Valuing cultural and workforce diversity

Michael J. Pallerino

February 1, 2008

It's no secret well-managed businesses stay competitive, reach new markets and maintain the highest-quality workforce. Companies that value the ways cultural and workforce diversity contribute to long-term success, innovation and productivity embrace methods that enhance efficiency, save money and reduce the potential for missteps. Following are several recommended practices to help keep you in step:

Set context for change. Link cultural diversity to the organization's goals, customers, suppliers and workforce; integrate workplace diversity throughout the entire context of the organization, not as a standalone program.

Provide ongoing communication. Include cultural diversity awareness in all organizational communications, both formal and informal, and in executive speeches and communiqués. Circulate information regarding success and progress to reinforce organizational commitment.

Reward effective diversity management. Include workplace diversity measures in executive scorecards and in employee evaluation systems and pay and promotion systems.

Measure results. Identify quantifiable success measures, collect data and use it to underscore successes. Remember that training initiatives frequently yield no measurable results for three years, after which there are significant changes between three and 10 years, with improvements leveling off after 10 years.

Provide ongoing training. Executives and employees must be provided with the necessary awareness, skills and information with which to improve performance in order to be held accountable. Cultural diversity should be considered in all workplace training programs, regardless of topic.

Offer flexible benefits/scheduling. Make sure employee benefits and development opportunities recognize the diversity of employee needs.

Partner with employees, vendors and the community. Demonstrate that employees are valued and respected through network groups, special events, recognition programs and involvement in community volunteerism. Use employees as diversity trainers.

Source: "The Business Case for Building Inclusive Workplaces" – Executive Diversity Services Inc. (www.executivediversity.com)