TM - January 2008 - (Page 21)

responsibility, “Diversity is not just good business but increasingly a prerequisite to successful business; indeed, business survival will hinge on a company’s ability to fully leverage a diverse workforce and appeal to a diverse consumer base.” Beyond the demographic and market realities, however, organizations are facing a new realization — the power of diversity in getting work done. Differences among individuals, rather than being ignored or minimized, are now being celebrated as a valueadded component in the problem-solving process. The mixture of varying cultures, backgrounds and experiences also can be a powerful stimulant to creativity and innovation. As Malcolm Forbes described it, “Diversity is the art of thinking independently together.” In this case, the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. One plus one may equal three. Successful organizations will further capitalize on understanding from employees with an orientation to the diverse communities they seek to serve. Within the Hispanic community, for example, consumer needs and preferences may vary based on country of origin, generation, degree of assimilation and gender. Addressing the needs of these varying communities goes far beyond simply advertising jobs in different newspapers or COCA-COLA MEASURES PROGRESS ON DIVERSITY JOURNEY Kathleen K. Lundquist, Ph.D. Where an organization is on its diversity journey should dictate the measures it monitors to evaluate its progress. In the awareness stage, the organization is focused on answering the question, “Do people understand the meaning of diversity at our company?” In this stage, the organization may measure improvements in overall employee demographics or may track completion of diversity awareness training. As the organization moves to the fairness stage, the focus shifts to questions about the fairness of HR systems and processes. Measures at this stage may include adverse impact analyses and the analysis of data from internal problem resolution systems. Next, the organization focuses on inclusion, taking steps to assure that people who are different are able to contribute to the company. At this point, measures of middle management skill training and diversity supplier spending come to the fore. Finally, as the focus shifts to leveraging diversity to help the organization compete in the marketplace, measures of customer demographics and philanthropic goals round out the picture of the business case. While all these measures are important milestones for the journey, a long-term look at diversity climate is an essential measure underlying them all. An ongoing measure of diversity climate can be an invaluable guide to evaluating and interpreting progress. To measure progress on its diversity journey, the Coca-Cola Company monitored the perceptions of its workforce about the diversity climate of the company. By gathering data over time from its employees in regular engagement surveys and through focus groups, the company was able to determine the extent to which its various efforts were impacting the climate and culture of the organization around the topic of diversity. A series of five questions were repeated in engagement surveys and focus groups annually from 2002 through 2006: • The company consistently treats all employees fairly? • Senior management visibly demonstrates that having a diverse workforce is important for the company’s business? • The company is committed to creating a work environment that respects diversity and fosters workplace equity? • The company does not go far enough in fostering an atmosphere that fosters respect for the individual? (reverse scored) • The way employees are treated in the company is not affected by prejudice based on bias and stereotypes? These survey items were developed by the external task force appointed by the court in the settlement of a race discrimination class action lawsuit. Different ethnic groups had very different opinions about the company’s diversity climate, initially. Over a period of five years of diversity efforts, the perceptions of all groups of employees showed a more positive view of the company’s diversity climate. Most importantly, the perceptions at the end of the five years were more similar across all groups. talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com 21 January 2008 http://www.TalentMgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of TM - January 2008

TM - January 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Learning Connections: Working With Those People Leading Edge: Hub Caps for a Buggy Human Performance: Hawthorne Effect Revisited Beyond Affirmative Action: The Changing Face of Recruitment Assessment Centers in Talent Management: Strategies, Use and Value Nontraditional Benefits- How to Hook the Best Talent Intersection of Web 2.0 and Talent Management Cross-Training for Workforce Agility Mapping Talent Among Younger Workers Dashboard: Using Personality Data to Identify and Develop High-Potential Leaders Application: Shaffer Title Uses Myers-Briggs to Develop Common Corporate Language, Jump-Start Growth Insight: Dreier, Stein & Kahan LLP: Using Strategy to Bring Back the Law Profession Advertisers' Index Editorial Resources Full Potential: Stop in the Name of Leadership

TM - January 2008

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