Final answer:
Diversity in work teams enhances skill sets and can improve performance and innovation, benefiting consumers with better or cheaper products. Gender-balanced teams have been shown to perform better, and diversity training can reduce prejudice, promoting better teamwork.
Step-by-step explanation:
The impact of diversity on work teams and consumers is multifaceted. Diversity within teams can lead to communication challenges, yet it can also enhance the skill set and perspectives within a group, potentially improving team dynamics and decision-making. A study by Hoogendoorn et al. (2013) found that gender-balanced teams outperform those consisting mostly of men in terms of sales and profits, although the mechanisms behind this improvement remain unclear. Diversity training can help reduce prejudices and enhance teamwork by educating about cultural differences and promoting conditions for positive intergroup contact.
Regarding consumers, it's understood that teams with diverse perspectives may deliver innovative solutions, leading to better or less expensive products. These products, in turn, improve business profits and employee incomes, which can outweigh any losses at a national level. Overall, the growing proportions of minority workers may help to dismantle discriminatory barriers and lead to a more optimistic economic future, where traditionally disadvantaged groups can fully contribute to the workforce.