Managing Diversity in Employment: Practical Considerations for Organisations and Society (Essay Sample)

Managing Diversity in Employment
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Managing Diversity in Employment
The Discrimination Occupation and Employment Convention describe discrimination as an exclusion or distinction that has the effect of impairing or nullifying equality concerning treatment or opportunity in an occupation or employment (Kirton & Greene, 2010). Minority and migrant workers in Western Europe are at a higher risk of facing unemployment as compared to the national workers. Ultimately, the number of unemployed migrants could be three or four times higher than the national workers. Discrimination in employment access rather than inadequate qualifications is an issue that has contributed to marginalization. Therefore, this paper will point out why policy makers should concentrate on helping migrant workers as well as discuss the measures that need to be taken to eliminate discrimination of the migrant workers.
When migrants arrived in Western Europe, they were paid lower wages for their work and the working conditions were poor as compared to the native workers. Even though European countries have a higher participation of labor force, the migrant, as well as migrant-descended individuals, are represented in a disproportionate manner. Most migrant workers are not permanently employed. Furthermore, migrants are disproportionately employed whereby they are mostly placed in insecure and poor paying jobs that the native population does not want to do.
Therefore, marginalization of the labor market has significant consequences particularly with relation to the migrants’ social integration. Once the labor market rejects the migrant workers, several possibilities may be restricted such as locating suitable housing. This may, in turn, lead to relocation in the neighborhoods and children will lack proper access to a good education. If the children receive the poor education, then they will have minimized chances of joining the labor market. Nevertheless, if the migrant workers are rejected, then they may opt to lower their efforts for social enhancement or turn away from the unjust system. It should be noted that rejected groups usually face several social problems like crime and poverty, which creates an inescapable vicious cycle.
The policies of labor migration are different from the rest of the migration policies aimed at migration flows which could have an immense effect on the labor markets. When it comes to the migration spectrum, governments recognize regulatory mechanisms have the potential to enhance a positive effect on the labor migration (Kirton & Greene, 2010). Most receiving and sending countries have developed regulatory capacities that manage the labor mobility. This is done by placing the government’s and migrant’s interest into consideration. Therefore, several countries have created several kinds of admission policies in order to fulfill the labor market requirements and priorities. Usually, this differentiates between the various workers’ categories according to their legal status and skills.
Even though the labor demand in the receiving countries is mainly determined by the overall migration patterns, the sending states have formed several approaches towards foreign employment. This may range from involvement in the procedures to laissez-faire. Furthermore, a rationale for the state adoption and intervention of the Foreign Employment Policy is normally aimed at managing recruitment activities, ensuring the interests and rights of the migrant workers are met as well as maximize the advantages of labor migration to the economy.
Several countries use the laissez-faire approach whereby foreign workers inflow is majorly determined by the demand of the employers for the migrant workers. At the same time, other countries have brought forward various instruments that regulate some migrant workers. The main reasons for these regulations with regards to the number of migrant workers are to meet the requirements of the labor market while avoiding labor migrants’ unemployment. The second reason is to avoid negative effects on the local workers.
Currently, almost half of migrant workers are women (Kirton & Greene, 2010). The female migrant workers are mainly employed in positions that require specific skills such as social workers, nurses and teachers. They are also employed in less skillful positions like care work, agriculture, garment manufacturing and “entertainment”. This group of migrant workers is most likely to face discrimination, abuse and exploitation in the countries they go to due to their gender as well as their status as the migrant workers. Policy makers must be aware of women’s significant role in labor migration. This can be done by ensuring that gender aspects of the labor migration are channeled into relevant policies that have been formed in the country of origin and country of destination.
Another issue is the lack of effective accreditation and oversight mechanisms that have led to systemic and serious violations of migrant workers’ rights (Kirton & Greene, 2010). Moreover, private agencies play a major role in the deployment and recruitment of the migrant workers. The International Labor Organization has noted many reported cases of abuse involving the Private Recruitment Agencies that include fraudulent misrepresentation of the kind of work a person is being hired for and confiscation of the migrants’ passports. Furthermore, HIV/AIDS and pregnancy tests are usually used on a routine basis by many private agencies, and this shows disregard for the known international standards.
The national policy makers have to realize the threat of private agencies to the migrant workers and form policies that will ensure the agencies are genuine and comply with the laws involving treatment of migrant workers. Discriminatory health tests like HIV/AIDS and pregnancy should be hindered by forming policies that are in line with the international policies and standards. Besides, issues have risen over the irregular increase of the numbers of migrant workers. Evidence shows that almost a quarter of all migration is irregular. Moreover, the International Labor Organization stated that national policy makers should focus on forming restrictive policies on migration in their countries (Kirton & Greene, 2010). However, this has proven to present an issue of more migrant workers going into receiving countries because of the legal avenues used to deprive them of accessing existing jobs in the countries. Nevertheless, cases of people being trafficked across borders have increased such that crime networks have become involved in the process.
For instance, sanctions could be imposed on employers that play a major role in encouraging illegal employment of migrant workers. This is because employers have the duty to examine and evaluate the employment sector. But, their ability to ensure only authorized individuals are given employment depends on the entire employment sector or the nature and size of the company. In most cases, however, the employer sanctions have not succeeded due to insufficient enforcement.
Most nations channel protection measures towards the more vulnerable groups like women workers and low skilled workers (Kirton & Greene, 2010). Nevertheless, migrant workers may face various problems during the process of migration. It should be noted that the migration of workers that are highly skilled is normally seen as less problematic due to the kinds of jobs that they perform, the favorability of the staying conditions and the superiority of the skilled workers’ education. All of these factors make it possible to deal successfully with any difficulties that may arise.
Notably, the migrant workers fall amongst the groups that are majorly affected by the economic downturns. This is because they are mostly employed in the tourism and construction sectors which usually get most affected by economic downturns. Moreover, the workers suffer discrimination whenever times get tough. According to Kirton & Greene (2010), when there is economic insecurity, migrant workers are usually blamed first. The main accusation on migrant workers is that they work for low pay. They are also accused of disintegrating benefits as well as working conditions for ...