Communicating the Case for Diversity and Inclusion

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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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21  

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]

Talk to Me: 615.307.0460

Book Me:

[email protected]

Work with Me LinkedIn: aerialellis