A broad and common definition of diversity is an environment where people of all backgrounds, races, religions, sexes, and perspectives are welcomed. This includes diversity of thought which happens when there are employees that bring different perspectives, upbringings, and experiences to the table. Yet due to recent events, in this article we will focus on the lack of diversity associated with the African American population among corporate America.
Several major surveys show diversity to be a top challenge that HR leaders are facing. If you can find a company that is transparent with their diversity data, you’ll find a shocking lack of African Americans in good-paying positions in corporate America. As you go up the corporate ladder, the percentage of African Americans is even smaller relative to their non-black colleagues. Why should we be concerned about this issue?
Social justice and equality are certainly good answers (really, the best answer in our opinion), and the Black Lives Matter movement will likely keep a focus on this for some time to come, changing hearts, minds, and attitudes toward diversity, equality and fairness for African Americans. If you aren’t really sure you “get” it, there are plenty of books, articles, and documentaries (such as the 2016 film called “13th” by Ava DuVernay) that describe how African Americans have been oppressed and unfairly treated for decades. You can also attend marches and protests and really listen and learn from the speakers as to the horrible discrimination they have experienced.
Bottom line results may be another answer. In a study conducted by McKinsey it showed that ethnic diversity led to a 33% more likelihood of above average profits for a business. Diverse companies are also better able to attract top talent. Companies with diverse workforces can also serve as a competitive weapon to allow you to better understand your customer base, which can lead to developing products and services that are well-received in the marketplace.
So why then are companies failing to invest in locating, attracting, and onboarding diverse talent including African Americans?
- It may be because they are unaware or ignorant of the facts, which we hope isn’t the case in today’s environment.
- It may be because they are not sure how to attract and recruit diverse talent.
How does a company attract and recruit diverse talent? Here are our recommended steps, starting with arguably the most important step, but the remaining are in no particular order of importance.
1) It starts with making the conscientious effort to implement a strategy to become more diverse. This plan should start at the top and promoted throughout the organization so that everyone is aware of the paradigm shift and why it is important. This has to be a strategic imperative, part of the company’s core values and truly believed in by the top leaders of the company. The employees also need to understand why this is important for the overall benefit of the company and society.
2) Evaluate your company’s diversity data as a whole, by department, and by job function, and see where on the spectrum you actually fall and what can and should be done to increase diversity. Compare your results with your competitors or similar companies in your industry and in your location. Then develop goals based on what you wish to achieve.
3) Publish statistics on your minority population and set goals to increase your diverse workforce. Transparency is a smart approach and publishing this data along with your plans to improve diversity can go a long way to helping your community rally around you and provide strategies to support your cause. You should also look at your contractors and subcontractors, and those vendors you purchase from, to evaluate the percentage of African Americans you do business with.
4) Find out what policies, benefits, etc., will best attract diverse employees. You can do this by listening and asking your African American employees on what policies and benefits they wish your company had in place.
5) Develop a recruiting partnership and pipeline with HBCU’s or colleges that are highly diverse to develop a deep talent pipeline that can grow into leadership roles in the future. You should also offer internships and scholarships to build a pipeline of African American college graduates.
6) Bring in a fresh perspective from HR recruiters that have experience in – and passion for – finding qualified African American and other diverse candidates.
7) Ensure you have appropriate policies that do not tolerate discrimination in the workplace. Assess your existing policies to ensure they are not discriminating against or unintentionally and adversely impacting diverse employees.
8) Don’t forget about retention. Increase the focus on grooming African American employees within your company to retain them and also groom them into higher-level positions. Also consider implementing mentorship programs. It doesn’t help to attract diverse candidates into the organization if you are losing the ones you already have!
9) Highlight in your marketing campaigns your diverse workforce, as it will help to attract additional African Americans to your company.
10) Take time to celebrate and showcase examples within your company that illustrate diversity.
Diversity strategies are like any other business strategies: develop and implement a top-down plan and stick to it, refining as necessary along the way. As a leader, you really need to believe and feel that diversity is important (with real empathy), and share those values with your organization.
A major shift towards diversity is already occurring in America, but it is never too late to join the movement. Your employees and customers, your community, and your bottom line will thank you. We also welcome your thoughts and comments, feel free to message us at Testa Search Partners.