Workforce Diversity Strategies

Human Resource Strategies to Manage Workforce Diversity
ELLEN ERNST KOSSEK, SHARON A. LOBEL
AND JENNIFER BROWN

1. Propose

This document will explore what a company can do to foster diversity in the workplace. The business case highlights the development and implementation of organizational initiatives that could:

A increase the numerical representation of historically excluded groups,

B empower a diverse workforce once it is in place to participate fully in organizational decision making,

C ensure the inclusion of a diverse workforce in every aspect of organizational life[1]

2. Introdution

In an ideal world, every person is treated equally when it comes to getting a job, advancing in his or her
career and being treated fairly in the workplace. Unfortunately, discrimination still exists in hiring, firing and promotions; and the diversity of the workforce regrettably can cause hostility in the workplace when individuals do not appreciate and respect the differences among themselves and their co-workers.

Businesses that promote diversity in today's global marketplace are better able to attract and retain the best talent. Employing a diverse workforce allows a company to utilize the potential within the job market to its fullest and contributes to overall economic growth and prosperity. Differences among co-workers should not divide a workplace. Rather, differences among co-workers should be used to foster creativity and innovation, thereby driving profitability and business success.

3. Diversity - What Is It?

Traditionally, diversity refers to an assortment of races, ethnicities, genders, ages, disabilities and perhaps sexual orientations. A definition of diversity, however, should not be constrained by traditional categories such as these. Such a definition should also include categories such as religion, educational level, life experience, geographic location, socio-economic background, marital status and work experience. Indeed, each person employed by a company possesses unique qualities that encompass many factors.

The Dimensions of Diversity encompasses two Dimensions[2] (see the presentation Slide 5).

4. Factors that motivate companies to diversify their workforces

Here is a overview of seven predominant factors that motivate companies, large and small, to diversify their workforces, As a Social Responsibility, As an Economic Payback, As a Resource Imperative, As a Legal Requirement, As a Marketing Strategy, As a Business Communications Strategy, As a Capacity-building Strategy.

For whichever of these reasons that motivates them, it is clear that companies that diversify their workforces will have a distinct competitive advantage over those that don’t.

5. How To Diversify the Workforce

Strategies to change Organizations

1. Diversifying a workplace. Generally is to define the organization's strategies or initiatives for doing so. Ideally, any diversity initiative should achieve some, if not all, of the following: Maximizing workplace satisfaction for all employees, Retaining a world class workforce, Maintaining an environment that fosters learning and understanding.

2. Get Executive Commitment. It is fundamental to the success of any diversity initiative that senior management, including the CEO, visibly support (including financially) and promote the diversity initiative. (There are different forms for doing it, see presentation slide 12). Diversity should be infused into all organizational processes, ensuring that it is integrated into the core values of the company.

3. Assess the Climate and Issues at the Company. Analyzing the corporation's corporate/business objectives, external factors (legal and governmental) and trends that may impact the company's diversity strategy, etc. This analysis, performed prior to determining which diversity initiatives will be undertaken. Focus groups or questionnaires are used to assess these factors, however, they should be used only after consulting with legal counsel.

4. Link Diversity to Business Strategic Plans. Ideally, a diversity initiative should focus on creating measurable ways diversity can support the strategic direction, goals and objectives of the organization.

5. Strategic-level, long-range planning for diversity is a recent development. Previously, diversity was not seen as an integral part of strategic planning - initiatives were often poorly conceptualized, lacked specificity and were not linked to strategic organizational plans. Today, companies realize that to be effective and long lasting, successful diversity planning must be aligned with and provide support for strategic business objectives and operational decisions.

6.
Communicate the Company's Diversity Mission/Statement to All Employees. Communication is critical to the success of an organization's diversity initiative, and should not occur only at the beginning of a diversity initiative, but throughout the entire process. A company should be thorough and timely in reporting back to senior management and to staff with any results and/or progress so that employees are aware of the initiative's benefits and the company's progress. Follow-through also deters cynicism.

Strategies to Change Groups

1. Create a Respectful Work Environment. Employees should be encouraged to acknowledge differences and to treat each other with dignity.

2. Create a Harassment and Discrimination Free Environment. Employees should be encouraged to come forward with complaints of inappropriate conduct. And, an organization should respond promptly and effectively when discrimination or harassment occurs.

3. Promote Participation in External Diversity Organizations. Encourage and support employee involvement with community organizations and activities that provide opportunities for employees to work together for a common cause, i.e., Breast Cancer
Walk.

4. Take Steps to Recruit and Retain Diverse Employees. Companies should strive to re-define the way it locates potential candidates. For example, encourage minorities, women and people with disabilities in the organization to assist in providing names of possible recruits; and develop written recruitment materials that visually reflect the diversity the organization wishes to attain.

5.
Focus on retention. Barriers to promotion should be eliminated, and position openings and development opportunities should be posted organization-wide to all employees.

Strategies to Change Individuals

1. Diversity Training. All employees - new hires, supervisors and non-supervisors - should receive diversity training. Training will increase awareness and understanding of workplace diversity and develop concrete skills among staff that will foster enhanced productivity and communications among all employees. The focus is on changing behaivors.For the good implementation companies design and implements the training itself, hire an independent diversity training consultant to provide training to staff and management, use a "train-the-trainer" approach to develop and implement diversity training, etc.

2. Mentoring. Senior mentor is matched with a more junior woman or minority. The objective is enabling under-represented demographic group to move through “glass ceilings”. There are Formal and Informal mentoring Programs.

6. Conclusion

Developing and implementing a diversity strategy is only the beginning. An organization must work hard to create a respectful work environment, free from harassment and discrimination, where all employees feel valued and have an opportunity to
advance.

A diverse workforce generally leads to happy employees, satisfied clients, and less discrimination, which, in turn, transforms an organization into a more productive company (see Examples in the presentation – Deutsche Bank and IBM). By following the steps set forth above, a company can utilize the value of a diverse workforce to add to the bottom line.

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[1] Kossek & Lobel, 1996
[2] Vgl. Model adapted from Loden and Rosener in "Workforce in America“