Building a More Diverse Company
Attracting and retaining employees of both genders and from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds has become a leading recruitment objective at many companies. Increasingly, business owners are recognizing that promoting diversity is not just important from a human resources perspective; having staff with a wide range of experiences can be seen as a distinct competitive advantage, enabling the company to foster an atmosphere of creativity and innovation.
To be successful in maintaining diversity over the long term, business owners must supplement their efforts to recruit women and members of minority groups with commitment to programs that encourage people of diverse backgrounds to stay with the company. This means not only making over the image of the company from the outside, but also taking steps to alter the culture to ensure that it is welcoming to workers who do not fit the traditional mold because of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, religion, or disability.
Business owners can start by looking at their benefits packages. Does the company offer flexible work and part-time options suitable for parents of young children? Is paid maternity and paternity leave available? Are health care and other benefits to spouses of employees also made available to non-married domestic partners? Are staff members of all religious beliefs permitted to take time off to observe important holidays? Business owners may also want to consider making their offices easily accessible to people with physical disabilities, or designating lactation rooms for women who are breastfeeding. It may also be possible to establish on-site daycare, or maintain a contract for the services of a nearby daycare center.
But even companies that have all the right benefits and programs in place may fail to create a comfortable, professional environment for people of diverse backgrounds. When mentoring younger employees only happens on an informal basis, some associates may feel left out. If women and members of minority groups sense the presence of a "glass ceiling" that they will not be permitted to rise above, they may leave a company in frustration.
To better the chances that people of all backgrounds will have equal access to opportunities for professional development and advancement, business owners should consider establishing mentoring programs. Senior managers can help to ensure that junior employees of all backgrounds make useful professional contacts, are assigned substantive work, and have opportunities to take on increasingly challenging roles.
Business owners may also choose to designate an employee to serve as the diversity manager or director. Generally, the responsibilities of the diversity manager include developing, promoting, and implementing diversity goals and strategies, both internally and externally. In addition to working with the human resources department and hiring committees to identify and recruit individuals with diverse backgrounds, the diversity manager is also entrusted with promoting awareness of diversity issues within the company and developing programs to foster inclusiveness within the firm and encourage retention.
Simply appointing a diversity manager to handle these issues is, of course, not enough. The company’s senior managers must also be committed to diversity efforts, and take any issues or complaints of discrimination that are raised seriously. To find out whether diversity initiatives are actually working, business owners may wish to conduct confidential surveys that encourage other staff members to provide honest feedback on issues related to diversity. If it becomes apparent that prejudice and stereotypical thinking are a problem, it may be necessary to hold training sessions on diversity that can help alter the company’s culture and create a more inclusive environment.
