Human Resource

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Diversity is defined as "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." Dimensions of diversity include, but are not limited to: age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, physical abilities/qualities, race, sexual orientation, educational background, geographic location, income, marital status, military experience, religious beliefs, parental status, and work experience.

Recognising diversity is important because it helps in understanding how people's differences and similarities can be mobilised for the benefit of the individual, the organisation and society as a whole. Also the world is moving towards the concept of "inclusive workplace", which is based on the idea that work organizations must create and sustain a culture that accepts individual differences.

This project aims to identify the minorities in some of the organisations and bring about their experiences being one and their expectations from the workforce for improving them.

We have identified 5 minorities from educational institutions and interviewed them on the above objective.

RESPONSES

1. NAME: ABHIMANYU SAHAI

ORGANISATION: IIMB

MINORITY ASPECT: GAY

Abhimanyu is one of the many students of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He is just like any other boy, with one aspect that makes him unique. He is gay. But to him, this is not something which is a hindrance to his academics or for that matter, job.

Although he feels he stands out of the crowd and that he is different, he does not find a problem in socialising with people around in his organisation.

He found his uniqueness an advantage when he went for his summer internship and mentioned that he was gay since he was then introduced to an openly gay person in their own organisation who still helps him out whenever needed.

He has never faced anything negative being very open about his orientation nor has he been treated very differently amongst his colleagues. He wants everyone to keep treating him in the normal fashion. He just expects one change though, that people feel less revulsion when male to male sex or romance is being described.

In the context of sexual minority, he thinks there should be:

1. Counselling for those still in the closet

2. Training all employees to be more sensitive towards gays/lesbians. basically training that dispels myths about these 'subcultures' and teaches the employees that apart from our sexual orientation, we are really like everybody else

3. Special clauses for protection of gays/bis/lesbians should be there in context of unfair treatment, firing etc.

2. NAME: RAJASURYA S

ORGANISATION: IIM-RAIPUR

MINORITY ASPECT: LANGUAGE

Rajasurya, unlike any other 12 female members, is unfamiliar with Hindi. This may not seem to be a very difficult thing, sensing the lectures and conversations are all in English, but trust her (and us), it is a big problem. It is a hindrance not in academic lectures but in normal conversation among groups and friends.

She not only feels different but odd sometimes and special too. Socialising is difficult for her since the barrier is language which she finds difficult to overcome. She enjoys the special attention and care but hates it when she goes all blank when a teacher starts teaching something in Hindi and especially when a joke is cracked in Hindi, all she can do is give a lost look.

Most of the time people treat her