Diversity in Teams

Abstract

The article comments on the growth of workforce diversity in North America and companies' increasing reliance on diverse work teams for operations and special projects. Diverse teams are seen as being more creative and better performing than homogenous teams. Diverse teams have the capacity to exploit various perspectives and skills. While diverse teams are beneficial for companies, they are also vulnerable to conflicts and miscommunication. Several studies have assessed the conditions under which diversity affects group performance. The effects of diversity on efficiency may depend on how diversity is defined and its type. Diversity in race, gender and age are more likely to have negative effects, while diversity in functional background and personality are more likely to yield good results.