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Ethnicity and Diversity in the Workforce

Chapter 6

Ethnicity

Ethnicity and Race

“Based on cultural similarities among members of the same ethnic group and the differences between that group and others” (Kottak, 2006, p. 290).

Personal identity

No such thing as unilateral ethnicity

Ethnicity

Ethnicity and Race, Continued

Race is a cultural category [as in nationality and ancestry], not a biological category.

Race is political.

Ascribed status

Hypodescent

Ethnicity

Ethnicity in the United States

Ethnic-of or relating to large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin or background.

Ethnic groups identified in relation to dominant culture.

Ethnicity requires shared perceptions that indicate within group similarities and across group differences.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity in the United States, Continued

Self-definition is important but not the only salient component of identity.

No such thing as “unilateral ethnicity.”

Ethnicity can only emerge in the context of relationships and interaction with others.

Ethnicity is created and recreated (Nagel, 1994).

Ethnic identities are more or less salient in various situations and with various audiences.

Ethnicity Ethnic

Ethnicity in the United States, Continued

Native Americans, i.e., subtribal, tribal, regional, and supra-tribal or pan-Indian

Hispanic or Latino American, i.e. Cuban-American, Marielito, and White

“Asian” pan-ethnic, i.e., national origin (Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese) and pan-ethnicity

African American, i.e., Caribbean immigrants

White American, i.e., Italian, German, Polish

Ethnicity

Discrimination and Exclusion Based on Ethnicity

Discrimination—“refers to policies and practices that harm a group and its members” (p. 307).

Prejudice—“devaluing a group because of its assumed behavior, values, capabilities, or attributes” (p. 306).

Intrinsic Racism—“the belief that a (perceived) racial difference is sufficient reason to value one person less than another” (p. 297).

Ethnicity

Discrimination and Exclusion Based on Ethnicity, Continued

Experience unequal treatment, have less power

Share physical/cultural distinguishing characteristics

Membership in dominant/minority group is involuntary

Have a strong sense of group solidarity

Ethnicity

Discrimination and Exclusion Based on Ethnicity, Continued

Have a strong sense of group solidarity

Generally marry others from the same group

Lack knowledge about ways of working, being and knowing in American culture

Ethnicity

Ethnicity in the Workforce

How does diversity complicate interactions in the workforce?

Assumptions about ethnic group

Behaviors

Surface-level characteristics

Forms in-group and out-group membership

Ethnicity

Ethnicity in the Workforce, Continued

Micro-theoretical perspective

Basic assumptions:

Humans judge each other on surface-level characteristics.

In-group and out-group distinctions are created.

Outcomes may have negative effects for minority or out-group members or group productivity.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity in the Workforce, Continued

“Value in diversity” perspective assumptions:

Increase in racial/ethnic diversity means that a work group will experience possible positive outcomes.

Surface-level diversity such as race is indicative of deeper-level differences, such as cognitive processes/schemas, differential knowledge base, different sets of experiences, and different views of the world.

Ethnicity Common

Common Issues Surrounding Ethnicity in the Workplace

Language—Language differences could hamper the ability to have effective communication.

Accents—Having an accent has been used as a reason for providing a lower score on evaluations and performance reviews.

Ethnicity Common

Common Issues Surrounding Ethnicity in the Workplace, Continued

Jokes/Ridicule—Ethnic jokes, one of the most common types of humor in the workplace.

Stereotypes—The most pervasive problem that ethnic minorities confront in the workforce.

Ethnicity

Strategies Supporting Inclusion of Ethnicity

Do’s

Do remember that stereotypes diminish over time with day-to-day contacts.

Do speak up when you hear anyone in your workgroup stereotyping another person because of his or her ethnicity.

Do be wary of job requirements, such as insisting on fluent English if this is not really critical for doing the job.

Do ask foreign-born workers what it was like in their home-land. Many people are eager to share information about their country and culture.

Ethnicity

Strategies Supporting Inclusion of Ethnicity, Continued

Don’ts

Don’t tolerate the use of ethnic slurs such as “Spic,” “Wop,” “Jap,” or “Polack.”

Don’t assume that people want to be identified as belonging to a certain national or ethnic community.

Don’t ignore ethnic jokes—let people know that they are disrespectful and can hurt.

Don’t create ghettos in the workplace where workers from one country are isolated from other employees.

Ethnicity

Chapter Summary

Ethnicity is related to but separate from race and has a profound impact on interactions in the workforce.

Ethnic identity requires shared perceptions.

Individuals within particular groups are not carbon copies of each other.

Ethnicity

Chapter Summary, Continued

Ethnicity emerges within the context of relationships and interaction with others.

Ethnic identity is created and re-created.

Questions for Consideration for Weekly Journal Reflection:

How significant is your ethnicity to your individual identity?

In what ways do you believe that your ethnic identity has caused you to be the victim of prejudice or discrimination in the workforce?

Which of the common issues and concerns surrounding ethnicity in the workplace, i.e., language, accent, jokes/ridicule, and stereotypes, have you had to confront in the workplace, and how did you solve them?

Has there ever been a time when you or someone you know was mislabeled ethnically because of racial characteristics?

Have there been times when your individual ethnic identity or someone you know has been in conflict with your collective ethnic identity? If so, how? How did you resolve the conflict?