2-5. Managing diversity means maximizing diversity’s potential benefits while minimizing the potential barriers. General steps include providing strong leadership, assessing the situation, providing diversity training and education, changing the culture and management systems, and evaluating the diversity management program’s results. Affirmative action generally means taking actions to eliminate the present effects of past discrimination. Many employers still pursue voluntary, good-faith effort strategies in identifying and eliminating the obstacles to hiring and promoting women and minorities.

Other employers are under court-mandated requirement to do so.