When a company has chosen to go global, the choice of the company to have diversity among it's employees can benefit the organization. As technology has developed, it has become easier for companies to become global. More companies are 24/7 with the help of technology. At one time a company may have thought they would just provide merchandise, or services to the U.S.A. However, with the technology that we have, and as it continues to advance, it is more likely that companies that once thought U.S.A. were going to be there customers are finding out that they can provide merchandise and services around the world.
Since more companies have become global it just makes sense for them also to become more diversified. Diversity not only pertains to people from different countries, but also people who have different religious beliefs, different sexes and differences individually. It is important for a global company to make sure they have ideas from all over the world, from different cultures, and people with different values. These employees can bring different ideas to projects, therefore, coming up with better products or solutions.
As organizations continue to grow and develop, it is becoming more important for them to be flexible. As the new generation enters the work force these students have been exposed to technology all their lives. They have grown up with instant messaging, ipods, the internet and cell phones. Companies are going to have to become more flexible with how employees want to schedule their work hours, letting employees work from home if possible, providing different opportunities to these employees that we haven't seen before. After listening to Jay Conger in a Wall Street Journal interview it is more apparent how companies are going to have to be flexible in order to recruit and retain employees in the future.
With companies being networked, it is a possibility for companies to feed off of each other. Instead of being competitors, the companies form an alliance to help each other. In this way, they can provide services for more companies. They are similar to a puzzle, by working together they can create a bigger picture.You will probably see more and more flat trends in organizations. Giving decision making power to more employees. Instead of having to go thru a lengthy chain of command to receive an answer, an employee may be able to make that decision or they may need to go to one person. There are fewer managers or bosses to report to. This in turn may make employees feel more responsible for their work, possibly giving them more pride in their work.
Personal Experiences
Working with the on-line recruitment project has provided me with the opportunity to work in a diverse setting. With so many students in the class being from foreign countries, it's interesting to hear their points of view. While working on the on-line assignment we were able to have the opportunity to use a chat room. This was my first experience with this technology. It gave me an opportunity to see how I can use this to communicate back and forth with someone with out having to wait for email etc...
I am very fortunate to work for a company that does believe in flexibility. When I started working for this company, my hours were 7:00-4:00. With the industry I work in, there were many times I would be at work until 6:00 p.m. to get parts shipped out the door. I would also drop parts off on my way home at other businesses or take packages to UPS or FedEx. When my oldest daughter started school, I wanted either myself or my husband to put her on and off the bus. My husband works shifts, so depending on what my husband worked, this determined how I worked. One of us is always there to put the kids on the bus and one is always there to get them off the bus. As the years have gone by, I have managed to cut back on my hours. In the summer, I now work 6:00-1:00p.m. Monday-Thursday with Friday's off so I can spend extra time with my children. The company knows that if there is work that needs done, I will stay late when necessary to get it completed. Since I decided to go back to school, I let them know how I want to work to accommodate my class schedule. They have been very flexible, not only with me, but also with others. I work with a lot of fellows that like to hunt, so when the season is in, they work different schedules so they can hunt for awhile, come in a little later, get the work done. Some of the employees even come in to check on machines late in the evening to make sure they are running. What the company expects is that the lead employees know how everyone is working so the jobs get done.
I have also experienced networking in our company. I work for a tool and die company. There are many companies in the Alle-Kiski Valley that are leaders in this field of industry. The companies feed off of each other. Our company specializes in wire-cutting, however, we do provide machining, heat treating, and grinding services. Other companies in the area provide the same services, however, when a company gets over loaded with work, instead of turning it down, we help each other out. One company will contact another and see if they can fit the job into their schedule. This way the work stays in the Valley and keeps everyone working.
References
Following are some interesting web sites to take a look at with the trends:
http://www.leighbureau.com/speaker.asp?id=186
http://familiesandwork.org/3w/tips/downloads/companies.pdf
http://www.law.georgetown.edu/workplaceflexibility2010/index.cfm
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