cultural diversity in workplace essay

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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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• 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

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

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.

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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

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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The benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace.

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Business today is increasingly global, and that's not likely to change anytime soon. If your company's employees don't reflect this trend and represent cultural diversity, your business may be very much behind the times.

I coach professionals on group effectiveness, and many years ago, several of the corporate entities I worked with were cookie-cutter examples of uniformity. Executive positions and the majority of management positions were held by white men in expensive business suits. Their teams also tended to reflect that demographic, with perhaps a few women sprinkled in — again, mostly white. I’m pleased to say that slowly, over time, that has ceased to be the case.

Now, I increasingly work with diverse groups of executives and managers who have come to understand that cultural diversity in the workplace is a valuable commodity. Through education and a greater grasp of cultural competence (an evolving developmental process that encourages the increasing awareness of and respect for the interpersonal styles, beliefs, languages and customs of those from cultures other than our own), many corporations are evolving into multinational melting pots.

As Paula Loop and Paul DeNicola wrote in an article for Harvard Business Review , “after years of asking corporate directors about the importance of diversity in the boardroom, we’ve got some good news: the vast majority see value in including more women and minorities. Nearly 95% of directors agree that diversity brings unique perspectives to the boardroom, while 84% believe it enhances board performance.”

Why Cultural Diversity In The Workplace Is A Win-Win

Teams and companies that make diversity a priority offer a variety of ideas, perspectives and learning opportunities. Diverse employees can bring together their different talents, experiences and various skill sets to come up with creative and inventive solutions, whereas another group made up of people with similar backgrounds and skill sets may decide to solve a dilemma in the same way they always have. An increase in innovation and creativity among a culturally diverse group can create an esprit de corps and the feeling of positive progress for the benefit of the group and the organization. Such success promotes a feeling of camaraderie among team members and encourages successful cooperation in the next company venture.

Inclusiveness also fosters increased productivity and employee satisfaction . Everyone likes to feel needed and as though their contribution is of value.

Is Cultural Diversity A Cakewalk?

The short answer is no. If the work groups in your organization have traditionally been homogeneous, it may take some getting used to on the part of not only management but also members of the team. There are likely to be some initial challenges and growing pains that come with the changes. Your company may experience a slow, steady change of including more and more colleagues with various cultural backgrounds. There may be a bit of grumbling about changing the way it’s always been. Solving this may be as easy as the human resources department conducting a few diversity and inclusivity training sessions.

If the change is rapid and somewhat drastic — think a speedy merger with a company based in a different country — you may have to develop a plan that not only deals with cultural differences but also a language barrier. If the merging company is multinational, you may need to figure out how your team will interface with new teammates who speak several different languages.

According to Richard Brislin, author of Working with Cultural Differences , “even though the challenges of extensive intercultural contact are formidable, they can be overcome if people understand the sources of cultural differences and understand a range of behavioral responses to deal with them. If they learn to identify and work well with individuals who have good advice to offer, such as cultural informants and professional interpreters, they will increase their chances of success.”

Relationship and communication skills are critical for group effectiveness. For them to be effective in achieving results, people-focused aptitudes such as cultural competence are key. A good starting point is to determine where any disconnects are coming from. If the group isn’t sure, or is reluctant to open up, I sometimes begin with having them tell me the aspects of cultural diversity at which they excel. By process of elimination, we can decide which areas to focus on for improvement.

Successfully Implementing A Cultural Diversity Plan

If a cultural diversity plan is implemented without due forethought and effort, it could go off the rails. Without a well-researched and thoroughly thought-out plan, departments may end up hiring candidates not because of their qualifications but because they fit the picture the company is trying to create. Hiring applicants to simply be able to say in your corporate promotional materials that you're culturally diverse is unproductive at best.

If your intentions aren’t sincere, you risk creating a situation where no true mixing and cooperation take place instead of having an integrated, synergistic team. Specific cultural groups may end up feeling excluded and overlooked, resulting in them banding together, creating an us versus them environment.

For the successful implementation of a cultural diversity plan, I've found that a holistic approach is necessary. Diversity needs to be evident at every level in the organization, senior management included. If the folks in the C-suite don’t buy it, it's likely that no one will. They need to believe in the potential, and in turn, sell it to upper management, who can sell it to middle management. If you can’t demonstrate how this pertains to every employee at every level, your audience will probably sense the organization’s lack of commitment.

Take the time as an organization to celebrate employee differences. Realize that employees at every level must understand the company’s commitment to zero tolerance in regards to discrimination and harassment. Take the time to really communicate the diversity goals of your business and hold Q&A sessions to ensure that everyone is on the same page, so the entire organization can effectively foster an environment of diversity and inclusion that benefits one and all.

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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!

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Why Is Diversity Important in the Workplace?

Learn why diversity is vital in the workplace, including increased productivity, better engagement, and improved company culture.

Diversity in the workplace means maintaining a workforce of people with varying backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and lifestyles. Not only is diversity a crucial element to a strong company culture and easier recruitment, but it also drives profit [ 1 ] and innovation [ 2 ]. 

In the United States, 72 percent of full-time employees value working with people different from themselves, according to data gathered by Dynata for its 2021 Global Consumer Trends report on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion [ 3 ]. Mckinsey's research reveals that the global gross domestic product (GDP) could increase by $12 to $28 trillion by 2025 if all countries elevate gender equality in the workplace [ 4 ].

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Explore the benefits of workplace diversity, the challenges of having a non-diverse workplace, and strategies you can use to elevate the level of diversity in your workforce. 

What is workplace diversity? 

Workplace diversity expresses itself in many different ways. The word “diversity” has been used as a buzzword enough that it’s not always clear what it means. Diversity appears in two main ways: inherent and acquired. 

Inherent diversity is the diversity we are born with, like race or assigned sex. Acquired diversity refers to that which we get through our culture and throughout our lives, such as our religion or education level. Both kinds of diversity are essential and can lead to measurable financial growth and innovation within an organization, which we will discuss in detail. 

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Why is diversity important in the workplace?

Workplace diversity can provide access to a more robust talent pool, help you better understand your customers' needs and wants, and increase your profit. Many aspects of a company can be improved through diversity, whether designing a prototype, interviewing applicants, or running a social media campaign. Diversity can help drive creativity and innovation, find and retain good talent, and build a reputation as a thoughtful company. Let's take a look at some of these benefits:

Access to more talent

When you limit your hiring pool intentionally or through unconscious bias, you cut yourself off from talented potential employees. By embracing workplace diversity, you can look for new avenues to find skilled applicants by reaching new audiences. By curating a reputation of diversity, your company will naturally attract a more diverse set of applicants. Plus, a company culture that embraces diversity will help lower its turnover rate in the first place so you can focus hiring efforts on growth and not replacements for employees who have left.

Enhanced understanding of customers and their needs

Encouraging diversity in the workplace can lead to a more diverse customer base, as customers seek out companies that truly comprehend their pain points and fulfill their requirements. With this understanding, the company can design and market products and services that are more inclusive, innovative, and tailored to the diverse customer base. In other words, diversity in the workplace can lead to a competitive edge in the market. 

Increased profit

Diversity is often brought up in the context of doing what’s right for your employees and your company culture. But a 2017 McKinsey report found that when it comes to diversity, doing the right thing for your company culture is also doing the right thing for your bottom line. The companies ranked the highest for gender diversity were 21 percent more likely to bring in above-average profit [ 1 ].

Better productivity, creativity, and innovation 

A workplace that fosters diversity brings together a multitude of ideas and perspectives, igniting innovation and creativity. During a brainstorming session, a diverse group of individuals can highlight nuances and insights that may not have been noticed by each individual alone. This leads to collaborative problem-solving, as team members build upon each other's ideas in exciting and novel ways. The greater the diversity of the workforce, the more dynamic and powerful these brainstorming sessions become, producing solutions that are more creative, inclusive, and effective.

A 2018 study by the Boston Consulting Group found that companies with “above-average diversity on their management teams” earned 19 percent higher revenue tied to innovation. For those high-ranking companies, revenue from new products totaled 45 percent of overall revenue, compared to 26 percent for companies with below-average diversity [ 2 ].

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Boosted employee engagement

It makes sense that employees who feel welcomed and appreciated at work might work harder. But it’s more than just common sense. In a Changeboard report, employees working in a company with diversity in the C-suite were 57 percent more effective at collaborating with their peers [ 5 ]. 

Lower turnover rate

When people don’t feel welcome in a company culture, they leave and find a job elsewhere. But in a diversified workplace, employees report being 19 percent more likely to stay in their current position [ 5 ]. Adding more diversity to your workplace helps foster a company culture where people can see themselves growing and thriving for years. 

Improved company culture

Company culture is loosely defined as a company's shared vision and values. Another way to describe company culture is how people work together in teams. Without diversity, it's easy for your company culture to exclude certain people without the leadership understanding why it's happening. Bringing in a diverse group naturally fosters a culture where everyone feels welcome in your workplace.  

Positive brand reputation

Diversity in the workplace can have numerous benefits for a company's brand reputation. By embracing diversity, a company can demonstrate its commitment to inclusivity, equality, and social responsibility, which can resonate with customers, employees, and stakeholders alike. 

4 strategies to diversify your workplace

Knowing you need to diversify and implementing diversification are two different things. Let’s look at ways to encourage diversity from the top down:

1. Hire leaders that value diversity.

A highly effective way for a company to embrace diversity is for its senior leadership team to embrace diversity. Not only does company culture start at the top, but diverse leaders will help write diversity directly into the company’s objectives, keeping it at the forefront of its values. Leaders who embrace diversity also understand that diversity initiatives must be proactive and continuous. It’s not enough, for example, to lead a sexual harassment workshop after complaints of sexual harassment. Leaders who value diversity foster a culture of diversity company-wide. 

2. Rewrite your job descriptions.

DeVry University had a job opening for a woman with an engineering degree, but it needed help finding an applicant for the position. After a series of focus groups, the main feedback it received was that women were not attracted to the job based on the language used in the job posting [ 7 ]. The diverse perspectives of the focus group were able to nail down precisely what was unappealing about the job description, which is an example of how creativity and collaboration can grow in diverse teams.

To attract more diverse talent, companies should consider revising their job descriptions to be more inclusive and appealing to a broad range of candidates by:

Using gender-neutral language and avoiding phrases that may discourage certain groups from applying (e.g. "aggressive" or "competitive")

Highlighting the skills and experience that will make a candidate successful in a role rather than a laundry list of requirements

Providing salary ranges to reduce the gender and racial pay gaps and encourage candidates who might not have applied otherwise

Promoting work-life balance through available flexible work arrangements

Adding a diversity statement to communicate your company's commitment to an inclusive work environment

3. Use blind hiring practices.

Blind hiring practices involve removing information that could lead to bias or discrimination in the hiring process. By removing names, addresses, educational institutions, and other identifying information from resumes and applications, companies can focus on a candidate's qualifications and skills rather than their demographic characteristics. Instead, focus on skills-based assessments.

4. Stay current on workplace diversity best practices.

Learn more about what you can do to improve workplace diversity by visiting professional organizations for underrepresented populations, such as the National Society of Black Engineers , where you can find resources and events to enhance your workplace diversity. You can also use the US Department of Labor’s Disability Resources or the ADA Accessibility Checklist to find ways to make your workplace more welcoming to everyone. 

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Article sources

McKinsey & Company. “ Delivering Through Diversity ” Accessed October 19, 2023.

Boston Consulting Group. “ How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation ” Accessed October 19, 2023.

Statista. “ Share of employees that value working with people different from themselves in 2021, by country ” Accessed October 19, 2023.

McKinsey & Company. “How advancing women’s equality can add $12 trillion to global growth ” Accessed October 19, 2023.

Changeboard. “ Keeping Diversity and Inclusion at the Top of the Agenda ” Accessed October 19, 2023.

CTP Boston. “ The 6 Worst Brand Apologies and What Should Have Been Done ” Accessed October 19, 2023.

DeVry. “ Diversity in the Workplace ” Accessed October 19, 2023.

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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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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13 benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace

As national politics and discourse seem to grow more inward-looking and divisive across America and Europe, successful businesses must continue to think inclusively and globally. Embracing cultural diversity in the workplace is an important first step for businesses that want to be competitive on an international scale.

From the Virgin Group to Disney and PricewaterhouseCoopers, organizations across industries are embracing the benefits of a diverse workforce. But with benefits necessarily come challenges of working across borders, cultures, and languages.

At Hult, diversity and global mindedness are integral to our DNA. Our mission is to prepare our students to thrive in a fast-paced, unpredictable, and fundamentally international business environment. As our students develop into the global business leaders of tomorrow, they can certainly expect to encounter these 13 key benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace .

• Diverse cultural perspectives can inspire creativity and drive innovation
• Local market knowledge and insight makes a business more competitive and profitable
• Cultural sensitivity, insight, and local knowledge means higher quality, targeted marketing
• Drawing from a culturally diverse talent pool allows an organization to attract and retain the best talent
• A diverse skills base allows an organization to offer a broader and more adaptable range of products and services
• Diverse teams are more productive and perform better
• Greater opportunity for personal and professional growth

Challenges :

• Colleagues from some cultures may be less likely to let their voices be heard
• Integration across multicultural teams can be difficult in the face of prejudice or negative cultural stereotypes
• Professional communication can be misinterpreted or difficult to understand across languages and cultures
• Navigating visa requirements, employment laws, and the cost of accommodating workplace requirements can be difficult
• Different understandings of professional etiquette
• Conflicting working styles across teams

1. Benefit: Diverse cultural perspectives can inspire creativity and drive innovation

Our culture influences the way in which we see the world. A variety of viewpoints along with the wide-ranging personal and professional experience of an international team can offer new perspectives that inspire colleagues to see the workplace—and the world—differently.

Diversity of thought has been shown to breed creativity and drive innovation, helping to solve problems and meet customer needs in new and exciting ways. For example, cosmetic giant L’Oréal attributes much if its impressive success in emerging markets to its multicultural product development teams.

Multiple voices, perspectives, and personalities bouncing off one another can give rise to out-of-the-box thinking. By offering a platform for the open exchange of ideas, businesses can reap the biggest benefits of diversity in the workplace. A recent study from Forbes echoed this notion, concluding that “the best way to ensure the development of new ideas is through a diverse and inclusive workforce.”

2. Benefit: Local market knowledge and insight makes a business more competitive and profitable

A multicultural workforce can give an organization an important edge when expanding into new markets. Often, a product or service needs to be adapted to succeed overseas. Understanding local laws, regulations, and customs, as well as the competitive landscape, can help a business to thrive. Moreover, local connections, native language skills, and cultural understanding can boost international business development exponentially.

And being more competitive ultimately means being more profitable. Diversity Inc annually recognizes the top 50 most diverse companies and measures their success against the broader market. Recent research from McKinsey also underscores the fact that diversity is good for a business’s bottom line. In fact, ethnically diverse companies were shown to be 35% more likely to have financial returns above the national industry median.

3. Benefit: Cultural sensitivity, insight, and local knowledge means higher quality, targeted marketing

Cross-cultural understanding, along with local market knowledge, lends itself the production of more effective marketing strategy and materials. For example, high quality and culturally sensitive translations of websites, brochures, and other assets are essential. But these can be overlooked without the input of a native speaker.

Even brand taglines can get badly lost in translation. A frequently cited example is from KFC in China, whose chicken was marketed as so tasty, you’ll “eat your fingers off!” (A poor translation of their brand tagline, “Finger lickin’ good.”)

Market-specific knowledge and insight is invaluable when it comes to for imagery and design, too. What might work well on a billboard for a British company could fail or offend elsewhere. A memorable McDonalds print ad in Finland may have been considered clever locally, but it was seen as confusing and even grotesque by foreign audiences.

The danger of making a serious marketing blunder, which can cause irreparable damage to a brand or business abroad, can be mitigated by employing a diverse workforce with local marketing savvy.

4. Benefit: Drawing from a culturally diverse talent pool allows an organization to attract and retain the best talent

According to a Glassdoor survey, two thirds of job hunters indicated that diversity was important to them when evaluating companies and job offers. In a competitive global job market, demonstrating that your business is invested in fostering a multicultural and inclusive environment can make you stand out to the right candidates. Making diversity an important part of the recruiting process will broaden your talent pool of prospective employees.

Not only does hiring from a more diverse talent pool makes your business attractive to ambitious, globally minded candidates, it also helps you to keep them on board. Diversity, including diversity of gender, religion, and ethnicity, has been shown to improve retention and reduce the costs associated with employee turnover.

In a diverse workplace, employees are more likely remain loyal when they feel respected and valued for their unique contribution. This, in turn, fosters mutual respect among colleagues who also value the diverse culture, perspectives, and experiences of their team members. An inclusive atmosphere of cross-cultural cooperation is an excellent way to bond colleagues and teams across the business.

“One of the main reasons I chose Hult was the incredible diversity of students and the international element we possess here. Studying and sharing a campus with students from different nationalities has been an awe-inspiring experience. Diversity and international exposure have always been important to the decisions I have made in my career.” Vishnu Subramanian,  Hult MIB Class of 2017

  Download a brochure to find out more about the programs at Hult

5. benefit: a diverse skills base allows an organization to offer a broader and more adaptable range of products and services.

By drawing from a culturally diverse talent pool, companies benefit from hiring professionals with a broad range of skills that are often not accessible when hiring locally. Globally oriented companies can add to their service range by leveraging the skills and experience their international employees bring to the table.

A broader skills base and a more potentially diverse offering of products and services can help your business to have the competitive advantage of adaptability. In today’s volatile and uncertain global business environment, nimble and adaptable organizations are the ones that thrive.

Adaptability means faster and more effective planning, development, and execution. A company with cultural and cognitive diversity can be quicker to spot a gap in the market. It will also have the global (or market-specific) insight and experience to help a new or adapted product to meet changing consumer behavior—and succeed.

6. Benefit: Diverse teams are more productive and perform better

The range of experience, expertise, and working methods that a diverse workplace offers can boost problem-solving capacity and lead to greater productivity. In fact, studies have shown organizations with a culture of diversity and inclusion are both happier and more productive.

Where working in homogeneous teams can seem easier, it can cause a business to settle for the status quo. Diversity, on the other hand, can breed healthy competition, stretching a team in a positive way to achieve their best. This atmosphere of healthy competition can lead to the optimization of company processes for greater efficiency. As a recent article in the Harvard Business Review argues, the challenges of working in a diverse team are one of the reasons why diverse teams perform better: “working on diverse teams produces better outcomes precisely because it’s harder.”

7. Benefit: Greater opportunity for personal and professional growth

Fundamentally, an inclusive and culturally diverse business will attract talented, ambitious, and globally minded professionals who will appreciate the opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Working across cultures can be a truly enriching experiencing, allowing others to learn about perspectives and traditions from around the world. Bonding over similarities and differences can help you to become a global citizen, abandoning prejudices or an ethnocentric world view—something that is increasingly valuable.

A diverse set of colleagues can be professionally enriching too—exposing you to new skills and approaches to work, and developing an international network that can take your career in exciting new directions or abroad.

8. Challenge: Colleagues from some cultures may be less likely to let their voices be heard

However, the presence of diverse brain power alone is not enough. It’s also critical to create an open and inclusive workplace environment, so all team members feel empowered to contribute.

This can be particularly challenging for colleagues from polite or deferential cultures. For instance, professionals from Asian countries such as Vietnam or Japan may feel less comfortable speaking up or sharing ideas, particularly if they are new to the team or in a more junior role.

Conversely, assertive colleagues from the U.S. or Western Europe, or those from Scandinavian countries who emphasize flat organizational hierarchy, may be more inclined to speak up meetings or negotiations when others don’t.

9. Challenge: Integration across multicultural teams can be difficult in the face of prejudice or negative cultural stereotypes

While local expertise is an invaluable asset, it’s also important to foster integration among teams to avoid colleagues from different countries working in isolation and limiting knowledge transfer.

This can be a challenge to overcome, particularly if there are underlying prejudices between cultures, making them less inclined to work together. Negative cultural stereotypes can be seriously detrimental to company morale and affect productivity. For instance, the centuries-long antipathy between the British and French, or the Polish and Germans can sometimes creep into the workplace.

Although not all stereotypes are necessarily negative—like the notion that Americans are confident or Asians are intelligent—all are simplifications that can prove limiting or divisive in the workplace. And while outright prejudice or stereotyping is a serious concern, ingrained and unconscious cultural biases can be a more difficult challenge of workplace diversity to overcome.

10. Challenge: Professional communication can be misinterpreted or difficult to understand across languages and cultures

While quality translations are key for effective marketing, there can also be a real risk of communication getting lost in translation among multicultural colleagues. Language barriers are just one challenge. Even in an office where everyone speaks English, comprehending a range of accents, or understanding a native-speaker’s use of idioms, can be difficult.

Moreover, effective cross-cultural communication comes down to much more than just words spoken. Non-verbal communication is a delicate and nuanced part of cultural interaction that can lead to misunderstandings or even offense between team members from different countries. Things like comfortable levels of physical space, making or maintaining eye contact, and gesturing can all be vastly different across cultures.

Even something as simple as a greeting or handshake has cultural implications that should be considered in a work environment. Business Insider put together this useful infographic to highlight the differences in handshakes and professional greetings around the world:

11. Challenge: Navigating visa requirements, employment laws, and the cost of accommodating workplace requirements can be difficult

Despite the clear benefits, hiring talent from overseas can present an HR challenge. Not least among this is the complicated process of navigating employment laws and visa requirements for international workers. Requirements and regulations are different in each country and between countries, and can change frequently.

Beyond visas, further accommodations for a recruiting and retaining a culturally diverse workforce should be taken into account. For instance, providing a quiet space for prayer can make a workplace more welcoming and inclusive for employees with a range of beliefs, as can taking into account different cultural or religious holidays. Of course, these considerations and accommodations can sometimes be an added business cost as well as a logistical challenge.

12. Challenge: Different understandings of professional etiquette

Colleagues from different cultures can also bring with them different workplace attitudes, values, behaviors, and etiquette. While these can be enriching and even beneficial in a diverse professional environment, they can also cause misunderstandings or ill feelings between team members.

For instance, the expectation of formality (or relative informality), organizational hierarchy, and even working hours can conflict across cultures. Where a Japanese colleague may not feel it appropriate to leave work before their manager (or, indeed, anyone else), a Swedish professional may be used to a 6-hour working day.

Additionally, different approaches to punctuality, confrontation, or dealing with conflict can prove an issue.

13. Challenge: Conflicting working styles across teams

However, working styles and attitudes towards work can be very different, reflecting cultural values and compounding differences. If not recognized and accounted, conflicting approaches to work can put the brakes on productivity.

For instance, approaches to teamwork and collaboration can vary notably. Some cultures, including many in Asia and Central America, value collective consensus when working towards a goal. Whereas others, such as Germany and America, put emphasis on the independence of the individual. Likewise, emphasis on order, rigor, and organization in the workplace versus flexibility and spontaneity can also reflect underlying cultural values.

In many ways, the Hult classroom mirrors this experience, immersing you in a diverse and collaborative working environment from day one. By studying around the world and learning with peers and professors from over 150 different countries, you will master the skill of communicating effectively across cultures and embrace the value of diversity in the workplace.

Interested in giving your cultural competency and business acumen a boost?

Download a brochure to find out more about the programs at Hult

Have you experienced any particularly positive or negative aspects of working in a culturally diverse team? Do these influence your professional life today? Let us know in the comments below.

Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog How volunteering prepared me for business school , or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business . Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself.

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Katie Reynolds

Related posts, hult international business school breaks guinness world records ™ for class diversity, alumni success story: peter windischhofer and kilian kaminski of refurbed, get a reality check on entrepreneurship at hult, hult hires hult: salesforce edition with laura french and sophie bauermeister, how i became a tiktok “realty star”, look who’s #headingtohult.

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.

How Can Diversity Influence the Workplace in a Positive Manner?

We cannot overstate the importance of diversity in the workplace. To drive innovation, organizations must remain agile in the face of change. With today’s business landscape more globalized than ever, organizations must consistently seek ways to attract and retain top talent while appealing to a global customer base. 

Diversity offers an answer to many global business challenges. Drawing on the insights and expertise of diverse team members can help maintain agility. 

How Important Is Diversity in the Workplace?

Diversity has a ripple effect, starting with small changes and expanding into something that has real impact. It supports the recruitment and retention of the best talent, inspires loyalty, and fosters innovation through a sense of collaboration and belonging. 

When people of different backgrounds and identities collaborate, it drives innovation that changes lives. Together, diverse teams boost innovation and drive real change across industries. Their combined experience, knowledge and perspectives build an environment ripe for pioneering ideas, openness and profitability. Companies in the top 25% for ethnic diversity are  27% more likely to financially outperform  their counterparts. 

Workplace diversity also affects an organization’s reputation and retention. With  32% of working adults  in the U.S. considering working with diverse groups essential, providing these collaborative and inclusive environments has become a top priority for many organizations. People care more about their working environments than ever before. They want to work in environments where they can thrive and make a genuine difference. 

How Workforce Diversity Helps in the Growth of an Organization

Diversity does more than help organizations thrive. It helps them grow and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Explore some of the many ways that workplace diversity supports organizational growth.

Attracting Talent and Forming Lasting Customer Relationships

Organizations that emphasize diversity have a significant talent pool from which to draw. Many people at the top of their fields prioritize diversity, which means they gravitate toward organizations that prioritize it. And the more diverse the talent pool, the better the chances that organizations will create lasting relationships with diverse customers. Diverse teams have experiences similar to their client bases — a vital element in today’s global workplace. 

Combining Multiple Perspectives

Diversity fosters innovation, combining different perspectives to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. When every member of an organization knows that they and their voice matter, it promotes a culture of respect and collaboration, enabling the sharing of ideas. 

Diverse teams learn to deal with the nuances associated with different backgrounds and identities. This increased cultural awareness allows organizations to gain multiple insights into the same project. 

Enhancing Decision-Making

Higher cognitive diversity  correlates with better performance  and decision-making in the workplace. Teams become inherently more engaged and collaborative, which allows them to see challenges from multiple angles. Diverse groups have different experiences, and they’re more socially aware. Together, they process facts with extra care and make smarter decisions. 

Elevating Organizational Reputation

Organizations that promote diversity are more relatable and socially responsible. A focus on diversity can enhance an organization’s reputation, attract new customers and partnerships, and allow organizations to enter new markets. Diversity also establishes a positive internal reputation. With  nearly 80% of workers saying  they want to work for a company that values diversity, businesses must meet these demands. 

Improving Productivity and Retention

Top professionals often gravitate toward and want to work for diverse organizations. Diverse  teams enjoy greater productivity , which leads to improved profitability. In addition, employees feel more comfortable in diverse, collaborative teams. They remain loyal to organizations that recognize and respect their unique backgrounds and contributions, allowing them to pioneer solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges. 

How to Foster True Diversity and Inclusion at Work

Diversity should be an organization-wide endeavor. These tips and tricks can help organizations foster a diverse, inclusive work environment.

Create an Honest Organizational Culture

Organizations must create a culture of trust to reap the benefits of a truly diverse environment. Organizational culture filters down from the top, and leaders must build an environment where teams feel safe to express themselves. They must promote — and engage in — honest discourse, encouraging team members to speak openly about their past experiences and plans for the future. Honesty and vulnerability pave the way for meaningful connections and collaboration that change lives. 

Make Diversity Part of the Hiring Process

Diversity should permeate every company’s organizational processes. Organizations can formulate hiring strategies that bring together people from diverse backgrounds and worldviews. A sound hiring strategy can eliminate unconscious bias by evaluating candidates’ competencies. Many organizations actively prioritize diverse hiring pools by focusing on underrepresented groups. 

Prioritize Mentorship Programs

Mentorship  programs can address imbalances  in advancement across diverse groups and support professional development opportunities. Assigning a mentor to all employees with high potential can maximize their contribution and develop their passion for their work.

Again, these efforts become more potent when they come from the top down. Leadership must spearhead diversity promotion and actively participate in employee engagement programs. 

Gather Employee Feedback

A diverse environment values team feedback. Leaders should provide a platform for team members to share their opinions, concerns and questions. The better an organization understands its teams’ experiences, the more steps it can take to promote diversity in every team. 

How to Talk About Diversity at Work

One of the most effective ways to promote diversity in the workplace is to talk about it. Historically, it’s a sensitive subject, so organizations must find ways to start and maintain these conversations. Consider these meaningful ways to talk about diversity at work: 

• Ask the right questions:  Genuine questions build a culture of trust. Organizations must ask their teams about specific goals, including their safety, perspectives and barriers to success. 
• Focus on education:  Leaders can educate themselves on the challenges diverse groups face, such as the issues women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups face in the workplace. The more information they can gather, the better they can address workplace discomfort and challenges. 
• Make discomfort comfortable:  Some topics integral to diversity can be uncomfortable. Policies and procedures can remove this discomfort. Organizations can also create small, safe spaces where employees can relax and chat in a casual environment. 
• Engage everyone on the team:  Avoid letting one or two voices take over the conversation. Ensure that team members can express themselves comfortably and that everyone gets heard. Many people feel more comfortable expressing their opinions anonymously, so create avenues for them to do so. 
• Encourage listening and understanding:  Listening more than speaking is critical. Encourage team members to pause and understand each other before making assumptions. 

Experience True Workplace Diversity with Danaher

If you want to work in an authentic and diverse environment that allows you to change lives, look no further than Danaher. We’re building a  community rooted in inclusion  and belonging and remain committed to innovation. We understand the importance of diverse perspectives, so we made a public commitment to advancing equity globally. 

Take risks with us and push the boundaries of what’s possible. As pioneers in various fields, including life sciences and biotechnology, we tackle some of the world’s toughest challenges. Start collaborating with a diverse team and making a difference today.  Browse our job opportunities  and join our team today!

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace

A majority of u.s. workers say focusing on dei at work is a good thing, but relatively small shares place great importance on diversity in their own workplace, table of contents.

• The value of DEI efforts at work
• The importance of a diverse workforce
• DEI measures and their impact
• How gender, race and ethnicity impact success in the workplace
• Acknowledgments
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology

Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand how adults in the United States think about diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the workplace. This analysis is based on survey responses from 4,744 U.S. adults who are working part time or full time, are not self-employed, have only one job or have multiple jobs but consider one their primary job, and whose company or organization has 10 or more people. The data was collected as part of a larger survey of workers conducted Feb. 6-12, 2023. Everyone who took part is a member of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Read more about the questions used for this report and the report’s methodology .

References to workers or employed adults include those who are employed part time or full time, are not self-employed, have only one job or have multiple jobs but consider one their primary job, and whose company or organization has 10 or more people.

References to White, Black and Asian adults include those who are not Hispanic and identify as only one race. Hispanics are of any race.

References to college graduates or people with a college degree comprise those with a bachelor’s degree or more. “Some college” includes those with an associate degree and those who attended college but did not obtain a degree.

References to disabled workers include those who say a disability or handicap keeps them from fully participating in work, school, housework or other activities.

All references to party affiliation include those who lean toward that party. Republicans include those who identify as Republicans and those who say they lean toward the Republican Party. Democrats include those who identify as Democrats and those who say they lean toward the Democratic Party.

Workplace diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, or DEI, are increasingly becoming part of national political debates . For a majority of employed U.S. adults (56%), focusing on increasing DEI at work is a good thing, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. But opinions about DEI vary considerably along demographic and political lines.

Most workers have some experience with DEI measures at their workplace. About six-in-ten (61%) say their company or organization has policies that ensure fairness in hiring, pay or promotions, and 52% say they have trainings or meetings on DEI at work. Smaller shares say their workplace has a staff member who promotes DEI (33%), that their workplace offers salary transparency (30%), and that it has affinity groups or employee resource groups based on a shared identity (26%). Majorities of those who have access to these measures say each has had a positive impact where they work.

Related : How Americans View Their Jobs

This nationally representative survey of 5,902 U.S. workers, including 4,744 who are not self-employed, was conducted Feb. 6-12, 2023, using the Center’s American Trends Panel . 1 The survey comes at a time when DEI efforts are facing some backlash and many major companies are laying off their DEI professionals .

Some key findings from the survey:

• Relatively small shares of workers place a lot of importance on diversity at their workplace. About three-in-ten say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere with a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities (32%) or ages (28%). Roughly a quarter say the same about having a workplace with about an equal mix of men and women (26%) and 18% say this about a mix of employees of different sexual orientations.
• More than half of workers (54%) say their company or organization pays about the right amount of attention to increasing DEI. Smaller shares say their company or organization pays too much (14%) or too little attention (15%), and 17% say they’re not sure. Black workers are more likely than those in other racial and ethnic groups to say their employer pays too little attention to increasing DEI. They’re also among the most likely to say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing (78% of Black workers say this), while White workers are the least likely to express this view (47%).
• Women are more likely than men to value DEI at work. About six-in-ten women (61%) say focusing on increasing DEI at work is a good thing, compared with half of men. And larger shares of women than men say it’s extremely or very important to them to work at a place that is diverse when it comes to gender, race and ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation.
• There are wide partisan differences in views of workplace DEI. Most Democratic and Democratic-leaning workers (78%) say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, compared with 30% of Republicans and Republican leaners. Democrats are also far more likely than Republicans to value different aspects of diversity. And by wide margins, higher shares of Democrats than Republicans say the policies and resources related to DEI available at their workplace have had a positive impact.
• Half of workers say it’s extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is accessible for people with physical disabilities. About three-in-ten workers (29%) say this is somewhat important to them, and 21% say it’s not too or not at all important. A majority of workers (76% among those who do not work fully remotely) say their workplace is at least somewhat accessible for people with physical disabilities.
• Many say being a man or being White is an advantage where they work. The survey asked respondents whether a person’s gender, race or ethnicity makes it easier or harder to be successful where they work. Shares ranging from 45% to 57% say these traits make it neither easier nor harder. But far more say being a man and being White makes it easier than say it makes it harder for someone to be successful. Conversely, by double-digit margins, more say being a woman, being Black or being Hispanic makes it harder than say it makes it easier to be successful where they work.

A majority of workers (56%) say focusing on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion at work is mainly a good thing; 28% say it is neither good nor bad, and 16% say it is a bad thing. Views on this vary along key demographic and partisan lines.

Half or more of both men and women say focusing on increasing DEI at work is a good thing, but women are more likely than men to offer this view (61% vs. 50%). In turn, men are more than twice as likely as women to say it is a bad thing (23% vs. 9%).

About two-thirds or more of Black (78%), Asian (72%) and Hispanic (65%) workers say that focusing on DEI at work is a good thing. Among White workers, however, fewer than half (47%) say it’s a good thing; in fact, 21% say it’s a bad thing. But there are wide partisan, gender and age gaps among White workers, with majorities of White Democrats, women and those under age 30 saying focusing on DEI at work is a good thing.

Workers under 30 are the most likely age group to say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing. About two-thirds (68%) of workers ages 18 to 29 say this, compared with 56% of workers 30 to 49, 46% of those 50 to 64, and 52% of those 65 and older.

Views also differ by educational attainment, with 68% of workers with a postgraduate degree saying focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, compared with 59% of those with a bachelor’s degree only and 50% of those with some college or less education.

Democratic and Democratic-leaning workers are much more likely to say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing (78%) than to say it is a bad thing (4%) or that it is neither good nor bad (18%). Views among Republican and Republican-leaning workers are more mixed: Some 30% say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, while the same share (30%) say it’s a bad thing, and 39% say it’s neither good nor bad.

A majority of workers say their employer pays the right amount of attention to DEI

When it comes to the focus of their own employer, 54% of workers say their company or organization pays about the right amount of attention to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion. The remainder are divided between saying their employer pays too much (14%) or too little attention (15%), or that they’re not sure (17%).

Women are more likely than men to say their employer pays too little attention to increasing DEI (17% vs. 12%). In turn, men are more likely than women to say too much attention is paid to this where they work (18% vs. 10%).

Black workers (28%) are the most likely to say their company or organization pays too little attention to increasing DEI, compared with smaller shares of White (11%), Hispanic (19%) and Asian (17%) workers who say the same.

Views on this question also differ by party. While half or more of both Republican and Democratic workers say their company or organization pays the right amount of attention to DEI, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say their employer pays too little attention to it (21% vs. 7%). In turn, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say their employer pays too much attention to DEI (24% vs. 6%).

While a majority of workers say focusing on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion at work is a good thing, relatively small shares place great importance on working at a place that is diverse when it comes to gender, race and ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. About three-in-ten workers say it’s extremely or very important to them to work somewhere with a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities (32%) and ages (28%), while 26% say the same about having about an equal mix of men and women. And 18% say this about having a mix of employees of different sexual orientations at their workplace.

Women are more likely than men to say it’s extremely or very important to them to work at a place that is diverse across all measures asked about in the survey. For example, there are 11 percentage point differences in the shares of women compared with men saying it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that has a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities (37% vs. 26%) and about an equal mix of men and women (31% vs. 20%).

Black workers are among the most likely to value racial, ethnic and age diversity in the workplace. Some 53% of Black workers say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere with a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities, compared with 39% of Hispanic workers and 25% of White workers who say the same; 43% of Asian workers say this is important to them. (There is no statistically significant difference between the share of Asian workers and the shares of Black and Hispanic workers who hold this view.) And while 42% of Black workers highly value working somewhere with a mix of employees of different ages, smaller shares of Hispanic (33%), Asian (30%) and White (24%) workers say the same.

When it comes to diversity of sexual orientation, 28% of Black workers and 22% of Hispanic workers say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is diverse in this way; 15% each among White and Asian workers say the same.

Workers under age 50 are more likely than those 50 and older to say racial and ethnic diversity in their workplace is extremely or very important to them (35% vs. 26%). Workers younger than 50 are also more likely to say having about an equal mix of men and women is important to them, with workers ages 18 t0 29 the most likely to say this (34% vs. 26% of workers 30 to 49, and 20% each among those 50 to 64 and 65 and older).

There are also differences by educational attainment, with larger shares of workers with a postgraduate degree than those with less education saying it’s extremely or very important to them that their workplace is diverse across all measures asked about in the survey. For example, 44% of workers with a postgraduate degree say having a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities is extremely or very important to them, compared with 34% of those with a bachelor’s degree only and 27% of those with some college or less.

Democratic workers are much more likely than Republican workers to say working somewhere that is diverse when it comes to gender, race and ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation is extremely or very important to them. In fact, about half of Democrats (49%) place great importance on having a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities where they work, compared with 13% of Republicans. And there are differences of at least 20 points between the shares of Democrats and Republicans saying it’s extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that has about an equal mix of men and women (39% of Democrats say this vs. 12% of Republicans) and a mix of employees of different ages (39% vs. 17%) and sexual orientations (27% vs. 7%).

Overall, a majority of workers say their workplace has a mix of employees of different ages (58% say this describes their current workplace extremely or very well). Smaller shares say their workplace has about an equal mix of men and women (38%) and a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities (46%) and sexual orientations (28%). These assessments do not vary much across demographic groups.

Half of workers place great importance on working at a place that is accessible for people with physical disabilities

Half of workers say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is accessible for people with physical disabilities; 29% say it is somewhat important and 21% say it is not too or not at all important to them.

Highly valuing an accessible workplace varies by gender, race and ethnicity, and party, but there is no significant difference in responses between those who do and don’t report having a disability.

About six-in-ten women (58%) say it is extremely or very important to them that their workplace is accessible, compared with 41% of men.

Black workers are more likely than workers of other racial and ethnic groups to place great importance on their workplace being accessible: 62% of Black workers say this is extremely or very important, compared with 51% of Hispanic, 48% of White and 43% of Asian workers.

A majority of Democrats (59%) say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is accessible for people with physical disabilities; 40% of Republican say the same. Some 27% of Republicans say this is not too or not at all important to them, compared with 15% of Democrats.

There is no statistically significant difference in the shares of workers who have a disability and those who do not saying it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is accessible for people with physical disabilities. But workers who do not have a disability are more likely than those who do to say this is not too or not at all important to them (21% vs. 15%).

Among those who don’t work fully remotely, about three-quarters of workers (76%) say their workplace is at least somewhat accessible for people with physical disabilities, with 51% saying it is extremely or very accessible. Some 17% say their workplace is not too or not at all accessible, and 8% are not sure.

When asked whether the company or organization they work for has a series of measures that are typically associated with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, a majority of workers say their employer has policies that ensure everyone is treated fairly in hiring, pay or promotions (61%), and 52% say there are trainings or meetings on DEI where they work.

Smaller shares say their workplace has a staff member whose main job is to promote DEI at work (33%), a way for employees to see the salary range for all positions (30%), and groups created by employees sometimes known as affinity groups or employee resource groups (ERGs) based on shared identities such as gender, race or being a parent (26%).

Responses do not vary much by most demographic characteristics. However, workers with at least a bachelor’s degree are consistently more likely than those with less education to say each of these five measures is available where they work.

Workers tend to see positive impact from policies and resources associated with DEI where they work

Among those whose workplace offers each policy or resource, a majority of workers say each measure has had a somewhat or very positive impact where they work. About a third or fewer workers say each resource has had neither a positive nor negative impact, and about one-in-ten or fewer say each of these has had a somewhat or very negative impact.

Democrats and Republicans are about equally likely to say their workplace has these measures in place, but Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say the impact of each has been positive by margins ranging from 10 to 32 points (among those who say their workplace has these measures). For example, 66% of Democrats who say their workplace has a way for employees to see the salary range for all positions say this has had a somewhat or very positive impact, compared with 56% of Republicans who say this. And while about three-quarters of Democrats (74%) say having a staff member whose main job is to promote DEI at work has had a positive impact, fewer than half of Republicans (42%) say the same.

Women are more likely than men to say each of these policies and resources has had a very or somewhat positive impact where they work. This is mainly driven by gender differences among Republicans: There are double-digit differences in the shares of Republican women and Republican men who say many of these resources have had a positive impact. For example, 58% of Republican women say having a staff member whose main job is to promote DEI at work has had at least a somewhat positive impact where they work, compared with 31% of Republican men who hold this view. The same share of Republican women (58%) say having affinity groups or ERGs has had a positive impact, compared with 38% of Republican men who say the same.

Among Democrats, majorities of both men and women offer positive assessments of these resources in their workplace, but Democratic women are more likely than Democratic men to say having trainings or meetings on DEI at work have had a positive impact (72% vs. 65%).

While there are differences by race, ethnicity and age on overall attitudes about DEI in the workplace, there are no consistent differences along these dimensions in how workers with access to these policies and resources at their workplace assess their impact.

About half of workers who have participated in DEI trainings in the last year say they’ve been helpful

Out of all workers, about four-in-ten (38%) have participated in a DEI training in the last year. A similar share (40%) did not participate or say their workplace does not offer these trainings, and 21% are not sure if their employer offers these trainings.

Looking only at those whose company or organization has trainings or meetings on DEI, about three-quarters (73%) say they have participated in such trainings in the past year. And assessments of these trainings tend to be positive, with 53% of workers who’ve participated saying they were very or somewhat helpful. About a third (34%) give a more neutral assessment, saying the trainings were neither helpful nor unhelpful, and 13% say they were very or somewhat unhelpful.

While men and women are about equally likely to have participated in trainings on DEI in the past year, women are more likely than men to say the trainings have been at least somewhat helpful (60% vs. 46%).

Republicans and Democrats are also equally likely to say they’ve participated in these trainings in the past year, but Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to say the trainings have been helpful (66% vs. 36%). About one-in-five Republicans say they’ve been unhelpful (19%), compared with 9% of Democrats.

While both Democratic men and women offer similar assessments of the DEI trainings they’ve participated in, there are gender differences among Republican workers. Republican women are more likely than Republican men to say the trainings they’ve participated in have been helpful (47% vs. 28%). Conversely, 22% of Republican men, compared with 14% of Republican women, say the trainings have been unhelpful.

Few workers are members of affinity groups or ERGs at work

While 26% of workers say there are affinity groups or employee resource groups (ERGs) where they work, members of these groups account for a very small share of workers overall. Just 6% of workers say they are members of an affinity group or ERG, with 58% of workers saying these groups are either not available at their workplace or that they aren’t a member. Another 37% say they are not sure if their workplace offers these groups.

Among workers who say there are affinity groups or ERGs at their workplace, 22% say they are personally a member. Women are more likely than men to be members of these groups (28% vs. 16%). And 28% of non-White workers say they are a member of an affinity group or ERG, compared with 18% of White workers. 2

When asked about the impact a person’s gender, race or ethnicity has on their ability to succeed at work, workers tend to say these characteristics neither make it easier nor harder to be successful at their workplace.

Still, when it comes to gender, workers are more likely to say being a man makes it easier to be successful where they work than to say it makes it harder (36% vs. 6%). In contrast, a larger share says being a woman makes it harder to be successful than say it makes it easier (28% vs. 11%).

Men and women have different views on the impact gender has on a person’s ability to succeed where they work. Some 44% of women say being a man makes it at least a little easier to be successful, including 24% who say it makes it a lot easier. This compares with 29% of men who say being a man makes it at least a little easier to be successful.

Similarly, 34% of women say being a woman makes it harder to be successful where they work, compared with 21% of men.

Women under age 50 are especially likely – more so than women ages 50 and older or men in either age group – to say being a man makes it easier to be successful where they work and that being a woman makes it harder. For example, 38% of women ages 18 to 49 say being a woman makes it harder to be successful where they work. This compares with 29% of women 50 and older, 25% of men younger than 50, and an even smaller share of men 50 and older (13%).

When it comes to views about how race or ethnicity affects people’s ability to succeed at work, 51% of Black workers say being Black makes it harder to be successful where they work. This is significantly higher than the shares of Asian (41%), Hispanic (23%) and White (18%) workers who say the same about the impact of being Black.

Similarly, about four-in-ten Asian workers (39%) say being Asian makes it harder to be successful in their workplace, a higher share than workers of other racial and ethnic groups who say the same about being Asian.

Hispanic, Black and Asian workers are about equally likely to say being Hispanic makes it harder to be successful where they work. A smaller share of White workers say the same about being Hispanic.

When asked about the impact of being White in their workplace, workers across racial and ethnic groups are more likely to say it makes it easier than to say it makes it harder to be successful. This is especially the case among Black and Asian workers. About half of Black (52%) and Asian (51%) workers say being White makes it easier to be successful where they work, compared with 37% of Hispanic and 24% of White workers who say the same about being White.

Previously released findings from this survey found that Black workers are more likely than White, Hispanic and Asian workers to report that they have experienced discrimination or have been treated unfairly by an employer in hiring, pay or promotions because of their race or ethnicity at some point in their careers (though not necessarily where they currently work). Women are also more likely than men to say they’ve experienced such discrimination because of their gender.

There are large partisan gaps in views of whether gender, race or ethnicity make it easier or harder to be successful at work. Some 47% of Democratic workers say being a man makes it at least somewhat easier to be successful at their workplace, compared with 25% of Republican workers. Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to say being a woman makes it harder to succeed (37% vs. 17%).

Democratic and Republican women are more likely than their male counterparts to say being a woman makes it harder – and being a man makes it easier – to be successful where they work. The differences between Republican women and Republican men are particularly striking. About a quarter of Republican women (26%) say being a woman makes it harder to be successful, compared with 10% of Republican men. And while 36% of Republican women say being a man makes it easier to be successful where they work, just 16% of Republican men say the same.

Democratic workers are more than three times as likely as Republican workers to say being White makes it easier to succeed where they work (48% vs. 13%), and they are also more likely than Republicans to say being Black, Hispanic or Asian makes it harder. About four-in-ten Democrats (39%) say being Black makes it harder for someone to succeed at their workplace, compared with just 9% of Republicans. Similarly, 30% of Democrats say being Hispanic makes it harder to succeed, compared with 8% of Republicans. And while smaller shares in both parties say being Asian makes it harder to succeed, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say this (16% vs. 6%). These partisan differences remain when looking only at Democrats and Republicans who are White.

• For details, see the  Methodology  section of the report. The analysis in this report is based on U.S. workers who are employed full time or part time, who are not self-employed, and who have only one job or have multiple jobs but consider one their primary job (99% of workers who are not self-employed have one job or a primary job). Additionally, the analysis is restricted to workers at companies or organizations with at least 10 employees as certain federal requirements such as non-discrimination mandates apply to larger workplaces. ↩
• Non-White adults include Black, Hispanic, Asian and other races besides White, as well as people who identify as more than one race. The sample sizes among Black, Hispanic and Asian workers who have affinity groups or ERGs at work are too small to analyze separately. ↩

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Cultural Diversity Impact On The Workplace Business Essay

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122 Workplace Diversity Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best workplace diversity topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on workplace diversity, 🥇 most interesting workplace diversity topics to write about, 📌 simple & easy workplace diversity essay titles, ❓ workplace diversity research questions.

• Workplace Diversity Consciousness Diversity consciousness refers to being aware and respecting the differences that exist among people of varying backgrounds.
• Managing Diversity in the Workplace In the hospitality industry, the success of product differentiation and customer service improvement efforts depends on the competencies of the employees.
• Diversity in Society, Community, and Workplace As a leader, the best way to be sure that the benefit of having diversity and overcoming the challenges is by promoting synergy.
• Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Workplace Thus, the paper aims to provide a reflection on the three critical workplace factors and analyze their role and importance in the organization.
• Ethnocentrism and Diversity in the Workplace In general, communication with a stranger goes down to the anticipation and the prediction of the answers. On the contrary, when communicating with strangers, the individuals involved in the communication are more cautious of the […]
• Cultural Diversity & Communication in the Workplace When she arrives at the workplace, she finds that she is the only woman in that office. She is unable to follow the American accent in the language.
• Diversity Training Program in the Workplace According to Colquitt, Conlon, Wesson, Porter and Ng, the next perspective is anchored on the organisational response to the impact of the legal and political environment, which introduce diversity training programs when they have lost […]
• AT&T Diversity in the Workplace Most notably, AT&T manages its workforce through a HRM team that consists of the corporate executive of the company, the human resource department staffs, the strategic business units heads, and members from delivery and business […]
• Importance of Diversity at the Workplace To do so, organisations are called upon to ensure that they cerate awareness of the need for diversity at the workplace to their employees.
• Gender and Diversity in the Workplace The modern world of human resource management seems to have changed significantly and as policies and regulations change, the need to reconsider workplace gender equity and diversity has received considerable attention across organizations.
• Developing the Cultural Diversity at the Workplace The managers have to present clients with a diverse representation in the firm thus the need to ensure sharing of common grounds between the client and the server.
• KPMG and Cable Bahamas Ltd.’s Workplace Diversity First, it is necessary to define diversity in the context of the workplace in companies. Finally, it is notable that many subsidiaries and companies working in the Bahamas are open to diversity and promote it […]
• State-Level Culture and Workplace Diversity Policies The authors of this article explored how the culture of different states of the United States influences the decision-making of company leaders regarding the policy of diversity in enterprises.
• Nursing Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Of particular interest for this study is the introduction and interpretation of the concepts of diversity and inclusion in the context of nursing practice.
• Cultural Diversity at the Workplace: Challenges and Benefits Bowing is a common greeting in Japan, as well as a way of saying “welcome,” “goodbye,” “a prayer at a place of worship,” “thank you,” and “grace during mealtime”.
• Workplace Diversity and Organizational Leadership The purpose of this annotated bibliography is to examine academic literature related to the subject of workforce diversity in order to draw conclusions about the related effects, practical implications, and future projections.
• Workplace Diversity: The Global Social Event Additionally, the event is associated with the transformation of the culture of modern society towards the values of personal characteristics and skills.
• Social Justice, Diversity and Workplace Discrimination It also includes the fair distribution of the national wealth and resources among all citizens and the unbiased treatment of all individuals.
• Aspects of Diversity in the Workplace The importance of social and cultural intelligence. The importance of a non-discrimination policy.
• Accomplishing Workplace Diversity One needs to be highly aware of vast cultural and linguistic differences among patients, which can be more easily overcome through a presentation of a diverse set of workers in the workplace.
• Age Diversity and Conflicts in the Workplace The problem of the generation gap has always affected workplace relationships globally due to the differences in the circumstances under which people belonging to different age groups developed their values.
• AT&T Diversity in the Workplace AT&T is an American multinational company that offers telecommunications solutions to retail and enterprise consumers. It is among the largest employers in the United States.
• Recognizing the Impact of Diversity on the Workplace: A Training Plan Before introducing the training series that would help employees to recognize the impact of diversity in the workplace, it is crucial to define diversity.
• Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits and Advantages One of the benefits of the diversity in the workplace is the achievement of enhanced organizational flexibility. This approach is associated with some weaknesses as the funds invested can exceed the gains as the employee […]
• Cultural Diversity and Conflict in the Health Care Workplace Dealing with these problems and the issues that they involve is necessary to ensure the quality of health care delivered by the organization.
• IBM: Issues in Democratic Principles & Diversity in the Workplace In consequence, employees have the freedom and “…right to influence the conditions of work as well as the policy of the workplace”.
• Gender Diversity in the Workplace and Social Changes This is a research paper, seeking to understand and discuss the benefits of gender diversity at the workplace and how far the firefighting industry has come in appreciating the trend.
• Diversity in the Workplace: A Melting Pot of Conflict An example of conflict as a positive force is that the creation and resolution of conflict may lead the company to constructive problem-solving.
• Diversity in the Workplace: Advantages and Disadvantages The process of globalization influences every aspect of human life, and the workplace is not an exception. Every organization aims to involve people from different countries in the working process to improve creativity and seek […]
• Workplace Diversity and Its Benefits for Business In the present worldwide economy, different individuals from different corners of the globe are finding themselves working in the same office environment with a shared objective, be it in the short-term or the long-term.
• Workplace Diversity: Values and Challenges The majority of the multicultural companies are embracing cultural diversity as a resourceful strategy to support new and unique ideas. Young people are also eager and prepared to work in a global setting due to […]
• Workplace Diversity and Challenges of Leadership However, the importance of attaining diversification strategy within the organization was due to two broad reasons: retaining competitiveness of the organizations after employing the diversity strategy and morally, diversification of the organization is the right […]
• Disability and Diversity in the Workplace For instance, the American Association of People with Disabilities is a non-profit organization that concentrates on the rights of people with disabilities.
• Workplace Diversity Consciousness: Barriers and Programs This situation will affect the performance of every employee at the workplace. Every barrier to effective communication will affect the level of performance.
• Workplace Diversity in Silicon Valley According to Hubbard, diversity pays and it helps to cater the customer’s demands, it helps to comprehend the heartbeat of the marketplace and enhances the quality of goods and services.
• Workplace Diversity: Human Performance Enhancement Strategy The existence of a gap between the ongoing actions and expectations of the organization worsens the state of discrimination based on gender and ethnicity among other aspects.
• Managing Cultural Diversity in the Workplace It holds that while the department’s leaders may have the option of mitigating such clashes by reducing the diversity composition of the department, complying with the concerns of the quality of life and social justice […]
• Diversity in the Workplace Within the Department of Health The embracement of such factors through the implementation of appropriate leadership and management strategies were seen to improve the engagement of the employees in teamwork thereby promoting positive perception of the differences amongst cultures that […]
• Strategies of Managing Workplace Diversity Addressing the issues of the diversity at the workplace and maintaining comfortable and harmonious working process for the employees of all kinds is one of the highest and most important priorities for the managers these […]
• Diversity and Inclusion in Relation to Music in the Workplace Most of the employees have complained that the genres of music that is played in the office do not apply to their cultural affiliation and they fail to represent the majority of the employees’ listening […]
• Diversity and Discrimination in the Workplace: The Role in Activities of an Organization Women, African Americans, Latinos and Asians have been the main victims of workplace discrimination in the United States. So long as the activities are not related to work performance and creativity, they amount to discrimination.
• Workplace Diversity: Transparency’ and Team Spirit’ Principles Based on the content presented in the articles Rethinking Diversity in Public Organizations for the 21st Century: Moving Toward a Multicultural Model and The Ideal of Diversity in Organizations, I have stood a chance to […]
• Workplace Diversity Benefits and Challenges The second one is that managers are supposed to implement diversity friendly policies which recognize the diversity of the employees. The most challenging aspect of diversity in my organization is to convince every person that […]
• Challenges and Benefits of Workplace Diversity A company that limits itself in terms of diverse employee demographics runs the risk of being unable to understand the quirks and cultural norms in specific ethnic and racial markets resulting in the creation of […]
• Managing Diversity at Workplace In the workplace, diversity, if properly managed, optimises the willingness and ability of all employees to contribute to the organisational success by encouraging each employee to draw fully on the talents, different points of view, […]
• Effects of Diversity of Workforce at the Workplace Normally, if an organization is shifting from a homogenous culture to a diverse one, members of the former may dislike the change. In the process of implementing a diverse workplace, an organization may need to […]
• Implementation of a Diversity Management Strategy in the Workplace The management of this organization has realized the importance of increasing diversity in the workforce. This has been achieved through positive efforts by the organizational management to improve the diversity of employees in the organization.
• Increasing Diversity in the Workplace They have conformed to the traditional way of life, and therefore are rigid to some of the changes that take place in the external environment. Technology is one of the leading factors that have contributed […]
• Strategies of Workplace Diversity Management Additionally, it is crucial to train employees on the importance of diversity within the workforce and how it can be harnessed for the betterment of the company. This has helped in addressing the challenges and […]
• The Importance of Interactionism and Diversity in the Workplace Various corporations and government agencies tend to improve their competitive advantage as there is a need to comprehend the importance of management strategies to manage diversity in the workplace. So, it is rather important to […]
• Concept of Diversity in Workplace When the manager understands the diversity of his or her workforce, he/she will know how to use the diverse workforce to maximize the benefits of the organization rather than to let it divide the workers.
• Cultural Awareness and Diversity in the Workplace Employees can do research about the culture of their work mates during their free time in order to enhance their cultural knowledge and understanding.
• Managing Workplace Diversity: Issues and Challenges
• Workplace Diversity and Public Policy: Challenges and Opportunities for Psychology
• Workplace Diversity and Group Relations: An Overview
• The Impact of Workplace Diversity on Organisations
• Understanding the Dilemmas of Managing Workplace Diversity
• Increasing Workplace Diversity: Evidence From a Recruiting Experiment at a Fortune 500 Company
• Defining the Domain of Workplace Diversity Scholarship
• Workplace Diversity and Job Satisfaction Dependence
• The Psychological Benefits of Creating an Affirming Climate for Workplace Diversity
• Developing an Instrument for Measuring Attitudes Toward and Perceptions of Workplace Diversity
• Harnessing Demographic Differences in Organizations: What Moderates the Effects of Workplace Diversity?
• Workplace Diversity: Emerging Issues in Contemporary Business
• Transsexuals and Workplace Diversity: The “Change” Management
• Changing Attitudes Over Time: Assessing the Effectiveness of a Workplace Diversity Course
• Prospects and Challenges of Workplace Diversity in Modern Day Organizations
• The Elusive Effects of Workplace Diversity on Innovation
• Workplace Diversity Management in Australia: What Do Managers Think and What Are Organisations Doing?
• Strategies for Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities of Workplace Diversity
• Workplace Diversity Management in a Multicultural Society
• Linking Workplace Diversity to Organizational Performance: A Conceptual Framework
• The Deceptively Simple Economics of Workplace Diversity
• Workplace Diversity and Inclusion: Policies and Best Practices for Organisations Employing Transgender People in India
• Support of Workplace Diversity Policies: The Role of Race, Gender, and Beliefs About Inequality
• Walking the Talk on Diversity: CEO Beliefs, Moral Values, and the Implementation of Workplace Diversity Practices
• Cross-Level Effects of Workplace Diversity on Sales Performance and Pay
• Workplace Diversity in South Africa: Its Qualities and Management
• Workplace Diversity: A Social-Ecological Framework and Policy Implications
• The Scope and Impact of Workplace Diversity in the United Arab Emirates
• Religion as an Aspect of Workplace Diversity: An Examination of the US Context and a Call for International Research
• Workplace Diversity in the United States: The Perspective of Peter Drucker
• Exploring Workplace Diversity and Organisational Effectiveness: A South African Exploratory
• The Effect of Workplace Diversity Management in a Highly Male-Dominated Culture
• A Longitudinal Evaluation of Senior Managers’ Perceptions and Attitudes of a Workplace Diversity Training Program
• Why Is There a Lack of Workplace Diversity Research on Asian Americans?
• Blowback, Backlash, and Other Forms of Resistance to Workplace Diversity Initiatives That Support Sexual Minorities
• Effects of Workplace Diversity Management on Organizational Effectiveness
• Managing Workplace Diversity: Performance of Minority Employees
• Workplace Diversity and Intercultural Communication: A Phenomenological Study
• Diversity in the High-Tech Workplace: Diversity and Performance in R&D
• Advancing Workplace Diversity Through the Culturally Responsive Teamwork Framework
• What Are the Problems and Challenges of Managing Diversity in the Workplace?
• What Are Workplace Diversity and Group Relations?
• What Are the Areas of the Definition of Workplace Diversity Scholarship?
• How Can Diversity and Ethics Be Managed in the Workplace?
• What Are the Psychological Benefits of Creating a Diversified Workplace Climate?
• What Is the Development of a Tool to Measure Attitudes and Perceptions of Diversity in the Workplace?
• How Are Diversity and Inclusion Used in the Workplace?
• What Are the Perspectives and Challenges of Diversity in the Workplace in Modern Organizations?
• What Is the Impact of Workplace Diversity on Innovation?
• What Strategies for Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities of Diversity in the Workplace?
• How Can Diversity Be Managed in the Workplace in a Multicultural Society?
• What Is the Relationship Between Workplace Diversity and Organizational Performance?
• What Does Diversity Analysis Look Like in the Workplace?
• What Does Diversity Look Like in the Workplace?
• What Is the Difference Between Defining Diversity in the Workplace and Managing It?
• What Is the Purpose of Effective Leadership and Diversity in the Workplace?
• What Do Equity and Diversity Look Like in the Workplace?
• What Equal Opportunity and Job Diversity?
• What Is Globalization and Job Diversity?
• How Different Cultures Helped Shape Our Nation and Promote Diversity in the Workplace?
• How Can Considerations of Diversity Affect Conflict in the Workplace?
• How Are Human Resource Management and Diversity in the Workplace Interrelated?
• How Can Diversity Be Managed in the Workplace?
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