In order to give all persons a chance to show their full capability, affirmative action and Equal Employment Opportunity laws were enacted to ensure diversity in the work place. Many employers and business managers might not understand how important this is, so affirmative action training is often necessary. Affirmative action and EEO training is about more than just compliance, it is about understanding why these laws are in place and why they benefit organizations.



Affirmative action training helps employers understand what the concept is in the first place. Affirmative action requires federally contracted employers to hire employees that are reflective of the population around them, including all gender and racial and ethnic groups. With affirmative action training, employers should be able to avoid discrimination and perhaps negate some of the past discriminations. EEO training is also necessary for all employers, because this training includes correct behaviors from the time a person applies to the time they leave the company.

The ideas behind affirmative action and Equal Employment Opportunity laws are that everyone should have a fair chance, regardless of what the employer thinks about their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or disability. A good affirmative action program should ensure EEO compliance and representation of minorities and women. An affirmative action plan should also include plans to eliminate any under presentation, and clearly state their plans to encourage affirmative action.

Generally, affirmative action training promotes diversity through training and development, work design, staffing and compensation programs. And besides EEO compliance, EEO training should incorporate other policy-related decisions considering diversity implications in the decision making process.

Without proper affirmative action and EEO training, organizational behavior and organizational policy is not always consistent. Qualified minorities and women might be gaining entrance to company doors, for example, but their career development might not be used in combination with a diversity orientation. An affirmative action programs should work toward enabling minorities and women to perform to their potential through career development.

With affirmative action the demographics should change to coincide with the national landscape. Organizations will have to change in order to retain commitment and mobilize the workforce for productivity. This shift will call for affirmative action training and EEO training. This should also be coupled with promoting qualified individuals even when they do not look or think like what has traditionally been viewed as ?normal.?

That is truly what affirmative action is about; giving everyone a chance based on their qualifications and not the way they look like or the personal views they carry.