Page 81 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

Figure 4-2 ■ Foreign-born population by period of entry and world region of birth.

Source: Pew Research Center projections.

Food service departments employ a large proportion of immigrant populations and ethnic groups. As this
pool of available employees continues to become more culturally diverse, supervisors are presented with
numerous challenges. Nutrition professionals and managers are faced with integrating this diverse population
into the workforce. They also must develop strategies and training programs that allow all workers to learn
and communicate with one another. As many different types of immigrant populations are employed within
the food industry, a non-English language barrier might also exist between managers and staff. Therefore,
bilingual kitchens and cultural diversity are modern challenges faced by all healthcare employers and
employees.15,17

Another area of diversity in the workplace is the culture of age. Lower-level workers are not always the
youngest or the least experienced. The shortage of food service workers is often filled by immigrants and/or
older employees. Many older adults are returning to the workforce looking for part-time jobs to supplement
their income or stay involved with others. The projected percentage change in the labor force by age, from
2006 to 2016, shows the largest increase in the 65 years and older segment.15,18

Benefits of Diversity

There are many benefits to a diverse organization. First, organizations that are composed of diverse employees
are better able to develop and implement a variety of ideas, policies, and programs.15,19 An organization can
better meet the needs and demands of the population at large by hiring people from a multitude of
backgrounds who possess different viewpoints, experiences, and ideologies. A diverse staff can be essential for
companies that serve diverse consumers or customer groups. Studies have shown that customers better identify
with service providers whose gender and ethnic background are similar to their own. This finding may be
attributed to embedded norms that enable the customer to better understand and relate to the service
provider. An organization composed of diverse employees is also good for business because it enables the
company to better understand a certain segment of the market that it is targeting for a product or service. If
the organization reflects the community it serves, there is an increased chance that it will provide the goods
and services that are needed or wanted.

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