Diversity Executive - September 2008 - (Page 20)

Minorities are expected to account for more than half of the total U.S. population by Today’s diversity and inclusion pioneers need to know the numbers. But to create their organizations’ future, they need to understand the business case and develop strategic leadership that delivers measurable results. By Agatha Gilmore When afﬁrmative action and equal employment opportunity regulations came on the scene in the 1960s, diversity practitioners were talking mostly about race, ethnicity and gender, and stressing awareness and acceptance. Compliance was the driver and representation the goal. “That’s clearly where we started and that’s where we needed to start,” said Kelly Baker, vice president of diversity at General Mills. “But [that focus on compliance] didn’t necessarily get at how can we leverage difference in the world and as a society to help drive good business results.” While race and gender remain important, the conversation has evolved into a deeper discussion about creating an inclusive environment that allows each person to do his or her best work and produce the maximum amount of value. “Diversity is the mix, and inclusion is making the mix work,” said Andrés Tapia, chief diversity ofﬁcer and emerging workforce solutions leader for Hewitt Associates, a talent management consulting ﬁrm. 20 Diversity Executive | www.diversity-executive.com | September/October 2008 That new layer of diversity management did more than open organizations’ eyes to the inherent value in having and promoting a diverse workforce — it revealed the distinct connection between successful diversity and inclusion practices and a business’ bottom line. “We knew that it was not enough to bring these talented and gifted people into the organization if we were not leveraging their capabilities and their backgrounds and progressing them and making sure that they were being developed,” said Claudette Whiting, recently retired general manager of diversity and inclusion at Microsoft. An impending talent shortage, a changing market and the driving need to continue to grow and innovate have made diversity and inclusion bottom-line business strategies. Organizations are focused on getting the best and brightest from each group, and diversity and inclusion can help them leverage differences for maximum business value. The Business Case Several factors are contributing to the business case for diversity. First, there’s the looming talent shortage. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the eldest of the roughly 76 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 are approaching retirement age, and there are fewer generation X and Y workers to ﬁll the gaps. “We can’t get all the talent we need from any one group,” said Ted Childs, consultant and former vice president of diversity at IBM. “The talent shortage has got to be a spark plug for respecting and valuing differences.” On top of that, the market is changing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s national population projections released in August, the U.S. minority population is expected to account http://www.diversity-executive.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Diversity Executive - September 2008

Diversity Executive - September 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Leadership Connections Guest Editorial Diversity Executive Online 2042: A New Business Era Begins The Rules of Attraction Where to Look for Diverse Talent Like Minds Think Great Culture Teams Target Business Opportunities at Luxottica Retail Special Section Rebalancing Gender At ING Americas, the Color of Diversity Is Orange Profile Business Intelligence Case Study Strategies Advertisers' Index Editorial Resources

Diversity Executive - September 2008

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