Achieving workplace diversity isn’t easy—even for global
powerhouses like Google. “We’re not where we want to be when it comes to
diversity,” Google observes in a January 2014 demographic report, which reveals
that 70% of Google’s employees are male and 61% are white.
“It is hard to address these kinds of challenges if
you’re not prepared to discuss them openly, and with the facts,” the report
notes. “All of our efforts, including going public with these numbers, are
designed to help us recruit and develop the world’s most talented and diverse
people.”
For guidance in diversity planning, we turned to BLR’s
new HR Playbook: HR’s Game Plan for the Future.
A Broad View of
Diversity
As the face of the American workplace changes, some
employers see diversity as just another factor to manage, like changes in the
cost of raw materials. Other employers see diversity as an asset to be used to
the organization’s advantage.
Some look at it as a matter of creating a workplace that
“looks like” your city or neighborhood. In other words, say that 25% of the
people in your city are white, 25% are Asian-American, 25% are African
American, and 25% are Hispanic. Then, you’ll want about 25% of your employees
to be white, another 25% Asian-American, and so on.
But diversity isn’t only about an organization’s looks or
its racial composition. Diversity is really about creating a company culture in
which all employees can work together courteously and effectively— whatever
their race, ethnicity, age, sex, religion, physical capabilities or
disabilities, national origin, sexual orientation, personality quirks, talents,
problem-solving styles, and a host of other factors that make people unique
individuals.
The bottom line is that your diversity initiatives should
ultimately shape a company that respects and values employees of all
backgrounds and description, allows them to participate fully in its business,
and that benefits from the diversity of backgrounds.
A caveat—Diversity isn’t the same as affirmative
action. There are laws that require certain employers to adopt affirmative
action programs, but there’s no law that requires employers to have diversity
programs. Even if everyone in your workplace had similar ethnic backgrounds and
was about the same age, broadly defined diversity efforts could help by
enabling you to create a workplace in which everyone feels empowered to do his
or her best work.
Scenario: Workplace
Diversity in Action
The following example shows how awareness of diversity
can help a company in which employees seem to have everything in common.
Jose, a Mexican American, started a vegetarian food
business 2 years ago. All his employees are about his age, all are Mexican
Americans, and all grew up in the same neighborhood. Because his employees seem
so similar, Jose doesn’t pay much attention to diversity programs.
But he spends lots of time on workplace conflicts. Hector
joined a new church and wants to convert everybody. Arturo, an atheist, fights
back and needles Hector. Amanda, a “neat nut,” hates sharing an office with
messy Olivia. Production manager Ramon is gay and ready to quit over Hector’s
antigay “sermons.” Despite all this, business is booming and Jose wants to
expand.
In order to do this, Jose must build a hiring plan that
values diversity, in the broad sense of valuing employees with a variety of
experiences, backgrounds, and personalities. This will, in turn, help Jose create
a healthier, more effective organization:
A diversity program would help Jose broaden his search
for new employees. The more potential applicants, the greater his chances of
finding the best people for the company. The better the employees, the more likely
that expansion will succeed, and the company will prosper.
Employees from outside Jose’s usual circles would be able
to alert him to new markets and new business opportunities. It’s also likely
that they’d contribute fresh ideas to the company.
Jose and the rest of the company would become more aware
of differences in personalities and problem-solving skills and how they affect
the company. They could then learn how to use those differences more
effectively, making the company stronger.
A diversity program would raise Jose’s awareness of
potential legal problems. Hector, for example, is a religious-discrimination
lawsuit waiting to happen.
A diversity program could help Jose’s company defend
itself if it ever were to be sued over alleged discrimination.
Diversity is all about creating the kind of business in
which everyone is valued for who they are. Treating employees with respect
builds loyalty to the company. Happy, loyal employees tend to be productive
employees. Turnover drops, even in high-turnover service businesses. (For
example, employee turnover at the high-end Starbucks coffeehouse chain, which
has built a strong culture in which employees are valued as individuals, is a
fraction of turnover at other similar establishments.)
People treated respectfully feel free to offer ideas and
suggestions. The more ideas and suggestions, the more likely one of them turns
out to be the home-run idea that pushes a company into the big leagues.
Happy employees tell their friends about their workplace.
When word gets out that your company is a good one to work for, potential
employees seek you out. Odds are that they’ll be the same kind of high
performers as your current workforce. And part of the reason for their high
performance is that they’re treated well. It’s just the opposite of what
happens in all too many companies that don’t treat their employees well (which
is that good employees leave and don’t recommend those companies to their
friends).
In short, a diverse organization tends to be a
productive, respectful, legally compliant workplace. Employees are more
productive when they know they’ll be treated with respect, because more of
their energies will focus on the business rather than on personal issues. And
you and your department will need to spend far less of your limited time on
brokering peace among bickering coworkers.
Source: HR
Daily Adviser
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