Coordinate implementation of customer service strategies

Lecture 4

Payman Shafiee

Resource AllocationDiversity recruiting program (DRP)

Slides by Payman Shafiee

Diversity recruiting program

Why is DRP important?Businesses today are faced with greater and

greater challenges The ability to strategically leverage the benefits of an

effective DRP can provide firms with valuable competitive advantage

The global business arena is faced with overwhelming pressure for constant innovation and reinvention. Successful DRP’s provide the potential to enable

firms to acquire the human resources to effectively tackle these issues

BY DR. JOHN SULLIVAN AND DR. SALLY BACK

Diversity recruiting program

Why DRP fails?Firms often fail to recognize either the

importance of DRP’s in achieving an overall excellent recruiting program, or have failed to develop the time, money and personnel required to produce such a program

Individuals resist criticizing them out of a fear that they will be labelled as intolerant or even racist.

By isolating diversity programs from criticism and treating them “differently”, we are actually hurting rather than helping them.

Targeted recruiting: An established method of diversity recruiting

the focus is: Locating, identifying, and attracting potential

employees (Rynes, 1991), here women and minorities.

Moreover, successful recruiting increases the person's fit to the organization (personal values fit organizational values), which in the long run decreases turnover.

Corporate attractivenessimpression management techniques

women and minorities; they feel like they will fit into the organization. In short, members of underrepresented groups react favorably to recruiting messages directed at them.

Women and minorities react positively to recruiters similar to them.

organizations that present pictures of members of underrepresented groups and statements of affirmative action are more attractive to women and minorities.

Corporate attractivenessimpression management techniques

recruiters can use ingratiation - the image that the organization is a friendly and welcoming company valuing diversity - through ads in targeted media presenting diversity policy

statements, showing a diverse workforce working together, and using women and minority recruiters

the organization can practice promotion, where it presents advertising touting how their mentoring program produced successful women and minority managers in the organization.

the organization is showing it is competent at producing diversity results

exemplification - performing acts of social responsibility - by sponsoring events important to underrepresented groups

impression management techniques: DRAWBACKS

Although impression management techniques may enhance diversity messages, they may also create a problem once recruits are hired.

Realistic Expectations Theory (also termed Realistic Job Fteview, Wanous, 1992): recruiting messages that are overly positive may produce in recruits unrealistic ally high expectations of success, which turn to job dissatisfaction once they enter the organization and face reality, which ultimately leads to turnover (Breaugh, 1992; Wanous, 1992).

impression management techniques: DRAWBACKS

Although impression management techniques may enhance diversity messages, they may also create a problem once recruits are hired.

It is not unrealistic to say, “Diversity recruiting techniques may backfire”

Realistic Expectations Theory (also termed Realistic Job Fteview, Wanous, 1992): recruiting messages that are overly positive may produce in recruits unrealistic ally high expectations of success, which turn to job dissatisfaction once they enter the organization and face reality, which ultimately leads to turnover (Breaugh, 1992; Wanous, 1992).

the effectiveness of diversity & organizational strategy

Strategy is thought as the primary mover of the organization which details its purpose and direction.

Several studies (Richard, 2000; Richard, McMillan, Chadwick, & Dwyer, 2003; Richard, Barnett, Dwyer, & Chadwick, 2004) show that a strategy, such as innovation, that requires rich perspectives and knowledge resources provided by a truly diverse workforce produces strong financial performance. On the other hand, strategies that do not require diversity advantages do not profit from a diverse workforce.

In other words, diversity in background, values, and ideas would be valued by an innovative company.

Those hired would perceive that the organization not only values diversity, but requires diversity for the innovative strategy to work. In short, the hires' expectations have been set at a realistic level; they would be expected to have high job satisfaction and stay with the organization.

Slides by Payman Shafiee

the effectiveness of diversity & organizational strategy

Some other strategies and their relation with diversity: strategy of competition which values skill and ability in employees

if the recruiting process emphasizes only background diversity (race, gender, and age), unrealistic expectations may occur.

a strategy of niche development where the organization focuses upon one type of customer, would require employees who are similar to and thus understand that particular type of customer. The organization thus does not actually value overall diversity but rather

specialization toward one customer base.

strategy of cost containment would emphasize rule following with little value for diversity of the workforce A recruitment process emphasizing diversity reinforced by ingratiation

impression management would create high expectations to see diversity in the organization, which would not be met by the sole purpose of the organization of cost cutting. Again job satisfaction for new hires would decrease leading to turnover

Making diversity recruiting program effective

Impression management can enhance targeted recruiting

techniques. There must be a balance, however, between

overly positive expectations generated by targeted recruiting

and the reality of the work place, if diversity recruits are to

transform into committed employees. This balance occurs

through aligning organizational strategy, targeted recruiting,

and diversity climate.

Slides by Payman Shafiee