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Essay / Prejudices and stereotypes of ethnic groups
In my current higher education organization, there is a clear division between administration and employees who do not perform administrative functions. Those who serve in the administration are often of Caucasian origin. Meanwhile, employees who do not hold administrative roles are more likely to be of African American or Hispanic origin. This divide is something the organization is working to combat this stereotype and has begun to make hiring decisions that reflect its efforts. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay I recently made a career change from the corporate office of a famous fast food restaurant. This fast food organization is called Waffle House. At the company level, there is a huge mix of diversity. All ethnicities, age groups, and education levels are featured and constitute a workforce in the majority of decisions made. This may be due to the origin of the company. The company was started by two middle-class veterans who wanted to have a family business where all customers were valued equally. This ideal and belief has been reiterated throughout my time here and many advancements in human resources and personnel services have been made to allow all employees to provide feedback on the work environment. Waffle House's headquarters is located in Norfolk, Georgia, but they have staff like me who have traveled all over to all the stores. I resided primarily in Florence, South Carolina during my working years. The Waffle House organization relocated me to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where I have resided for the past year. After leaving Waffle House, I moved to Conway, South Carolina, just outside of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where I currently reside. I was fortunate to grow up in Columbia, South Carolina and Queens Jamaica, New York. I traveled throughout my youth, but chose South Carolina as my home state because the majority of my education was completed in Myrtle Beach. Growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, which has over a hundred organized neighborhoods, the group of people that reside there is very diverse. However, I will note that the number of people of Asian descent was low, but all other ethnicities and cultures were present. Growing up, the only major feeling of inclusion outside of the normal was my high school experience. Since I attended college at a predominantly Caucasian university, I was able to appreciate the diversity offered to me in high school. My high school experience was awesome to say the least. We were able to participate effortlessly with a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultural practices. I think being in a diverse environment has helped me get used to interacting with people from different cultures and has really pushed me to make sure all backgrounds and ethnicities are taken into account when planning events or tasks in my current position (Columbiasc.net, 2018). I strive to learn about other cultures and practices outside of my own. I am grateful that in my role as coordinator I can implement cultural experiences that students can participate in. At my university, I also help organize an event called "Art's International", intended for students to come and experience different types of activities. art, gastronomy and culture from different horizons. This event takesgrowing in size each year and enjoying huge success in the Pee Dee area of South Carolina. We look at different types of groups to feature and often ask groups to come and display their cultural clothing and dances throughout the all day event. When I encounter a person or group of people whose culture I am unfamiliar with, I am sure to make them aware that I am unfamiliar with their culture to ensure there is no disrespect. In doing so, it lets them know that I need guidance and have a desire to be respectful in honoring their traditions and culture. Once they realize this, I tend to ask questions about what they expect from outside parties and how their culture differs or resembles my culture's practices. I will not tolerate bias in the workplace if I can influence a change in the situation. If anyone demonstrates bias or prejudice in their selection of opportunities for our students, I will be sure to correct the injustice once it is recognized. However, being in South Carolina, I encounter people who believe their biases are simply a preference. These are the people I tend to distance myself from and watch out for. As time has taught me, those who are unwilling to be open-minded and respectful of others' cultures simply won't be. Time and again, I have tried to change the mind of someone who chooses to wear blinders when it comes to culture and ethnicity, and it has always resulted in an escalation of conversations and a defensive response from the of those who defend their opinions. This doesn't stop me from allowing other cultures to be exposed or celebrated in the workplace, it just lets me know who needs more cultural appreciation. If the head of my organization came to me and told me that the next vacancy would be for someone from a minority group, I would be receptive to that information. Since my organization has made great strides in hiring a more diverse group of qualified candidates, I believe it would be positive for my current organization to seek a more diverse set of candidates. I believe this would improve the cultural environment of the workplace and enhance the skills and experience we provide to our students through our staff. My personal action plan would include continually introducing our staff to the backgrounds and practices of different cultures, ensuring that no culture is verbally criticized among employees, and encouraging diversity by celebrating different backgrounds. It is imperative that employees view the workplace as neutral ground to celebrate different cultures and practices, not just those that are most popular among employees. According to Bureau of Labor statistics, approximately 155,163,000 people are actively in the labor force. Non-Hispanic whites make up the largest portion of the labor force at 64%, while African Americans make up 12%, Asians 5%, and Hispanics 16% of the workforce (Bls .gov, 2018). As you can see, there is no comparison when it comes to representation when it comes to non-Hispanic whites and any other ethnic group. This results in a need for cultural representation for those who do not fit into the category of non-Hispanic White as well as those who are not represented in any of the ethnic groups listed above. Providing a culture of the month that employees could become familiar with would benefit both employees and, 2018).