communicating the case for diversity and inclusion
TRANSCRIPT
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• Demographic shifts • By 2030, the number of people 65+ will double to 1 billion
• Growing from 8% to 12% of world’s population from 2010-2030 • 75% of the U.S workforce will be millennials by 2025 • Blacks and Hispanics will make up 62% of the US population
causing a majority//minority shift by 2045.
• A growing middle class in emerging/growth markets • China’s middle-class consumers accounts for 75% of its urban
population • The MENA region is expected to contribute 40% of international
growth among emerging markets
• Increasing incidence of chronic disease • 52 million people die of chronic disease each year • Over the next 20 years, will cost the global economy $47 trillion
Some irrefutable facts
The workplace is changing • Globalization competition is intense
• Dramatic changes in the customer base
• More women, people of color, and immigrants seeking opportunities
The approach to communication is changing • Many managers are ill-prepared to handle diversity
issues • Many Americans grew up in racially unmixed
neighborhoods • Do not talk about so-called “personal” or sensitive
issues in the workplace • Had little exposure to people substantially different
from themselves • Uncomfortable talking about cultural differences • Develop limited perspectives from inner circle or
news media
Strategic imperatives are changing
• Becoming more competitive globally
• Improving quality, productivity, consumer outreach, customer service and culture
• Retain, recruiting & advancing diverse talent
• Applying new information technology to reach greater innovation
The data is pointing toward diversity • Companies with cultural diversity are at least 15 percent more
likely to experience above-average ROI; companies within the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to do the same.
• Even gender split contributes to 41% increase in revenue; Companies with higher female representation at the top management outperform those that don’t by delivering 34% greater ROI. Fortune 1000 companies that had women CEOs between 2002-2014 produced equity returns 226 percent.
• More than ¾ of c-suite execs reported that their global companies are looking to focus more on leveraging diversity for innovation over the next three years. (Forbes Insights)
91% of job seekers think diversity programs make a company a better
place to work
Survey commissioned by The New York Times
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Inclusion . . . Providing equal opportunity to all people to fully engage themselves in creating an environment and a cultural attitude whereby everyone and every group fits, feels accepted, has value and can contribute to society.
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Diversity is the measure or the varia9on of social and cultural iden99es among employees exis9ng together in a defined se@ng. Inclusion is the mechanism that welcomes all employees to par9cipate and creates feeling they belong; the state of diversity being acknowledged, heard, respected and supported.
Diversity is the measure or the
variation of social and cultural identities among employees existing together in a
defined setting.
Inclusion is the mechanism that welcomes all employees to participate
and creates feeling they belong; the state of diversity being acknowledged,
heard, respected and supported.
.
Diversity and Organizational Competitiveness
COST: doing a poor job in integrating workers from different backgrounds can result in increased labor costs and lost business.
RESOURCE ACQUISITION: attracting and retaining employees from different backgrounds increases the ability to compete in tight labor markets.
MARKETING: having a
reputation for valuing all types
of workers affects the
ability to market to different types of consumers.
SYSTEM FLEXIBILITY:
the diverse life experiences of
people helps them to develop
cognitive flexibility and openness to experience.
CREATIVITY & PROBLEM
SOLVING: including groups
from different backgrounds and
experiences results in greater
creativity and problem-solving
ability.
Highest Level of Awareness
Stages of Diversity Awareness
Denial • Narrow video
of the world
• No awareness of cultural differences
• In extreme cases, may claim other cultures are subhuman
Defense • Perceives
threat against one’s comfortable worldview
• Uses negative stereotyping
• Assumes own culture superior
Minimizing Differences • Focuses on
similarities among all peoples
• Hides or trivializes cultural differences
Acceptance • Recognizes
validity of other ways of thinking and perceiving the world
• Accepts behavioral differences and underlying differences in values
Adaptation • Able to
empathize with those of other cultures
• Able to shift from one cultural perspective to another
Integration • Multicultural
attitude-enables one to integrate differences and adapt cognitively and behaviorally
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© 2013 Thomson/South-Western. All rights reserved. 1–13
Difficulties Resulting from Increased Diversity and
Organizational Responses Internal • Contribution vs. Fit • Dysfunctional communication
processes • Discrimination and Harassment • Perceptions that nontraditional
workers are unqualified • Bias: Hiring, Structural, Performance • Lowered Attachment, Commitment,
and Satisfaction
External • Boycotts • Negative publicity
Challenges For Management
Organization Culture • Valuing
differences
• Prevailing value system
• Cultural inclusion
Mindsets about Diversity • Level of
majority buy-in (resistance or support)
• Challenge met or barely addressed?
• Obstacle or opportunity?
Education Programs • Educate
management value of differences
• Promoting knowledge/acceptance
• Taking advantage of opportunities that diversify provides
Race/Ethnicity/Nationality • Effects on
cohesiveness, communication, conflict, morale
• Effects of group identity on interaction (stereotyping)
• Prejudice (racism, ethnocentrism)
HR Management Systems • Recruitment
• Training and development
• Performance appraisal
• Compensation and benefits
• Promotion
Higher Career Involvement of Women
• Dual-career couples
• Sexism and sexual harassment
• Work-family conflict
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Key Strategic
Focus Areas for Diversity & Inclusion
Strategic Leadership
Commitment Attraction, Development
and Engagement
Education & Training
Culture & Values
Customers/Publics
Communication & Marketing
Suppliers
Accountability & Measurement
Community Involvement
• Leadership commitment
• Equity in employment, advancement, & recognition
• Diversity & Inclusion principles incorporated in strategic planning
• Accommodation for diverse physical, cognitive, and developmental abilities
• Powerful communication and information sharing (transparency)
• Shared accountability and responsibility
• Continuous learning
• Competency-based diversity training (starting with managers and supervisors)
• Participatory work processes
• Interdisciplinary, pluralistic teams for optimum perspective
• Inclusive organizational culture
• Culturally competent retention and rewards strategies (empowerment, not just $)
• Collaborative, constructive conflict management
HR focuses on organizational culture. PR focuses on organizational communication. • Initially, diversity officers had a direct line to the
CEO and C-Suite, providing instant credibility and backing for D&I efforts and giving access across the entire corporation and different business functions so that they could ensure a comprehensive approach to diversity initiatives, and meet business imperatives.
• Together, HR & PR hold leadership teams accountable for strategic diversity deliverables while diversity officers play a comprehensive cross-functional role across multiple lines of business.
• The most successful companies develop enterprise-wide objectives with business-specific execution and solutions through HR and PR, and align business leaders with a dotted line into the CDO.
Merging HR & PR
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Developing Diverse Communication Networks
• Mentoring programs focused on developing women, ethnic minorities, and other under-represented employee groups; but also the mentor.
• Networking/affinity programs that connect employees who share a similar identity or cultural background, such as discussions and meetings to share information, and seek support and career advice.
• Listening Sessions are great method of engaging one’s organization to find out how policy change might affect the employees.
• Unconscious Bias Training – (Project Implicit) provides internal insight into the stumbling blocks that prevents inclusive environment.
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Workforce • Examine employee demographics • Examine composition of the labor pool
in the area • Examine composition of the customer
base Career Advancement • Eliminate the glass ceiling • Accomplish mentoring relationships Accommodating Special Needs • Child care • Non-English speaking training
materials and information packets can be provided
• Maternity or paternity leave • Flexible work schedules • Home-based employment • Long-term-care insurance, special
health or life benefits
Developing Diverse Communication Networks
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ADVANCEMENT Grooming talent for leadership
Explain the whys Coach the why-nots Provide a sense of
ownership in order to show real impact
RETENTION Creating culture for long-term employment
Recognize value beyond stereotypes/Avoid the pigeonhole.
Acknowledge core values by understanding motivation.
RECRUITING How to find multicultural talent
Align with senior-level professionals who are ethnically diverse.
Align with orgs that serve specific cultural groups/ advocate for diversity.
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HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS? • Organiza)onal composi)on
– Workforce demographics vs. RCLF/CLF – Analysis of promo9ons, separa9ons, hiring…
• Organiza)onal culture – Climate/employee surveys – EEO complaints, grievances, disciplinary ac9ons
• Organiza)onal performance – Line of business objec9ves – Outcome metrics: quality, service level, efficiency
Correlate: Establish baseline in year 1, then correlate annually thereaXer to gauge progress.
What is being measured at your company? Are managers being rated on D&I ini9a9ves, such as recruitment and advancement of underrepresented groups? Are compensa9on and promo9on 9ed to achieving D&I objec9ves? In order to meet diversity objec9ves, what is being measured must be meaningful from the perspec9ve of both the company’s diversity and business objec9ves.
• Has trust been built?
• What are the cross-cultural competence skills of those involved our efforts?
• Has a safe environment been created where people will not feel judged or punished for their difference or level of competence?
• Do we have a skilled facilitation for both
employee and leadership discussions?
• Does our program present the kind of cultural change that requires new initiatives, programs and engagement?
• Is there a commitment to ongoing
learning?
Measuring Success Models
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LET’S CONNECT
Aerial Ellis Strategist | Speaker | Trainer
[Communication, Culture,
Diversity, Change, Community]
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