Best Practices in Diversity Leadership

Mgmt 3700

Extra Credit

Worth 30 points

Please read the articles at the following links:

Part A: (worth 5 points)

Go to google and type: 5 Things To Know Before Building A Career In Diversity & Inclusion then click on

the link.

1. Summarize in one paragraph the above article.

2. Google salaries for diversity director or diversity consultant “diversity director salary” or

“diversity consultant salary” and indicate what you found

Part B: (worth 5 points)

Choose two companies from the link at: https://www.diversityinc.com/di_top_50/

a. State for each of the two companies why they were chosen as one of the top 50 companies

b. State three components of diversity and inclusion at the particular company

Part C: (worth 5 points)

Go to: https://www.aauw.org/issues/ now choose one of the three topics under explore the issues at

the website and then click on a topic or issue under this area. After reading please summarize what you

read and how it could help with Diversity & Inclusion (D & I) in a paragraph.

Part D: (worth 15 points)

Summarize the nine steps in two paragraphs that are presented in the article below: How to develop a

diversity and inclusion initiative.

Read the article below which is found at: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-

samples/how-to-guides/pages/how-to-develop-a-diversity-and-inclusion-initiative.aspx

How to Develop a Diversity and Inclusion Initiative

Employers use diversity and inclusion initiatives for both compliance obligations and to

increase the overall bottom line with a more diverse workforce. Developing a diversity

and inclusion initiative involves four main phases:

1. Data collection and analysis to determine the need for change. 2. Strategy design to match business objectives. 3. Implementation of the initiative. 4. Evaluation and continuing audit of the plan.

The following nine steps break down these main phases into action steps employers

can take to develop a diversity and inclusion initiative.

Step 1: Compile Data

Employers must first know what their workforce looks like compared with the labor

market. By capturing data on employee demographics, an employer is better able to

understand the diversity of its employees and identify any areas of concern or trends.

Historically, these data have included federal and state protected categories; however,

recent trends indicate that other factors, such as personality type and thinking/learning

style, may also be of value, though perhaps harder to find national comparative data for.

If so, an employer may have to track its own data on these categories over time and

determine what need for change may exist. Demographic data may include the

following:

▪ Age. ▪ Disability. ▪ Ethnicity/national origin. ▪ Family status. ▪ Gender. ▪ Gender identity or expression. ▪ Generation. ▪ Language. ▪ Life experiences. ▪ Organization function and level. ▪ Personality type. ▪ Physical characteristics. ▪ Race. ▪ Religion, belief and spirituality. ▪ Sexual orientation. ▪ Thinking/learning styles. ▪ Veteran status.

Multiple resources are available to capture these data. Some employers may already

have much of this information available in their HRIS system from affirmative action

plans and EEO reporting obligations. However, most employers will need to survey their

workforce through voluntary self-identification to obtain additional data such as religion

and sexual orientation. It may be challenging to gather diversity data from employees

initially, especially when employees are unsure of how the data will be used or if there is

general distrust of leadership in an organization. If this is the case, an employer may

want to use a third party or survey technology to capture information that will be

reported in aggregate without identifying information.

In addition, it would be useful to gather information about the current company culture

regarding diversity and inclusion. Again, surveying employees can help shed light on

their perception of the company in relation to encouraging and appreciating diversity in

the workplace. See Diversity Survey.

Nontraditional differences such as personality traits or life experiences can also be

measured. Employers can conduct personality testing of the workforce or include open-

ended questions on employee surveys to collect information regarding life experiences

or other information employees may want to share about themselves.

Step 2: Identify Needs and/or Areas of Concern

Once data are collected, underrepresented areas can be identified. To do so, employers

should begin with a high-level review of demographics such as age, sex and race

representation, and then continue to drill down by location, department, position, etc.

Identification of underrepresented areas can include questions such as:

▪ Is management full of older white males? ▪ Does the accounting department tend to hire only females? ▪ Are employees at the West Coast branch more ethnically diverse than their East Coast

counterparts?

Additional information gained from employee surveys can help identify other areas of

concern. Employee attitudes on culture may or may not match the demographic survey

results. If they do match, then the employer has a clearer path to what change is

needed; if not, the organization may wish to conduct employee focus groups to better

understand the disconnect. In addition, if results indicate little to no diversity in sexual

orientation or religion, for example, it is possible that individuals don't have trust in the

organization to divulge such personal information. As suggested in the previous step,

employers may need to outsource the data collection or use other means to collect data

anonymously.

Step 3: Address Policies or Practices Affecting Diversity

Employers must determine if there are barriers impeding the employment of individuals

from different demographic groups. Organizations should consider if any policies or

practices need to be eliminated or adjusted. Some examples to start with include:

▪ Employee referral programs: Studies show that although employee referral programs can be an excellent sourcing solution, they often result in "like me" referrals, where employees refer candidates of the same race, religion, national origin or other class. This can lead to adverse impact and claims of illegal discrimination; it can also thwart diversity initiatives. Employers may need to limit the use of employee referrals or consider other sourcing options to supplement the referral program.

▪ Unconscious biases: Are there certain departments that are underrepresented in relation to the labor market? Is it possible that the hiring manager is selecting individuals based on biases against certain groups? If a particular manager's department is significantly less diverse than other departments, a review of the selection procedures of that particular manager may be warranted.

▪ Company culture: Apparent preferences toward pro-life, traditional marriage and other aspects often associated with religious beliefs can repel candidates of differing beliefs or lifestyles. An annual Christmas party and recognizing only Christian holidays in a workplace can unintentionally send a message that only Christian employees are welcome. Employers must consider holding a holiday party instead and provide floating holidays that employees may use for the multitude of religious observances.

▪ Political preferences: An employer with political signs and/or messages on its property may discourage individuals with different viewpoints from applying. A bumper sticker on an employee's car supporting a candidate who differs from a manager's choice can affect the manager's perception of the employee, as well as the manager's decisions regarding pay, performance and promotion. An employer must consider how political preferences may be creating a disadvantage for applicants as well as current employees and remove those barriers by physically removing political messages in the workplace and/or training the workforce about respecting differing opinions. The organization must take appropriate disciplinary action when employees, including supervisors or managers, are intolerant of differences.

Step 4: Identify Business Objectives

Identifying how a diverse and inclusive workforce can aid in achieving business

objectives aligned with the company's strategy is the next step in the process. The

organization must set specific goals related to diversity and inclusion based on the

company's strategic objectives. For example, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA) has a goal as part of the overall strategic plan to "Make VA a Place People Want to

Serve."1 As part of this goal, increasing diversity index scores is one of the agency's

performance indicators. Because its clients are becoming more diverse, the agency is

responding by embracing a more diverse and inclusive workforce to better serve the

population. Specific diversity goals were created to recruit more white and Hispanic

males as well as Hispanic females after a comparison with the available labor market.

Another example might be around a business goal to create more innovative products

an employer can introduce quickly to surpass the competition. To do so, the employer

wishes to increase innovation in the research and development (R&D) teams. One way

to accomplish this goal could be to build cultural competence and inclusive decision-

making within the team through training, which could more effectively harness existing

team diversity and capitalize on diverse ideas.

Step 5: Procure Buy-in and Support

For the diversity initiative to succeed, senior level buy-in and support are vital. Senior

management must understand the business case for diversity and inclusion initiatives,

with direct links to the company's strategic goals. It is helpful to identify a senior-level

champion who can be tasked with visible support of the initiative and ultimately

responsible for keeping the program "alive."

Another task is to identify how management will be held accountable for supporting and

engaging in the diversity and inclusion initiatives. Examples of manager expectations

include ongoing dialogue with staff regarding diversity and inclusion, training for team

members, and holding direct reports accountable for their individual actions related to

fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

An optional but recommended step is to create a diverse committee of employees from

all levels with visible leadership presence and support. The committee is tasked with

implementing the goals defined in the previous step and promoting diversity and

inclusion in the workplace. The employer should provide the committee with a clear

mission, defined budget and expectations/performance indicators. Diversity committees

meet regularly and are typically tasked with the following:

▪ Promoting training and events to bring awareness to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

▪ Engaging co-workers in diversity and inclusion conversation and training. ▪ Reviewing and developing policies and procedures that will promote workplace diversity

and inclusion.

In the absence of a diversity and inclusion committee, an employer can designate

responsibility for the above tasks to management or consider hiring a diversity and

inclusion specialist to run the program.

Step 6: Implement Initiatives

Examples of diversity and inclusion initiatives are changes in policies and practices,

staff training, targeted recruiting, and employer-sponsored diversity and inclusion

awareness events for employees. The employer must develop an action plan to

implement these initiatives by setting realistic goals and starting with the elements that

have the greatest business value or that are readily achievable to build momentum for

the initiative.

Below is an example of an action plan:

Initiative: Build R&D team cultural competence and inclusive decision-making to ensure

the team can more effectively harness existing team diversity and capitalize on diverse

ideas.

Responsibly: SVP R&D, Director R&D

Action items: Cultural awareness and competency training, team-building exercises,

ongoing dialogue regarding diversity and inclusion with R&D team one on one as well

as during team meetings.

Timeframes: Culture awareness and competency training: within 6 months; team-

building exercises: annual staff retreat and monthly meetings; ongoing dialogue: as

needed and ongoing during staff interactions and meetings.

Step 7: Communicate the Initiatives

Employers must identify different stakeholders and design messages for each

stakeholder to inform, educate, engage or empower as appropriate. People vary in how

they understand messages, and it is important for each person to receive an ongoing

stream of communications about the initiatives. The communication plan should

incorporate executive presentations and all available media, including social media.

Newsletters, intranet and e-mail can also be successful communication tools. The

organization should use metrics and success stories to connect the diversity and

inclusion efforts to its own goals and strategic plan.

Step 8: Measure and Disseminate Outcomes

It is imperative to measure the results of the diversity initiatives that have been

implemented. Outcomes such as increased representation of identified groups and

improved employee survey scores should be captured. Other measurements, such as

improved employee retention, and public recognition, such as employer awards or

social media accolades, can also indicate how an employer is performing in its diversity

and inclusion initiatives. Although some efforts may seem intangible, there are

measures that can indicate the success levels of such action items. If diversity training

is implemented to increase retention, participant retention can be tracked over time, and

participants can be surveyed to determine if training was a factor, and how much so, in

their continued employment.

The results of the initiatives should be communicated at all levels to demonstrate the

return on investment and value-add to the organization. Communication tools can

include infographics for senior leadership meetings and public affairs, memos to staff,

and company website videos for potential candidates.

Step 9: Review and Adjust

Diversity and inclusion initiatives are not static, and an ongoing review of the workforce

and a response to changing needs are necessary. The employer must establish

procedures for periodic review of the diversity and inclusion initiatives and goals. After a

diversity initiative has been implemented for a period of time, the employer should

resurvey employees regarding their perceptions of the company's efforts. Periodically,

an organization may need to start at step 1 again and collect data to refocus its diversity

and inclusion program.

Endnote

1Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). FY 2014-2020 strategic plan. Retrieved

from https://www.va.gov/op3/docs/StrategicPlanning/VA2014-2020strategicPlan.pdf