Contemporary Case Studies in HRM Report
Sam1994
DiversityGenderandAge.pptx
Lecture 4: Diversity management – Gender and age
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Learning Objectives
Consider the extent to which men and women experience age and aging differently in their careers within organizations.
Critically discuss initiatives and HR practices aimed at building age/gender neutral workplaces.
Context
Increasing interest in age and ageing – demographic shift
Implications for careers and Talent Management
But are organizational TM systems age and/or gender neutral?
Age diversity – challenge to businesses
“The biggest challenge facing the economy and business today …is demographic change. By 2020 one third of the UK population will be over 50. The dependency ratio has already fallen to 3.3. people of working age for every person of state pensionable age. And even if we take into account the future changes to the state pension age, it is still predicted to fall to 2.9 by 2031.” (EHRC, 2009: 12)
Examples of career longevity
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Progress - more women in defence
Some progress but still more work to do
Ref: The Sydney Morning Herald, 23/7/2013
Progress - more women in medicine
More women choosing this as a career, variety of full-time and part-time roles
Common pay scales
Different specialities enable women ‘to choose’ a career that fits their needs:
General practice - 42%
Paediatrics – 44%
Psychiatry – 38%
Public Health – 49%
Surgical – 8%
Ref: CMI (2013) Developing the talent pipeline, National Event, 9/10/2013
Progress - in science and technology
‘The goal of boosting female participation has made some progress, but the “glass ceiling” alluded to in the final evaluation of FP6 still seems to be intact. Nevertheless, FP7 has contributed to boosting women’s presence in scientific research, even if the goal of 40% participation is some way from being met. Women are also underrepresented in certain disciplines and at the most senior levels. As younger cohorts of researchers move through the system, this should gradually improve, but should be monitored.’ (European Commission, 2011: vii)
Conceptualising careers
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But a continuing tension
“When the focus on women marks them out as the problem it is their inability or ability to fit into the norms of organizational life that becomes the focus of the problem, not a questioning of the basis on which these norms are constructed ... But this is to ignore issues of masculinity ... the story of management has been largely told in gender-free terms that ignores the realities of organizational life” (Rees and Garnsey, 2003: 554)
Roehampton University
Business case – underpins many diversity management initiatives
Taking advantage of diversity in the labour market - workforce representative of local community
Maximising employee potential
Creating business opportunities and enhancing creativity
Attract ethical investors
Flexibility – on whose terms?
Sources: Cassell (2009) in Redman & Wilkinson (2009); Cornelius et al., 2001 in Kirton and Greene, (2005).
Competing business needs?
“We’ve closed off opportunities for school-leavers to join the business and to come and work for us and we need to plan to open these up again” (Nestlé., CIPD, 2012: 12).
https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/the-business-case-for-employer-investment-in-young-people_2012_tcm18-10294.pdf
“Older workers are perceived as the most talented and employable of all underrepresented demographic groups in the workforce, according to a new CIPD survey of more than 2,000 HR managers and line managers” (CIPD, 2012)
http://www.heardhrsolutions.co.uk/businesses-see-older-workers-as-most-talented-employees/
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Diversity management and organizational change
Dominance of the ‘business case’ rationale (Healy et al., 2011) – key lever for change
Novelty and newness with ‘business case’ discourse (Oswick, 2011)
Yet tensions/constraints:
DM is voluntarist – organizations choose what and when to initiate change (Ng and Burke, 2005)
Results in a ‘best guesses’, prescriptive ‘best practice’ approach to change (Kalev et al., 2006; Ng, 2008; Ozbilgin and Tatli, 2008; Evans, 2014)
Diversity management - ensuring fair practice through formalised processes
Formalization important for equality
But it encourages ‘tick box’ mentality – end more important than means - ‘… doing the document, rather than the doing (Noon et al. 2013: 343)
Excessive formalisation – problematic – robotic, adherence to process for self-protection – possibly even manipulative
Noon, Healy, Forson and Oikelome (2013). The Equality Effects of the ‘Hyper-formalization’ of selection. British Journal of Management, 24, 333-346.
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Spotlight on processes for identifying talent
In the ‘War for Talent’ - companies achieve high performance by differentiation i.e. differentiating on performance and potential (see Brown and Tannock 2009)
Yet concept ‘potential’, as with ‘talent’, problematic – eludes description (Brown and Tannock 2009; CIPD, 2016)
Decision-makers have leeway to define for themselves – but how equitable and transparent then are they?
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Assessing talent - nine-box grid
| Potential | ||||
| Low/Limited | Medium/Can be developed | High/Seeks new challenge | ||
| Performance | High | Key contributor | Strong performer | Star performer |
| Above target | High performance, low potential | High performance, medium potential | High performance, high potential | |
| High performer, hard to replace. Possibly a specialist or expert. Consistently adds value. Reached career potential. Retain, reward, help with developing others. Broaden reach? | Consistently meets/usually exceeds. Ready for additional challenge. Potential to perform in another role or at same level (transferable skills). More value may be realised. | Capacity and/or ability for immediate advancement. Clear potential beyond immediate role. Highest potential, best for senior succession. Reward, recognise, promote, develop soon. | ||
| Medium | Acceptable performer | Core performer | Rising star | |
| On target | Consistent performance, low potential | Consistent performance, medium potential | Medium performance, high potential | |
| Meeting expectations. Not stretching themselves. Valued, possibly as a specialist. Engage, focus, motivate to identify potential blockers to higher performance/potential. | May have potential to move through lateral move or bigger responsibility. Highly valued employee, but needs to be tested to ensure capability is maximised. | Visible capacity and/or capability for progression. Needs clear personal objectives/new role or remit to drive performance up. | ||
| Low | Unsatisfactory performer | Marginal performer | Emerging star | |
| Below target | Low/unacceptable performance, low potential | Low performance, medium potential | Low performance, high potential | |
| Performance/potential exit needs to be managed. Corrective action needed quickly. | May be new in company/role or mismatched obscuring ability in wrong role. Has potential to improve performance or take more responsibility. Test in role/consider move. | Possibly a novice/new entrant or new in role, showing high potential. Has demonstrated high potential in previous roles. May need to focus more on current position before a move. |
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Some concluding thoughts
If nine-box grids are the norm, are we to assume, organizations have:
robust and transparent performance management systems
clear definition of what ‘potential’ looks like – age and gender neutral
equal opportunities for a demonstrating potential
Or, is it a case of ‘… those who get noticed [by line managers], get tested-out and those who pass the tests will be given more opportunities’. (Swailes et al., 2014: 533).
References and further reading
Brown, P. and Tannock, S. (2009). Education, meritocracy and the global war for talent. Journal of Education Policy, 24(4), 377-392.
CMI (2013). Developing the talent pipeline. National Event, 9/10/2013.
Dick, P. and S. Nadin (2006). Reproducing gender inequalities? A critique of realist assumptions and underpinning personnel selection research and practice. Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology, 79, 481-498.
EHRC (2009) Age diversity in the downturn. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/publications/age_diversity_in_the_downturn.pdf
Eagly, A. H. and Carli, L.L. (2007). Through the Labyrinth. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
Evans, C. (2014). Diversity management and organizational change", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 33(6), 482 – 493.
Greene, A.M. and Kirton, G. (2009). Diversity Management in the UK. London: Routledge.
Jyrkinen, M. (2014). Women managers, careers and gendered ageism. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 30, 175-185.
Kumra, S. and Manfedi, S. (2012). Managing Equality and Diversity. Theory and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mainiero, L.A. and Sullivan, S.E. (2005). Kaleidoscope careers: An alternative explanation for the ‘opt-out’ revolution. Academy of Management Executive, 19(1), 106 – 121.
Ng, E.S.W. and Burke, R. (2005), Person-organisation fit and the war for talent: does diversity management make a difference? The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 16 (7), 1195-1210.
Noon, M. (2007) . The fatal flaws of diversity and the business case for ethnic minorities. Work, Employment & Society, 2 (4), 773-784.
Ozbilgin, M.F. and Tatli A. (2008). Global Diversity Management. An Evidence-Based Approach. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Sparrow, P. R. and Makram, H. (2015). What is the value of talent management? Building value-driven processes within a talent management architecture. Human Resource Management Review, 25, 249-263. Lancaster: Lancaster University Management School.
Swailes, S., Downs, Y. and Orr, K. (2014). Conceptualizing inclusive talent management: potential, possibilities and practicalities. Human Resource Development International, 17, 529-544.
