversity essay to the community essay and discuss how to approach these kinds of supplements. We’ll also provide examples of diversity essays and community essay examples. But first, let’s discuss exactly what a cultural diversity essay is. 

The purpose of the cultural diversity essay in college applications is to show the admissions committee what makes you unique. The cultural diversity essay also lets you describe what type of “ diversity ” you would bring to campus.

We’ll also highlight a diversity essay sample for three college applications. These include the Georgetown application essay , Rice application essay , and Williams application essay . We’ll provide examples of diversity essays for each college. Then, for each of these college essays that worked, we will analyze their strengths to help you craft your own essays. 

Finally, we’ll give you some tips on how to write a cultural diversity essay that will make your applications shine. 

But first, let’s explore the types of college essays you might encounter on your college applications. 

Types of College Essays

College application requirements will differ among schools. However, you’ll submit one piece of writing to nearly every school on your list—the personal statement . A strong personal statement can help you stand out in the admissions process. 

So, how do you know what to write about? That depends on the type of college essay included in your college application requirements. 

There are a few main types of college essays that you might encounter in the college admissions process. Theese include the “Why School ” essay, the “Why Major ” essay, and the extracurricular activity essay. This also includes the type of essay we will focus on in this guide—the cultural diversity essay. 

“Why School” essay

The “Why School ” essay is exactly what it sounds like. For this type of college essay, you’ll need to underscore why you want to go to this particular school. 

However, don’t make the mistake of just listing off what you like about the school. Additionally, don’t just reiterate information you can find on their admissions website. Instead, you’ll want to make connections between what the school offers and how you are a great fit for that college community. 

“Why Major” essay

The idea behind the “Why Major ” essay is similar to that of the “Why School ” essay above. However, instead of writing about the school at large, this essay should highlight why you plan to study your chosen major.

There are plenty of directions you could take with this type of essay. For instance, you might describe how you chose this major, what career you plan to pursue upon graduation, or other details.

Extracurricular Activity essay

The extracurricular activity essay asks you to elaborate on one of the activities that you participated in outside of the classroom. 

For this type of college essay, you’ll need to select an extracurricular activity that you pursued while you were in high school. Bonus points if you can tie your extracurricular activity into your future major, career goals, or other extracurricular activities for college. Overall, your extracurricular activity essay should go beyond your activities list. In doing so, it should highlight why your chosen activity matters to you.

Cultural Diversity essay

The cultural diversity essay is your chance to expound upon diversity in all its forms. Before you write your cultural diversity essay, you should ask yourself some key questions. These questions can include: How will you bring diversity to your future college campus? What unique perspective do you bring to the table? 

Another sub-category of the cultural diversity essay is the gender diversity essay. As its name suggests, this essay would center around the author’s gender. This essay would highlight how gender shapes the way the writer understands the world around them. 

Later, we’ll look at examples of diversity essays and other college essays that worked. But before we do, let’s figure out how to identify a cultural diversity essay in the first place. 

How to identify a ‘cultural diversity’ essay

So, you’re wondering how you’ll be able to identify a cultural diversity essay as you review your college application requirements. 

Aside from the major giveaway of having the word “diversity” in the prompt, a cultural diversity essay will ask you to describe what makes you different from other applicants. In other words, what aspects of your unique culture(s) have influenced your perspective and shaped you into who you are today?

Diversity can refer to race, ethnicity, first-generation status, gender, or anything in between. You can write about a myriad of things in a cultural diversity essay. For instance, you might discuss your personal background, identity, values, experiences, or how you’ve overcome challenges in your life. 

However, don’t feel limited in what you can address in a cultural diversity essay. The words “culture” and “diversity” mean different things to different people. Above all, you’ll want your diversity essays for college to be personal and sincere. 

How is a ‘community’ essay different? 

A community essay can also be considered a cultural diversity essay. In fact, you can think of the community essay as a subcategory of the cultural diversity essay. However, there is a key difference between a community essay and a cultural diversity essay, which we will illustrate below. 

You might have already seen some community essay examples while you were researching college application requirements. But how exactly is a community essay different from a cultural diversity essay?

One way to tell the difference between community essay examples and cultural diversity essay examples is by the prompt. A community essay will highlight, well, community . This means it will focus on how your identity will shape your interactions on campus—not just how it informs your own experiences.

Two common forms to look out for

Community essay examples can take two forms. First, you’ll find community essay examples about your past experiences. These let you show the admissions team how you have positively influenced your own community. 

Other community essay examples, however, will focus on the future. These community essay examples will ask you to detail how you will contribute to your future college community. We refer to these as college community essay examples.

In college community essay examples, you’ll see applicants detail how they might interact with their fellow students. These essays may also discuss how students plan to positively contribute to the campus community. 

As we mentioned above, the community essay, along with community essay examples and college community essay examples, fit into the larger category of the cultural diversity essay. Although we do not have specific community essay examples or college community essay examples in this guide, we will continue to highlight the subtle differences between the two. 

Before we continue the discussion of community essay examples and college community essay examples, let’s start with some examples of cultural diversity essay prompts. For each of the cultural diversity essay prompts, we’ll name the institutions that include these diversity essays for college as part of their college application requirements. 

What are some examples of ‘cultural diversity’ essays? 

Now, you have a better understanding of the similarities and differences between the cultural diversity essay and the community essay. So, next, let’s look at some examples of cultural diversity essay prompts.

The prompts below are from the Georgetown application, Rice application, and Williams application, respectively. As we discuss the similarities and differences between prompts, remember the framework we provided above for what constitutes a cultural diversity essay and a community essay. 

Later in this guide, we’ll provide real examples of diversity essays, including Georgetown essay examples, Rice University essay examples, and Williams supplemental essays examples. These are all considered college essays that worked—meaning that the author was accepted into that particular institution. 

Georgetown Supplementals Essays

Later, we’ll look at Georgetown supplemental essay examples. Diversity essays for Georgetown are a product of this prompt: 

As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. 

You might have noticed two keywords in this prompt right away: “diverse” and “community.” These buzzwords indicate that this prompt is a cultural diversity essay. You could even argue that responses to this prompt would result in college community essay examples. After all, the prompt refers to the Georgetown community. 

For this prompt, you’ll want to produce a diversity essay sample that highlights who you are. In order to do that successfully, you’ll need to self-reflect before putting pen to paper. What aspects of your background, personality, or values best describe who you are? How might your presence at Georgetown influence or contribute to their diverse community? 

Additionally, this cultural diversity essay can be personal or creative. So, you have more flexibility with the Georgetown supplemental essays than with other similar diversity essay prompts. Depending on the direction you go, your response to this prompt could be considered a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or a college community essay. 

Rice University Essays

The current Rice acceptance rate is just 9% , making it a highly selective school. Because the Rice acceptance rate is so low, your personal statement and supplemental essays can make a huge difference. 

The Rice University essay examples we’ll provide below are based on this prompt: 

The quality of Rice’s academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspective would you contribute to life at Rice? 

Breaking down the prompt.

Like the prompt above, this cultural diversity essay asks about your “life experiences,” “cultural traditions,” and personal “perspectives.” These phrases indicate a cultural diversity essay. Keep in mind this may not be the exact prompt you’ll have to answer in your own Rice application. However, future Rice prompts will likely follow a similar framework as this diversity essay sample.

Although this prompt is not as flexible as the Georgetown prompt, it does let you discuss aspects of Rice’s academic life and Residential College System that appeal to you. You can also highlight how your experiences have influenced your personal perspective. 

The prompt also asks about how you would contribute to life at Rice. So, your response could also fall in line with college community essay examples. Remember, college community essay examples are another sub-category of community essay examples. Successful college community essay examples will illustrate the ways in which students would contribute to their future campus community. 

Williams Supplemental Essays

Like the Rice acceptance rate, the Williams acceptance rate is also 9% . Because the Williams acceptance rate is so low, you’ll want to pay close attention to the Williams supplemental essays examples as you begin the writing process. 

The Williams supplemental essays examples below are based on this prompt: 

Every first-year student at Williams lives in an Entry – a thoughtfully constructed microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience. From the moment they arrive, students find themselves in what’s likely the most diverse collection of backgrounds, perspectives, and interests they’ve ever encountered. What might differentiate you from the 19 other first-year students in an Entry? What perspective would you add to the conversation with your peer(s)?

Reflecting on the prompt.

Immediately, words like “diverse,” “backgrounds,” “perspectives,” “interests,” and “differentiate” should stand out to you. These keywords highlight the fact that this is a cultural diversity essay. Similar to the Rice essay, this may not be the exact prompt you’ll face on your Williams application. However, we can still learn from it.

Like the Georgetown essay, this prompt requires you to put in some self-reflection before you start writing. What aspects of your background differentiate you from other people? How would these differences impact your interactions with peers? 

This prompt also touches on the “student community” and how you would “add to the conversation with your peer(s).” By extension, any strong responses to this prompt could also be considered as college community essay examples. 

Community Essays

All of the prompts above mention campus community. So, you could argue that they are also examples of community essays. 

Like we mentioned above, you can think of community essays as a subcategory of the cultural diversity essay. If the prompt alludes to the campus community, or if your response is centered on how you would interact within that community, your essay likely falls into the world of college community essay examples. 

Regardless of what you would classify the essay as, all successful essays will be thoughtful, personal, and rich with details. We’ll show you examples of this in our “college essays that worked” section below. 

Which schools require a cultural diversity or community essay? 

Besides Georgetown, Rice, and Williams, many other college applications require a cultural diversity essay or community essay. In fact, from the Ivy League to HBCUs and state schools, the cultural diversity essay is a staple across college applications. 

Although we will not provide a diversity essay sample for each of the colleges below, it is helpful to read the prompts. This will build your familiarity with other college applications that require a cultural diversity essay or community essay. Some schools that require a cultural diversity essay or community essay include New York University , Duke University , Harvard University , Johns Hopkins University , and University of Michigan . 

New York University

NYU listed a cultural diversity essay as part of its 2022-2023 college application requirements. Here is the prompt:

NYU was founded on the belief that a student’s identity should not dictate the ability for them to access higher education. That sense of opportunity for all students, of all backgrounds, remains a part of who we are today and a critical part of what makes us a world class university. Our community embraces diversity, in all its forms, as a cornerstone of the NYU experience. We would like to better understand how your experiences would help us to shape and grow our diverse community.

Duke university.

Duke is well-known for its community essay: 

What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you? If there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well.

A top-ranked Ivy League institution, Harvard University also has a cultural diversity essay as part of its college application requirements: 

Harvard has long recognized the importance of student body diversity of all kinds. We welcome you to write about distinctive aspects of your background, personal development, or the intellectual interests you might bring to your Harvard classmates.

Johns hopkins university.

The Johns Hopkins supplement is another example of a cultural diversity essay: 

Founded in the spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests, and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity, or your community), and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. 

University of michigan.

The University of Michigan requires a community essay for its application: 

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong and describe that community and your place within it. 

Community essay examples.

The Duke and Michigan prompts are perfect illustrations of community essay examples. However, they have some critical differences. So, if you apply to both of these schools, you’ll have to change the way you approach either of these community essays. 

The Duke prompt asks you to highlight why you are a good match for the Duke community. You’ll also see this prompt in other community essay examples. To write a successful response to this prompt, you’ll need to reference offerings specific to Duke (or whichever college requires this essay). In order to know what to reference, you’ll need to do your research before you start writing. 

Consider the following questions as you write your diversity essay sample if the prompt is similar to Duke University’s

• What values does this college community have? 
• How do these tie in with what you value? 
• Is there something that this college offers that matches your interests, personality, or background?  

On the other hand, the Michigan essay prompt asks you to describe a community that you belong to as well as your place within that community. This is another variation of the prompt for community essay examples. 

To write a successful response to this prompt, you’ll need to identify a community that you belong to. Then, you’ll need to think critically about how you interact with that community. 

Below are some questions to consider as you write your diversity essay sample for colleges like Michigan: 

• Out of all the communities you belong to, which can you highlight in your response? 
• How have you impacted this community? 
• How has this community impacted you?

Now, in the next few sections, we’ll dive into the Georgetown supplemental essay examples, the Rice university essay examples, and the Williams supplemental essays examples. After each diversity essay sample, we’ll include a breakdown of why these are considered college essays that worked. 

Georgetown Essay Examples

As a reminder, the Georgetown essay examples respond to this prompt: 

As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.

Here is the excerpt of the diversity essay sample from our Georgetown essay examples: 

Georgetown University Essay Example

The best thing I ever did was skip eight days of school in a row. Despite the protests of teachers over missed class time, I told them that the world is my classroom. The lessons I remember most are those that took place during my annual family vacation to coastal Maine. That rural world is the most authentic and incredible classroom where learning simply happens and becomes exponential. 

Years ago, as I hunted through the rocks and seaweed for seaglass and mussels, I befriended a Maine local hauling her battered kayak on the shore. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, I had found a kindred spirit in Jeanne. Jeanne is a year-round resident who is more than the hard working, rugged Mainer that meets the eye; reserved and humble in nature, she is a wealth of knowledge and is self-taught through necessity. With thoughtful attention to detail, I engineered a primitive ramp made of driftwood and a pulley system to haul her kayak up the cliff. We diligently figured out complex problems and developed solutions through trial and error.

After running out of conventional materials, I recycled and reimagined items that had washed ashore. We expected to succeed, but were not afraid to fail. Working with Jeanne has been the best classroom in the world; without textbooks or technology, she has made a difference in my life. Whether building a basic irrigation system for her organic garden or installing solar panels to harness the sun’s energy, every project has shown me the value of taking action and making an impact. Each year brings a different project with new excitement and unique challenges. My resourcefulness, problem solving ability, and innovative thinking have advanced under her tutelage. 

While exploring the rocky coast of Maine, I embrace every experience as an unparalleled educational opportunity that transcends any classroom environment. I discovered that firsthand experience and real-world application of science are my best teachers. In school, applications of complex calculations and abstract theories are sometimes obscured by grades and structure. In Maine, I expand my love of science and renourish my curious spirit. I am a highly independent, frugal, resilient Mainer living as a southern girl in NC. 

Why this essay worked

This is one of the Georgetown supplemental essay examples that works, and here’s why. The author starts the essay with an interesting hook, which makes the reader want to learn more about this person and their perspective. 

Throughout the essay, the author illustrates their intellectual curiosity. From befriending Jeanne and creating a pulley system to engineering other projects on the rocky coast of Maine, the author demonstrates how they welcome challenges and work to solve problems. 

Further, the author mentions values that matter to them—taking action and making an impact. Both facets are also part of Georgetown’s core values . By making these connections in their essay, the author shows the admissions committee exactly how they would be a great fit for the Georgetown community. 

Finally, the author uses their experience in Maine to showcase their love of science, which is likely the field they will study at Georgetown. Like this writer, you should try to include most important parts of your identity into your essay. This includes things like life experiences, passions, majors, extracurricular activities for college, and more. 

Rice University Essay Examples

The Rice University essay examples are from this prompt: 

The quality of Rice’s academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspective would you contribute to life at Rice? (500-word limit)

Rice university essay example.

Like every applicant, I also have a story to share. A story that makes me who I am and consists of chapters about my life experiences and adventures. Having been born in a different country, my journey to America was one of the most difficult things I had ever experienced. Everything felt different. The atmosphere, the places, the food, and especially the people. Everywhere I looked, I saw something new. Although it was a bit overwhelming, one thing had not changed.

The caring nature of the people was still prevalent in everyday interactions. I was overwhelmed by how supportive and understanding people were of one another. Whether it is race, religion, or culture, everyone was accepted and appreciated. I knew that I could be whoever I wanted to be and that the only limitation was my imagination. Through hard work and persistence I put my all in everything that I did. I get this work ethic from my father since he is living proof that anything can be accomplished with continued determination. Listening to the childhood stories he told me, my dad would reminisce about how he was born in an impoverished area in a third world country during a turbulent and unpredictable time.

Even with a passion for learning, he had to work a laborious job in an attempt to help his parents make ends meet. He talked about how he would study under the street lights when the power went out at home. His parents wanted something better for him, as did he. Not living in America changed nothing about their work ethic. His parents continued to work hard daily, in an attempt to provide for their son. My dad worked and studied countless hours, paying his way through school with jobs and scholarships. His efforts paid off when he finally moved to America and opened his own business. None of it would have been possible without tremendous effort and dedication needed for a better life, values that are instilled within me as well, and this is the perspective that I wish to bring to Rice. 

This diversity essay sample references the author’s unique life experiences and personal perspective, which makes it one example of college essays that worked. The author begins the essay by alluding to their unique story—they were born in a different country and then came to America. Instead of facing this change as a challenge, the author shows how this new experience helped them to feel comfortable with all kinds of people. They also highlight how their diversity was accepted and appreciated. 

Additionally, the author incorporates information about their father’s story, which helps to frame their own values and where those values came from. The values that they chose to highlight also fall in line with the values of the Rice community. 

Williams Supplemental Essay Examples

Let’s read the prompt that inspired so many strong Williams supplemental essays examples again: 

Every first-year student at Williams lives in an Entry—a thoughtfully constructed microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience. From the moment they arrive, students find themselves in what’s likely the most diverse collection of backgrounds, perspectives and interests they’ve ever encountered. What might differentiate you from the 19 other first-year students in an entry? What perspective(s) would you add to the conversation with your peers?

Williams college essay example.

Through the flow in my head

See you clad in red

But not just the clothes

It’s your whole being

Covering in this sickening blanket

Of heat and pain

Are you in agony, I wonder?

Is this the hell they told me about?

Have we been condemned?

Reduced to nothing but pain

At least we have each other

In our envelopes of crimson

I try in vain

“Take my hands” I shriek

“Let’s protect each other, 

You and me, through this hell”

My body contorts

And deforms into nothingness

You remain the same

Clad in red

With faraway eyes

You, like a statue

Your eyes fixed somewhere else

You never see me

Just the red briefcase in your heart

We aren’t together

It’s always been me alone

While you stand there, aloof, with the briefcase in your heart.

I wrote this poem the day my prayer request for the Uighur Muslims got denied at school. At the time, I was stunned. I was taught to have empathy for those around me. Yet, that empathy disappears when told to extend it to someone different. I can’t comprehend this contradiction and I refuse to. 

At Williams, I hope to become a Community Engagement Fellow at the Davis Center. I hope to use Williams’ support for social justice and advocacy to educate my fellow classmates on social issues around the world. Williams students are not just scholars but also leaders and changemakers. Together, we can strive to better the world through advocacy.

Human’s capability for love is endless. We just need to open our hearts to everyone. 

It’s time to let the briefcase go and look at those around us with our real human eyes.

We see you now. Please forgive us.

As we mentioned above, the Williams acceptance rate is incredibly low. This makes the supplemental essay that much more important. 

This diversity essay sample works because it is personal and memorable. The author chooses to start the essay off with a poem. Which, if done right, will immediately grab the reader’s attention. 

Further, the author contextualizes the poem by explaining the circumstances surrounding it—they wrote it in response to a prayer request that was denied at school. In doing so, they also highlight their own values of empathy and embracing diversity. 

Finally, the author ends their cultural diversity essay by describing what excites them about Williams. They also discuss how they see themselves interacting within the Williams community. This is a key piece of the essay, as it helps the reader understand how the author would be a good fit for Williams. 

The examples provided within this essay also touch on issues that are important to the author, which provides a glimpse into the type of student the author would be on campus. Additionally, this response shows what potential extracurricular activities for college the author might be interested in pursuing while at Williams. 

How to Write a Cultural Diversity Essay

You want your diversity essay to stand out from any other diversity essay sample. But how do you write a successful cultural diversity essay? 

First, consider what pieces of your identity you want to highlight in your essay. Of course, race and ethnicity are important facets of diversity. However, there are plenty of other factors to consider. 

As you brainstorm, think outside the box to figure out what aspects of your identity help make up who you are. Because identity and diversity fall on a spectrum, there is no right or wrong answer here. 

Fit your ideas to the specific school

Once you’ve decided on what you want to represent in your cultural diversity essay, think about how that fits into the college of your choice. Use your cultural diversity essay to make connections to the school. If your college has specific values or programs that align with your identity, then include them in your cultural diversity essay! 

Above all, you should write about something that is important to you. Your cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay will succeed if you are passionate about your topic and willing to get personal. 

Additional Tips for Community & Cultural Diversity Essays

1. start early.

In order to create the strongest diversity essay possible, you’ll want to start early. Filling out college applications is already a time-consuming process. So, you can cut back on additional stress and anxiety by writing your cultural diversity essay as early as possible. 

2. Brainstorm

Writing a cultural diversity essay or community essay is a personal process. To set yourself up for success, take time to brainstorm and reflect on your topic. Overall, you want your cultural diversity essay to be a good indication of who you are and what makes you a unique applicant. 

3. Proofread

We can’t stress this final tip enough. Be sure to proofread your cultural diversity essay before you hit the submit button. Additionally, you can read your essay aloud to hear how it flows. You can also can ask someone you trust, like your college advisor or a teacher, to help proofread your essay as well.

Other CollegeAdvisor Essay Resources to Explore

Looking for additional resources on supplemental essays for the colleges we mentioned above? Do you need help with incorporating extracurricular activities for college into your essays or crafting a strong diversity essay sample? We’ve got you covered. 

Our how to get into Georgetown guide covers additional tips on how to approach the supplemental diversity essay. If you’re wondering how to write about community in your essay, check out our campus community article for an insider’s perspective on Williams College.

Want to learn strategies for writing compelling cultural diversity essays? Check out this Q&A webinar, featuring a former Georgetown admissions officer. And, if you’re still unsure of what to highlight in your community essay, try getting inspiration from a virtual college tour . 

Cultural Diversity Essay & Community Essay Examples – Final Thoughts

Your supplemental essays are an important piece of the college application puzzle. With colleges becoming more competitive than ever, you’ll want to do everything you can to create a strong candidate profile. This includes writing well-crafted responses for a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay. 

We hope our cultural diversity essay guide helped you learn more about this common type of supplemental essay. As you are writing your own cultural diversity essay or community essay, use the essay examples from Georgetown, Rice, and Williams above as your guide. 

Getting into top schools takes a lot more than a strong resume. Writing specific, thoughtful, and personal responses for a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay will put you one step closer to maximizing your chances of admission. Good luck!

CollegeAdvisor.com is here to help you with every aspect of the college admissions process. From taking a gap year to completing enrollment , we’re here to help. Register today to receive one-on-one support from an admissions expert as you begin your college application journey.

This essay guide was written by senior advisor, Claire Babbs . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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May 8, 2024

The Diversity Essay: How to Write an Excellent Diversity Essay

What is a diversity essay in a school application? And why does it matter when applying to leading programs and universities? Most importantly, how should you go about writing such an essay?

Diversity is of supreme value in higher education, and schools want to know how every student will contribute to the diversity on their campus. A diversity essay gives applicants with disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds, an unusual education, a distinctive experience, or a unique family history an opportunity to write about how these elements of their background have prepared them to play a useful role in increasing and encouraging diversity among their target program’s student body and broader community.

The purpose of all application essays is to help the adcom better understand who an applicant is and what they care about. Your essays are your chance to share your voice and humanize your application. This is especially true for the diversity essay, which aims to reveal your unique perspectives and experiences, as well as the ways in which you might contribute to a college community.

In this post, we’ll discuss what exactly a diversity essay is, look at examples of actual prompts and a sample essay, and offer tips for writing a standout essay. 

In this post, you’ll find the following: 

What a diversity essay covers

How to show you can add to a school’s diversity, why diversity matters to schools.

• Seven examples that reveal diversity

Sample diversity essay prompts

How to write about your diversity.

• A diversity essay example

Upon hearing the word “diversity” in relation to an application essay, many people assume that they will have to write about gender, sexuality, class, or race. To many, this can feel overly personal or irrelevant, and some students might worry that their identity isn’t unique or interesting enough. In reality, the diversity essay is much broader than many people realize.

Identity means different things to different people. The important thing is that you demonstrate your uniqueness and what matters to you. In addition to writing about one of the traditional identity features we just mentioned (gender, sexuality, class, race), you could consider writing about a more unusual feature of yourself or your life – or even the intersection of two or more identities.

Consider these questions as you think about what to include in your diversity essay:

• Do you have a unique or unusual talent or skill?
• Do you have beliefs or values that are markedly different from those of the people around you? 
• Do you have a hobby or interest that sets you apart from your peers? 
• Have you done or experienced something that few people have? Note that if you choose to write about a single event as a diverse identity feature, that event needs to have had a pretty substantial impact on you and your life. For example, perhaps you’re part of the 0.2% of the world’s population that has run a marathon, or you’ve had the chance to watch wolves hunt in the wild.
• Do you have a role in life that gives you a special outlook on the world? For example, maybe one of your siblings has a rare disability, or you grew up in a town with fewer than 500 inhabitants.

If you are an immigrant to the United States, the child of immigrants, or someone whose ethnicity is underrepresented in the States, your response to “How will you add to the diversity of our class/community?” and similar questions might help your application efforts. Why? Because you have the opportunity to show the adcom how your background will contribute a distinctive perspective to the program you are applying to.

Of course, if you’re not underrepresented in your field or part of a disadvantaged group, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have anything to write about in a diversity essay.

For example, you might have an unusual or special experience to share, such as serving in the military, being a member of a dance troupe, or caring for a disabled relative. These and other distinctive experiences can convey how you will contribute to the diversity of the school’s campus.

Maybe you are the first member of your family to apply to college or the first person in your household to learn English. Perhaps you have worked your way through college or helped raise your siblings. You might also have been an ally to those who are underrepresented, disadvantaged, or marginalized in your community, at your school, or in a work setting. 

As you can see, diversity is not limited to one’s religion, ethnicity, culture, language, or sexual orientation. It refers to whatever element of your identity distinguishes you from others and shows that you, too, value diversity.

The diversity essay provides colleges the chance to build a student body that includes different ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, backgrounds, interests, and so on. Applicants are asked to illuminate what sets them apart so that the adcoms can see what kind of diverse views and opinions they can bring to the campus.

Admissions officers believe that diversity in the classroom improves the educational experience of all the students involved. They also believe that having a diverse workforce better serves society as a whole.

The more diverse perspectives found in the classroom, throughout the dorms, in the dining halls, and mixed into study groups, the richer people’s discussions will be.

Plus, learning and growing in this kind of multicultural environment will prepare students for working in our increasingly multicultural and global world.

In medicine, for example, a heterogeneous workforce benefits people from previously underrepresented cultures. Businesses realize that they will market more effectively if they can speak to different audiences, which is possible when members of their workforce come from various backgrounds and cultures. Schools simply want to prepare graduates for the 21st century job market.

Seven examples that reveal diversity

Adcoms want to know about the diverse elements of your character and how these have helped you develop particular  personality traits , as well as about any unusual experiences that have shaped you.

Here are seven examples an applicant could write about:

1. They grew up in an environment with a strong emphasis on respecting their elders, attending family events, and/or learning their parents’ native language and culture.

2. They are close to their grandparents and extended family members who have taught them how teamwork can help everyone thrive.

3. They have had to face difficulties that stem from their parents’ values being in conflict with theirs or those of their peers.

4. Teachers have not always understood the elements of their culture or lifestyle and how those elements influence their performance.

5. They have suffered discrimination and succeeded despite it because of their grit, values, and character.

6. They learned skills from a lifestyle that is outside the norm (e.g., living in foreign countries as the child of a diplomat or contractor; performing professionally in theater, dance, music, or sports; having a deaf sibling).

7. They’ve encountered racism or other prejudice (either toward themselves or others) and responded by actively promoting diverse, tolerant values.

And remember, diversity is not about who your parents are.  It’s about who you are  – at the core.

Your background, influences, religious observances, native language, ideas, work environment, community experiences – all these factors come together to create a unique individual, one who will contribute to a varied class of distinct individuals taking their place in a diverse world.

The best-known diversity essay prompt is from the  Common App . It states:

“Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

Some schools have individual diversity essay prompts. For example, this one is from  Duke University :

“We believe a wide range of personal perspectives, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to making Duke a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community.” 

And the  Rice University application includes the following prompt:

“Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice?”

In all instances, colleges want you to demonstrate how and what you’ll contribute to their communities.

Your answer to a school’s diversity essay question should focus on how your experiences have built your empathy for others, your embrace of differences, your resilience, your character, and your perspective.

The school might ask how you think of diversity or how you will bring or add to the diversity of the school, your chosen profession, or your community. Make sure you answer the specific question posed by highlighting distinctive elements of your profile that will add to the class mosaic every adcom is trying to create. You don’t want to blend in; you want to stand out in a positive way while also complementing the school’s canvas.

Here’s a simple, three-part framework that will help you think of diversity more broadly:

Who are you? What has contributed to your identity? How do you distinguish yourself? Your identity can include any of the following: gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, religion, nontraditional work experience, nontraditional educational background, multicultural background, and family’s educational level.

What have you done? What have you accomplished? This could include any of the following: achievements inside and/or outside your field of study, leadership opportunities, community service, internship or professional experience, research opportunities, hobbies, and travel. Any or all of these could be unique. Also, what life-derailing, throw-you-for-a-loop challenges have you faced and overcome?

How do you think? How do you approach things? What drives you? What influences you? Are you the person who can break up a tense meeting with some well-timed humor? Are you the one who intuitively sees how to bring people together? 

Read more about this three-part framework in Episode 193 of Accepted’s Admissions Straight Talk podcast or listen wherever you get your favorite podcast s.

Think about each question within this framework and how you could apply your diversity elements to your target school’s classroom or community. Any of these elements can serve as the framework for your essay.

Don’t worry if you can’t think of something totally “out there.” You don’t need to be a tightrope walker living in the Andes or a Buddhist monk from Japan to be able to contribute to a school’s diversity!

And please remember, the examples we have offered here are not exhaustive. There are many other ways to show diversity!

All you need to do to be able to write successfully about how you will contribute to the diversity of your target school’s community is examine your identity, deeds, and ideas, with an eye toward your personal distinctiveness and individuality. There is only one  you .

Take a look at the sample diversity essay in the next section of this post, and pay attention to how the writer underscores their appreciation for, and experience with, diversity. 

A diversity essay sample

When I was starting 11th grade, my dad, an agricultural scientist, was assigned to a 3-month research project in a farm village in Niigata (northwest Honshu in Japan). Rather than stay behind with my mom and siblings, I begged to go with him. As a straight-A student, I convinced my parents and the principal that I could handle my schoolwork remotely (pre-COVID) for that stretch. It was time to leap beyond my comfortable suburban Wisconsin life—and my Western orientation, reinforced by travel to Europe the year before. 

We roomed in a sprawling farmhouse with a family participating in my dad’s study. I thought I’d experience an “English-free zone,” but the high school students all studied and wanted to practice English, so I did meet peers even though I didn’t attend their school. Of the many eye-opening, influential, cultural experiences, the one that resonates most powerfully to me is experiencing their community. It was a living, organic whole. Elementary school kids spent time helping with the rice harvest. People who foraged for seasonal wild edibles gave them to acquaintances throughout the town. In fact, there was a constant sharing of food among residents—garden veggies carried in straw baskets, fish or meat in coolers. The pharmacist would drive prescriptions to people who couldn’t easily get out—new mothers, the elderly—not as a business service but as a good neighbor. If rain suddenly threatened, neighbors would bring in each other’s drying laundry. When an empty-nest 50-year-old woman had to be hospitalized suddenly for a near-fatal snakebite, neighbors maintained her veggie patch until she returned. The community embodied constant awareness of others’ needs and circumstances. The community flowed!

Yet, people there lamented that this lifestyle was vanishing; more young people left than stayed or came. And it wasn’t idyllic: I heard about ubiquitous gossip, long-standing personal enmities, busybody-ness. But these very human foibles didn’t dam the flow. This dynamic community organism couldn’t have been more different from my suburban life back home, with its insular nuclear families. We nod hello to neighbors in passing. 

This wonderful experience contained a personal challenge. Blond and blue-eyed, I became “the other” for the first time. Except for my dad, I saw no Westerner there. Curious eyes followed me. Stepping into a market or walking down the street, I drew gazes. People swiftly looked away if they accidentally caught my eye. It was not at all hostile, I knew, but I felt like an object. I began making extra sure to appear “presentable” before going outside. The sense of being watched sometimes generated mild stress or resentment. Returning to my lovely tatami room, I would decompress, grateful to be alone. I realized this challenge was a minute fraction of what others experience in my own country. The toll that feeling—and being— “other” takes on non-white and visibly different people in the US can be extremely painful. Experiencing it firsthand, albeit briefly, benignly, and in relative comfort, I got it.

Unlike the organic Niigata community, work teams, and the workplace itself, have externally driven purposes. Within this different environment, I will strive to exemplify the ongoing mutual awareness that fueled the community life in Niigata. Does it benefit the bottom line, improve the results? I don’t know. But it helps me be the mature, engaged person I want to be, and to appreciate the individuals who are my colleagues and who comprise my professional community. I am now far more conscious of people feeling their “otherness”—even when it’s not in response to negative treatment, it can arise simply from awareness of being in some way different.

What did you think of this essay? Does this middle class Midwesterner have the unique experience of being different from the surrounding majority, something she had not experienced in the United States? Did she encounter diversity from the perspective of “the other”? 

Here a few things to note about why this diversity essay works so well:

1. The writer comes from “a comfortable, suburban, Wisconsin life,” suggesting that her background might not be ethnically, racially, or in any other way diverse.

2. The diversity “points” scored all come from her fascinating experience of having lived in a Japanese farm village, where she immersed herself in a totally different culture.

3. The lessons learned about the meaning of community are what broaden and deepen the writer’s perspective about life, about a purpose-driven life, and about the concept of “otherness.” 

By writing about a time when you experienced diversity in one of its many forms, you can write a memorable and meaningful diversity essay.

Working on your diversity essay?

Want to ensure that your application demonstrates the diversity that your dream school is seeking?  Work with one of our admissions experts . This checklist includes more than 30 different ways to think about diversity to jump-start your creative engine.

Dr. Sundas Ali has more than 15 years of experience teaching and advising students, providing career and admissions advice, reviewing applications, and conducting interviews for the University of Oxford’s undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, Sundas has worked with students from a wide range of countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, and the Middle East. Want Sundas to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! 

Related Resources:

• Different Dimensions of Diversity , podcast Episode 193
• What Should You Do If You Belong to an Overrepresented MBA Applicant Group?
• Fitting In & Standing Out: The Paradox at the Heart of Admissions , a free guide

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Discrimination and Prejudice — Cultural Diversity

Essays on Cultural Diversity

Cultural differences between enculturation and acculturation, cultural diversity in classrooms: fostering inclusive learning, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

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Cultural Diversity in The Workplace

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1. Cox, T. H., & Blake, S. (1991). Managing cultural diversity: Implications for organizational competitiveness. Academy of Management Perspectives, 5(3), 45-56. (https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/ame.1991.4274465) 2. Tharp, R. G. (1991). Cultural diversity and treatment of children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59(6), 799. (https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1992-43946-001) 3. Fearon, J. D. (2003). Ethnic and cultural diversity by country. Journal of economic growth, 195-222. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/40215943) 4. Ely, R. J., & Thomas, D. A. (2001). Cultural diversity at work: The effects of diversity perspectives on work group processes and outcomes. Administrative science quarterly, 46(2), 229-273. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2307/2667087) 5. Martin, G. C. (2014). The effects of cultural diversity in the workplace. Journal of diversity management (JDM), 9(2), 89-92. (https://www.clutejournals.com/index.php/JDM/article/view/8974) 6. Seymen, O. A. (2006). The cultural diversity phenomenon in organisations and different approaches for effective cultural diversity management: a literary review. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal. (https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/13527600610713404/full/html?mobileUi=0&fullSc=1&mbSc=1&fullSc=1) 7. Gopalkrishnan, N. (2018). Cultural diversity and mental health: Considerations for policy and practice. Frontiers in public health, 6, 179. (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00179/full) 8. Guo, S., & Jamal, Z. (2007). Nurturing cultural diversity in higher education: a critical review of selected models. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 37(3), 27-49. (https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ799706) 9. Dotson, E., & Nuru-Jeter, A. (2012). Setting the stage for a business case for leadership diversity in healthcare: History, research, and leverage. Journal of Healthcare Management, 57(1), 35-46. (https://journals.lww.com/jhmonline/Abstract/2012/01000/Setting_the_Stage_for_a_Business_Case_for.7.aspx) 10. Clinton, J. F. (1996). Cultural diversity and health care in America: knowledge fundamental to cultural competence in baccalaureate nursing students. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 3(1), 4-8. (https://europepmc.org/article/med/8788834)

Relevant topics

• Racial Profiling
• Discrimination
• Peer Pressure
• Gender Discrimination
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Cultural Diversity Essay: Topics, Tips, & Example

Benefits & challenges of cultural diversity.

• 💡 51 Essay Topics
• 📑 Outlining Your Paper
• ✍️ Essay Example

🔗 References

🎎 cultural diversity essay: the key issues.

What does cultural diversity mean? That’s what we need to understand before we start writing. Cultural diversity is when several cultures are mixed.

Take America, for example.

You can taste a vast number of national cuisines. Or you can hear a lot of national music. All that is due to different cultures co-existing here together.

Cultural diversity can be confused with multiculturalism. The first concept means the way society deals with multiple cultures in one place. The second one assumes that the more cultures interact, the better. And there are many ways this interaction can go.

There are two main theories of multiculturalism :

• The melting pot theory. That holds the idea of different cultures “melting” together. They lose their individual features completely, forming one single culture. The situation with American immigrants shows this pretty well.
• The salad bowl theory. The less grim theory describes not full but partial cultural losses. The cultures here don’t cease to exist in order to become one. They rather co-exist, keeping their uniqueness intact. Sounds great, but it leaves more room for discrimination and conflicts.

Cultural diversity is an issue that affects several aspects. Mostly education, business, and the economy in general. And every issue has its pros and cons. Here are some good things and challenges that cultural diversity can bring to a business company.

Cultural diversity benefits:

• More competitive teams
• More markets available
• New cultural horizons
• More creativity
• More skills

Cultural diversity challenges:

• Risks of misunderstandings
• Problems with productivity
• Risks of unhealthy competition
• More stereotypes
• More red tape
• Diverse cultures – diverse teams. And diversion in a group leads to more perspectives on issues the team faces. It keeps the atmosphere fresh and competitive. And as long as you keep this competitive spirit healthy, you are good to go.
• More cultures – more markets available. Diverse companies have more information about foreign markets. Thanks to the fact that for some employees, foreign markets are not foreign at all. As a result, you are less likely to create an offensive ad or product.
• More diverse – more attractive. Trying to find employees with different cultures can be beneficial. You may find a hidden talent for your company. And attract new applicants by opening new cultural horizons.
• More diversity – more creativity. An international team focuses on different experiences in one place. And such a team always comes out with a stream of fresh ideas.
• More diversity – more skills. People with different cultural backgrounds have different skill sets. With that, your company would have way more possibilities. Coming up with a new product or service will become a much easier task.
• Different cultures – different etiquette. Business etiquette is something that differs from culture to culture. It can sometimes lead to misunderstandings or conflicts within the team.
• Different people – different ways to work. Workers from Europe are used to the idea of individuality. Asian employees tend to work as a single organism. Now imagine what happens if you make these folks work together. Correct, a lot of problems with productivity that you’ll need to solve.
• More cultures – more competition. And as we said before, you always need to keep this competition in check. Once it stops being healthy, you will have some voices of the team silenced. And some others will become needlessly loud.
• More cultures – more stereotypes. And stereotypes can lead to barriers between employees. You don’t want your team to fight over nationality issues. So, you should prepare to fight possible prejudices that can occur.
• More foreigners – more red tape. This is a purely practical problem. Law that covers foreigners’ work conditions can be tricky to follow. Additional expenses, necessary documents, and accommodation. All of this need attention, so make sure to give it.

💡 51 Cultural Diversity Essay Topics

Making a cultural diversity essay topic is easy and complicated at the same time. The vastness of the issue gives a lot of possible options. But choosing the option you want can be a bit tricky. Here are some ideas for a possible topic.

• Cultural diversity now and in the medieval ages.
• Multiculturalism is the best way to handle diversity in cultures.
• What misunderstandings can occur between Asian and European business people?
• Tensions between the British and the French: roots and misconceptions.
• Can cultural diversity be unethical?
• Possible alternatives to a multicultural society.
• The importance of language in forming a culture.
• What are the musical tastes of different cultures?
• Women in Muslim societies: the kingdom of strangers.
• Art as a source of cultural knowledge.
• Hispanic American diversity.
• Creating a culturally diverse company in America and China: compare and contrast.
• Diversity & discrimination of women in the workplace.
• Traditional music as a way to know the culture.
• Aboriginal and Chinese Australians: cultural diversity.
• Cultural diversity as a business practice.
• Diversity at the workplace: problem and importance.
• The myth of Irish people being drunks.
• The ethnic diversity in the U.S. metropolitan areas.
• The role of women in different cultures.
• Cultural movement: hip-hop-related films.
• Comparing the most and the least diverse countries in the world.
• Issues of cross-cultural communication.
• Integrating refugees into society and the way to do it right.
• Women and economics: historical and or cultural change.
• The role of the Internet in cultural diversity.
• Cross-cultural communication and barriers.
• Studying abroad. What to prepare for and how to adjust your cultural background.
• Socio-cultural contributions to gender roles.
• The American and the Chinese take on education.
• Universalism vs. cultural relativism in human rights.
• The vital role of cultural heritage.
• Intercultural and cross-cultural communication research.
• The connection between globalization and cultural diversity.
• Family, cultural legacies, and identity formation.
• Different attitudes towards children in different cultures.
• Cultural and traditional values’ importance in society.
• The wrongs of The Melting Pot theory.
• Different aspects of intercultural nonverbal communication.
• The art of making a gift in different countries.
• Chinese culture and cross-cultural communication.
• The biological necessity of cultural diversity.
• Intercultural relationship and communication.
• Cultural diversity in healthcare.
• Intercultural assumptions, prejudices and viewpoints.
• How to promote cultural diversity in schools? The right and the wrong ways.
• Multicultural competence and cultural identity.
• Diversity awareness is a part of any rational mind.
• Cross-cultural differences and interactions.
• The issue of some cultures being violent.
• Food anthropology as the study of food in diverse cultures.

Need more ideas? You are welcome to use our title-making tool !

📑 Cultural Diversity Essay Outline

Every essay needs planning first, and you will need an outline for that. An outline for an essay on cultural diversity has a lot in common with any other essay layout. Let’s see an example of one.

Cultural Diversity Essay Introduction

The introduction serves 3 goals:

• grab readers’ attention,
• provide them with a thesis statement,
• give background information.

The introduction leads your audience to the topic and gives an overall impression of the following text.

An introduction usually includes:

• Background information. Information that the reader needs to know before going deeper into the essay.
• Hook. Serves an attention-grabbing purpose. A hook is usually a controversial or intriguing statement that makes the reader interested in further material.
• For example: “All Irish people are drunks, and all French people like to surrender, right? Wrong.”
• Thesis statement. A thesis gives the general idea of the whole essay. This one can be a huge pain to make. Shortly speaking, it must be concise, brief, and open for discussion. For example:

“While cultural diversity creates a lot of problems, multiculturalism that encourages every culture and discovers new ways to fight prejudice can be the best solution.”

Cultural Diversity Essay Body

The body of an essay is the most significant part of it. In a 5-paragraph work , your body will consist of 3 paragraphs. Each should describe one of the arguments you used to support your thesis.

Cultural Diversity Essay Conclusion

It’s the last paragraph of your assignment that sums up all the text above. You don’t need to add anything new in a conclusion . Just restate your position and show how your arguments helped you prove it.

✍️ Cultural Diversity Essay Example

And finally, let’s take a look at a complete sample of a cultural diversity essay.

Taking note of the disparities in ethnicity, income, health, locations, and education between the two groups described in the foregoing discussions, one cannot fail to recognize the importance of cultural competence in providing various services, including food services to different ethno-cultural groups in the U.S. society. To achieve cultural competence in a food service organization, it is imperative for food service directors to make various accommodations in the workplace. Making culturally competent accommodations in the workplace is essential for a number of reasons listed in the below paragraphs.

The number of aging Americans is projected to increase by the year 2030, and, according to the Healthy People 2010 report, there is a need to eliminate disparities in service delivery by encouraging outreach to the underserved populations, including those in economic need, minorities, and elderly people (85 years and over) (Reppas, Rosenzweig and National Policy and Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging, Florida International University par. 3). As a result, nutrition programs form the basis for promoting health, and therefore it is important for food service providers to promote the provision of culturally competent services through acquiring and training culturally sensitive staff (Reppas et al. par. 4).

Most importantly, there is a need for food service staff and volunteers, especially those serving the elderly population, which comprise people from diverse cultures, to have relevant cultural competency skills, such as compassion, respect, and empathy to ensure that their services are appreciated and valued by the primary customers (Reppas et al. para. 4-6).

Today’s business culture demands that an organization recruits and retains a diverse workforce by creating an environment that accommodates and values the employees’ knowledge, values, beliefs, culture, and skills. This can be achieved through integrating culturally competent values into the organization’s mission, business strategies, and vision. As a result, this move will encourage employees to share their ideas, skills, and innovations, which will contribute to the success and growth of the entire organization.

A culturally diverse workplace encourages equity and increases staff skills in different departments, especially customer care where language skills and cultural competence are imperative because of the need for the staff to understand and communicate efficiently with the primary customers. In a culturally diverse environment, employees are given the opportunity to interact and learn from their colleagues. This experience exposes them to new ideas and skills for decision making, which will result in responsive service delivery to people from different cultures.

And with that, all that is left to do is wish you good luck on your assignment. By the way, if you’ll need to make a title page for your cultural diversity essay, you might want to use our title page generator .

Let us know which part of the article you found the most useful, and have a great day! Thank you for your time.

❓ Cultural Diversity FAQ

What does cultural diversity mean.

Cultural diversity is a situation when several cultures co-exist together. The bigger the number – the more diverse community is. The term can include representation and acknowledgment of each culture.

How to promote cultural diversity in schools?

Promoting diversity in a school can be achieved in various ways. Hiring a diverse team of teachers or organizing student meetings. Having regular open conversations on inequality is also a good idea. All of that can contribute to the cause significantly.

How to promote cultural diversity in the workplace?

Diversity in the workplace can benefit from different things:

• Forming multicultural teams.
• Encouraging less represented cultures.
• Hiring mentors to work the issue through.

How do you promote cultural diversity in early childhood?

Letting your child interact with members of different cultures can be incredibly beneficial. It will erase any possibility of forming a prejudice. The market lately is blooming with children’s literature covering diversity issues. Make sure to use it well.

• Cultural diversity – UNESCO
• The Importance of Diversity in the Classroom | Drexel University
• Multiculturalism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
• Culture and diversity – NSW Department of Education
• What Is Multiculturalism? Definition, Theories, and Examples
• Multiculturalism | Definition, Impact, Challenges, & Facts

Original Research Papers: What Does Originality Mean?

177 dream research topics & how to write a research paper on dreams.

More From Forbes

The impact of culture in the workplace.

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Kimberly P. Rebello , Director of Operations & Partner Success at Payscout LLC

Even though the word ‘culture’ echoes throughout history, it is not something that is dormant, ancient or belonging to earlier times, such as symbols and hieroglyphics. The reality is that it flourishes and continuously affects every facet of our daily lives — your beliefs, your passion, your behavior and your ambition, to name a few. It’s an umbrella term that governs overall behavior. It is something that is learned from experience and is passed down from generation to generation. It is an aspect of life that brings us together. 

Throughout your lifetime, you acquire pieces of culture along the way that contributes to your personal growth. In fact, the word itself stems from the Latin “cultural” stemming from ‘colere,’ meaning “to cultivate.” It is the lens through which you see the world. 

Everyone  is  the product of culture.

Reflecting on my own upbringing, I remember being exposed to not only my own culture but also the culture of other people. In turn, this allowed me to be open-minded and have a global outlook on life. I am proud of being an Asian-American, a blend of eastern and western cultures. I had the opportunity to grow up and study on two continents. I experienced my family’s tradition, value-based and vision-driven upbringing. Throughout my life, I have seen my family dedicate their lives through acts of service to humanity.

My mother managed several UN peacekeeping missions in very trying circumstances. Working within these missions often meant spending long periods of time in war-torn or crisis-stricken countries. While in these missions, she provided the local orphanages and schools with what they needed as well as getting involved in mobilizing funds to provide prosthetics for mine victims.

My family created a sense of culture that introduced me, at a very young age, to the belief that “every individual has the social responsibility to make the world a better place.” It is something I try to practice in my everyday life, both personally and professionally, by continuing to foster my relationships through respect and compassion. After all, this is what makes us human.

Organizational Culture

We can explore culture in diverse ways but, for practical purposes and in the interest of time, let me just single out organizational culture. 

What does work or organizational culture truly mean? It refers to “the practice or method by which things get done” in a social environment. It encompasses the values, practices and procedures based on policies of the organization. In sum, it is individuals as a team agreeing upon the common values that bind them.

Culture also implies leadership, hierarchy and levels of control — all of which vary with the nature and type of organizations. The quality and details needed in the workplace depend on the nature of the work being done. For instance, financial sectors like my own (and likely yours) tend to impose higher levels of control due to the nature of our accountability.

Hierarchy is relevant to organizations that require inspiring and solid leadership. It provides a clear mission statement and strategic vision.

To the individual staff, organizational culture instills purpose, a sense of value and shared commitment. In a strong culture, the staff will coordinate smoothly in accomplishing organizational goals and respond within the framework of the organization’s values and principles. The staff work with each other and for each other to attain mutual success. This helps the individual identify with the institution, thus gradually contributing to an organization’s collective personality.

Establishing a strong culture is important in attaining high-performance outputs as it influences behavior within the organization. Organizational culture has an effective role to play in team development.

Against this backdrop, many organizations value diverse people, ideas, backgrounds and experiences. However, when different generations work together, different expectations emerge out of teamwork. Therefore, an overall sense of team expectations needs to be developed within the organization.

How do you create this atmosphere of a team-oriented culture? By exercising cultural empathy. Knowing and understanding each team member’s cultural background will help minimize conflict, if not prevent it altogether.

What makes an office culture substantial is in providing the company’s biggest asset — the employees — an opportunity to learn and grow, through an enabling and learning environment, coupled with a solid support system. Although hard skills or competencies like professionalism, integrity, communication, planning and organizing, continuous learning, technology are important, it is equally significant to develop soft skills. These include kindness, compassion, respect and so forth. In other words, a good EQ is as essential as a good IQ.

As Maya Angelo once  said , “my mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive.” A company’s concern is not just to survive but to thrive. Everyone is up to the challenge – companies with strong company cultures are positioned to have dynamic growth.

Culture is an important ingredient to this growth because it evolves – from the late Middle English, initially alluding to “the cultivation of the soil,” morphing to include “the cultivation of the mind, faculties or manners,” according to Oxford. 

Within this context, the real message is that culture acts as an important ally because its flexibility will allow you to change it to meet your challenges and to suit your changing or emerging priorities.

Optimistically, I can only envision a continuous winning streak for companies with a solid culture since a strong culture equals success.

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Cultural Diversity Management in the Workplace Essay

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Introduction

Hospitality industry and cultural diversity, managing cultural diversity in the work place, reasons for managing cultural diversity in the work place, benefits of managing cultural diversity in the work place, challenges in managing workplace cultural diversity, the five dimensions module of culture, recommendations in managing workplace cultural diversity, reference list.

There is a great diversity in the field of culture. Culture covers aspects like race, gender, language, values and beliefs and is developed from a combination of individual uniqueness and organizational or environment characteristics. Different people and communities have different cultural values and beliefs in regard to daily life.

It is usually a hard task to understand and accept different cultures and people find themselves perceiving their own cultures as the best compared to the other cultures and in most cases tend to treat communities with different cultures negatively.

People find themselves discriminating others on the grounds of religion, ethnicity, language, physical location, nationality, sexual relations, and educational background among others. Cultural diversity has become a key issue of management especially in the hospitality industry and has been associated with a lot of challenges.

For this reason, there is a need to develop strategies that help in the management of the cultural diversity especially in the workplaces so as to avoid negative performance but rather to make the cultural diversity an opportunity/ cultural competency (Wetherell 2008).

This piece of paper gives a comprehensive discussion in regard to the aspect of management of cultural diversity within the work place in the service sector with much emphasis being given to how the hospitality industry carries out its activities and practices in an effort to manage cultural diversity in the field.

Hospitality entails the relationship between individuals in a given setting for instance the reception accorded to visitors by the host. Hospitality industry is a very broad element that includes various fields in the service industry for example tourism, communication, transportation, event planning and organization, restaurants and lodging and theme parks among other fields and others are still emerging.

Hospitality industry is one of the economy’s sectors that have recognized the role and significance of cultural diversity in the work force especially in enhancing growth and competitiveness in organizations. This move has been fueled by the fact that hospitality industry entails work industries that deal with foreign individuals for example restaurants and hotels making it to be considered as a global industry.

Most of the employees/staff as well as the clients in the hospitality sector come from different nations and they therefore have some cultural differences. This has made it necessary for leaders and managers to accept this issue and take it as an opportunity no matter the cost that may be involved (Cornelius 2002).

According to Brotherton (2003), a diverse workforce in terms of cultural difference has been an essential element in the hospitality industry. The industry has put a lot of efforts to manage cultural diversity since it relies on it to a great extent.

However, there have been contentious issues associated with cultural diversity for instance the maintenance of fairness among employees, ways of ensuring that every member contributes to the best limit and more so to ensure that the diverse workforce work together to achieve common goals of an organization. Hospitality industry has grown global with the expansion of international hospitality being in the rise.

This has led to growth of immigrant labor and minority employees have ventured into the industry’s workforce. This necessitates that the hospitality industry take strategic actions to deal with the changing trend to ensure that the challenge does not affect the industry negatively.

Being a service industry that mostly deals with foreign relations, hospitality industry is mostly touched by the aspect of cultural diversity as compared to other sectors of the economy and hence the growing concern (Dowling and Welch 2008).

A practical example of cultural diversity challenge that is faced in the hospitality industry is communication barrier. As stated earlier the hospitality industry has grown global and various organizations are establishing branches in different parts of the world.

Last year, MNC Ltd which is a tourism industry had an idea of establishing a branch in another country as the investment returns made from the previous financial year were interesting and it was thought that an expansion would be a great idea that would ensure that the growth moves to greater heights.

To establish the branch, some management personnel from the headquarters had to survey the region and have some initial opening plans. The major challenge the management body faced is language barrier due to the difference in nationality between them and the people in the nation they intended to establish the branch.

This shows the extent to which cultural diversity; communication barrier in particular, is a challenge that should be dealt with. Some of the ways through which the industry deal with these issues is establishment and implementation of training programs that teach on various languages.

Cultural diversity is an aspect that affects every individual in an organization including the CEOs and the management. Most of the challenges have however been tackled in the hospitality industry as discussed later in this essay.

Schneider and Barsoux (2003) assert that work place diversity involves how people perceive themselves and how they view others. Cultural diversity affects people in various ways both personally as well as professionally. This is because people tend to affiliate themselves to groupings based on cultural commonality and hence a problem faced by a single person tend to be felt by all.

Management of cultural diversity in the work place entails setting up policies and strategies that deal with issues of cultural diversity in a healthy manner to ensure that no party is affected negatively but rather the positive attributes are taken in and the negative ones dealt with in an affective manner.

Cultural diversity management is a hectic and long term process that entails taking a lot of considerations for instance looking at an organization’s current culture and values, taking the positive ones and making necessary adjustments to those attributes that may in one way or the other limit cultural diversity in the present time as well as in the future (Anca and Vazquez 2007).

Management of cultural diversity also involves recruitment of employees based on the desired qualifications and experience and the contribution they can make in an organization irrespective of cultural backgrounds rather than basing the selection and recruitment process on cultural homogeneity.

To understand the management of cultural diversity in the hospitality industry, the following areas are discussed, the reasons for managing cultural diversity in the work place, the benefits of managing cultural diversity in the work place, the challenges faced in managing workplace cultural diversity and the recommendations in managing workplace cultural diversity (Warner and Joynt, 2002).

Management of cultural diversity in the workplace has been considered to be a major aspect in any organization especially those in the service industry, if success is to be achieved.

It is a process that involves the recognition, acceptance, respect and capitalization on the diversity of people in the society in regard to aspects such as ethnicity, age, personality, tenure, gender, education background, race, cognitive style and religion among others.

It entails seeking a deeper understanding on the different values, personalities and beliefs that could affect people’s interaction with each other. It advocates concepts such as multicultural competency which is a discipline that tries to counter the cultural differences issues by teaching on the spirit of appreciating other cultures irrespective of the differences that prevail (Holden 2002).

Different management styles are adopted in organizations in the hospitality industry to ensure that the cultural differences that prevail among the working force as well as the society at large are turned into opportunities to improve an organization’s competitive advantage making it to secure a better position in the competitive market place.

With the advent of technology and globalization, the world is growing smaller as days go by and people from various regions in the world come together and interact with one another. The aspects that bring people together include education, marriage as well as job opportunities like in different fields in the hospitality industry (Go and Pine 1995).

Workplaces have therefore had to have a mixed composition in terms of the cultural differences thus necessitating an extra effort to be taken so as to understand diverse individuals and hence ease interaction and cooperation aimed at encouraging good performance which will in turn ensure that profitability and productivity are kept to the highest level possible (Kirton and Greene 2000).

Although cultural diversity has for a long period of time been considered to be a hindrance to success in organizations, it is associated with a lot of benefits which would improve the performance of an organization. However, it requires proper management in order to identify the cultural differences, embrace them and capitalize on them (Leitner, 2008).

Some of the benefits of cultural diversity in the work place that the hospitality industry has been able to enjoy include increased adaptability. This can be seen in dealing with problems in the workplace where different ideas and opinions are raised and hence an appropriate solution is reached at.

Employees with different cultural backgrounds have got varying experiences that could find appropriate application in different situations making problem solving an easy task. Another benefit is that of broad service range. This is made possible by the availability of a diverse pool of skills and talents which allows an organization to provide services to clientele on a global basis.

This plays a great role in the expansion of an organization especially those in the service industry and hospitality industry in particular such as tourism since the different kinds of clients are served adequately allowing for satisfaction. Aspects like language barrier should be dealt with properly.

Cultural diversity within the workforce also allows for effective execution of processes, in that, an organization that advocate for diversity promotes hard work where each individual is inspired to put adequate efforts and perform well. The combined efforts lead to increased productivity and profitability.

In general, cultural diversity in the hospitality industry has been associated with benefits like innovation, effective knowledge transfer, enhanced organizational image brought about by involvement of the minority (as employees and clients) and also increase competitiveness.

Although cultural diversity has now been regarded as a benefit in organizations in the hospitality industry, it is also associated with some challenges which necessitate proper management to ensure that they do not affect the performance of a given organization negatively. Some of the challenges faced in the management of cultural diversity in the workplace include communication.

Cultural diversity is linked with language barrier which should be dealt with to allow for effective communication since lack of proper communication may cause problems for instance where the key goals and objectives of an organization are not well understood.

This in turn affects proper interaction which affects teamwork and morale among the employees. Hospitality industry has been able to reduce this issue through implementation of training programs on various languages to bridge the language barrier (Reynolds and Valentine 2004).

Discrimination is also a challenge linked with cultural diversity where people in the workforce tend to affiliate with those with whom they share some cultural commonality making success a challenge as it requires cooperation. People in the hospitality industry are urged to appreciate one another and avoid any form of discrimination.

Resistance to change is another challenge associated with cultural diversity in the workplace. Some employees may not be willing to change their ways of doing things even with changes in the society as they tend to lean on their cultural backgrounds so much that they are not ready to accept changes no matter how positive they may seem to be.

The changes could be in regard to how they treat their bosses or leaders, embracing technology among other basic organizational issues. This hinders growth and progress in an organization and should be dealt with appropriately. This has been dealt with through emphasizing on the benefits of change (Andall 2003).

Another key challenge associated with cultural diversity within the workplace in the hospitality industry is the need to manage the diversity. This is because it requires extra efforts rather than just training for instance the establishment and implementation of a strategy that allows for creation of a culture of diversity acceptable to all the parties involved.

This allows smooth functioning of the organization through understanding of one another. Implementation of diversity in the workplace policies is also a challenge that has been faced by organizations in different parts of the world especially those in the service industry. It requires that an effective customized strategy be put in place to take full advantage of the effects of diversity in the workplace (Deresky 2002).

The issue of cultural diversity has been disturbing to an extent that various modules and theories have been put forth to help in the understanding of the issue in an effort to solve problems associated with cultural diversity especially in the workplace.

The five dimension module is an example. It is a module by Geert Hofstede giving an insight on cultural differences. The five dimensions are; power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism Vs collectivism, masculinity Vs femininity and time orientation.

Power distance entails the distribution of power in a given organization in terms of equality or inequality. Power distribution depends on both leaders and the followers since it requires that certain aspects are accepted for them to take effect.

A low power distance culture advocates for autonomy while a high power distance culture advocates for bureaucracy. Uncertainty avoidance entails peoples’ reaction to situations surrounded by uncertainty, which is based on how culture programs the people to act in various situations.

A high uncertainty culture enhance coping to different situations as opposed to a low level uncertainty culture. Individualism versus collectivism refers to the degree to which people base their actions, whether on personal interest or group interest.

Masculinity Vs femininity on the other hand entails the distribution of roles based on gender. Most societies/ cultures value men than women in workplaces. A masculine culture focuses on position while a feminine culture focuses on quality of life and human relations.

Time orientation dimension entails how societies perceive long-term commitments and traditional attributes. Long-term commitments and traditions hamper organizational change while short-term commitments and traditions facilitate change in an institution (ITIM international, 2009).

This module helps in the understanding of the factors that influence individuals’ behavior in the workplace and the society at large.

Management of cultural diversity within the workforce is not an easy task. It requires that appropriate management strategies and tools are established and implemented for instance effective training and monitoring of programs that allow for incorporation of the different cultural values and beliefs to attain a positive result.

There should be adoption of strategies such as research which will allow gathering of adequate information necessary for handling cultural diversity issues and creation of awareness among the employees on the various aspects linked with cultural diversity for instance prejudices and language.

The human resource and management body in any given organization should effectively deal with issues like communication and adaptability to ensure that there is a smooth running of all the activities and practices (Marx 1999).

Some of the possible solutions in dealing with cultural diversity in the hospitality industry include involvement of all employees in the process of formulating and implementing diversity initiatives or policies in the workplace. This will create a sense of attachment where every individual will feel well represented with what is going on in the organization (Constantine and Derald 2005).

Openness should also be encouraged among all the people involved in an organization such that people are free to express their opinions and ideas which will in turn create a sense of equal opportunity and value to all individuals (Lewis 1999).

To ensure that cultural diversity remains beneficial to an organization, diversity training should be emphasized since it helps in determining the diversity policy to be utilized in a given organization. Diversity should also be promoted when it comes to leadership where the cultural diverse individuals should be given leadership positions.

This will act as a way of bringing out the advantages of diversity in the workplace as the efforts of all the people involved will be seen through their leadership activities and what they are able to achieve.

Monitoring of the activities and practices in an organization is also advisable to ensure that progress is measured and the results attained are used as a tool to implement necessary changes to ensure that diversity remains to be a positive attribute in an organization under all circumstances.

There should also be increased awareness of cultural diversity, adoption of an effective employees relationship management program and establishment of means of overcoming stereotypes and allow for justice and fairness among other strategies (Jeannet 2000).

It is evident that the issue if cultural diversity in the work place is a key issue that has raised a lot of concern among individuals and organizations involved. It is a concept that has been associated with both positive and negative contribution in any given organization and the task is left for organizations and various stakeholders to appreciate it.

Cultural diversity can however be totally beneficial to an organization if only the cultural differences are managed effectively. This can be achieved through taking it as an advantage where the different talents and skilled possessed by the people from different cultural backgrounds could be taken to strengthen a particular organization.

The negative aspects of the cultural differences should also be dealt with in an appropriate manner to ensure that it does not affect any party negatively, an aspect that could affect performance of the individuals, the organization and the overall industry negatively.

Cultural diversity have been appreciated and taken as a strong point in a majority of organizations in the hospitality industry especially in the United States of America. However various challenges are still there for instance overcoming communication barriers, stereotypes as well as discriminative behaviors among employees and better strategies and measures should therefore be adapted.

Anca, D.C., & Vazquez, A., 2007, Managing Diversity in the Global Organization . New York: Palgrave: Macmillan.

Andall, J., 2003, Gender and Ethnicity in Contemporary Europe. Oxford: Berg.

Brotherton, B., 2003, International Hospitality Industry. 5th Ed, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.

Constantine, G. M., & Derald, S.W., 2005, Strategies for building multicultural competence in mental health and educational settings. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.

Cornelius, N., 2002, Building Workplace Equality. Ethics, Diversity and Inclusion. London: Thomson.

Deresky, H., 2002, International Management. Managing across Borders and Cultures. London: Prentice Hall.

Dowling, P.J., & Welch, D.E., 2008, International Human Resources Management: Managing People in a Multinational Context. 5th ed. London: Thomas Learning.

Go, F.M., & Pine, R., 1995, Globalization Strategy in the Hotel Industry, London: Routledge.

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• Process of Modernization and How It Affected the Cultures of China and Japan
• Globalization’s and Culture Relationships
• ‘Artefact’ Through Lens of Hospitality
• Managing Diversity in the Workplace
• Integrity in the Hospitality Industry
• How Culture Builds Everyday Life
• Saint Leo’s Core Value of Respect and Socio-Cultural Impacts on Tourism
• All Forms of Culture are of Equal Value
• Drinking Culture in US and UK
• Globalization of the US Media
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, April 5). Cultural Diversity Management in the Workplace. https://ivypanda.com/essays/managing-cultural-diversity-2/

"Cultural Diversity Management in the Workplace." IvyPanda , 5 Apr. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/managing-cultural-diversity-2/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Cultural Diversity Management in the Workplace'. 5 April.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Cultural Diversity Management in the Workplace." April 5, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/managing-cultural-diversity-2/.

1. IvyPanda . "Cultural Diversity Management in the Workplace." April 5, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/managing-cultural-diversity-2/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Cultural Diversity Management in the Workplace." April 5, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/managing-cultural-diversity-2/.