| A recent survey conducted by the National Society of | | | | employees in an organization, then what additional |
| Hispanic Professionals (NSHP) asked 268 Hispanics | | | | benefits are Hispanics expecting? Should opportunities |
| their opinion on diversity policies in the workplace. A | | | | for Hispanics and other "diversity groups" abound |
| whopping 72 percent of those surveyed felt that | | | | because of increased diversity in the workplace? In |
| diversity policies were more words than actions or did | | | | my opinion, the purpose of workplace diversity never |
| not make a difference, while only 27 percent felt that | | | | was to get a leg up on the white, straight, non-disabled, |
| such polices were necessary in the workplace and | | | | male Christian worker, but that may be one of the |
| benefited Hispanics. While it is probably true that most | | | | results we currently expect. John Wrench, author of |
| Hispanics surveyed believe in the ideals of diversity, it is | | | | the commentary "Diversity management can be bad |
| apparent from the survey that a large majority of | | | | for you," says that the idea behind diversity policies is |
| respondents do not feel that its purposes have been | | | | that "encouraging a culturally diverse workplace where |
| accomplished to their satisfaction. On the other hand, | | | | differences are valued enables people to work to their |
| human resources executives at many of the largest | | | | full potential in a more creative and productive work |
| corporations in the United States continue to tout their | | | | environment." So if companies create work |
| advanced diversity policies and the great | | | | environments where diverse employees are valued |
| accomplishments they have made in designing a | | | | for their cultural differences, then those employees will |
| workplace that closely reflects the US cultural | | | | essentially find creative solutions to problems and |
| landscape. Who really is correct, the respondents to | | | | become more productive. When I look at it that way, |
| the survey or human resources execs? Do diversity | | | | should I really be expecting any financial or upwardly |
| policies actually make a difference? The answer | | | | mobile rewards from any company's well-executed |
| depends on whom you ask. | | | | diversity initiatives? Apparently not, because the goal is |
| Employees and HR execs expect different results | | | | to make me more productive and creative, not to give |
| from diversity policies. Corporations and their execs | | | | me a promotion and a raise. |
| generally expect that diversity policies will foster | | | | If the purpose of diversity initiatives is primarily to |
| creativity among their employees and have a positive | | | | develop a more productive and creative workforce, |
| effect on business outcomes. "Inclusiveness | | | | then the NSHP survey is probably right on the money. |
| is…a win-win dynamic: it generates opportunities | | | | That said, maybe the reason why a compelling |
| for growth, flexibility and adaptation in the marketplace | | | | majority of Hispanics surveyed felt that diversity |
| for both the employee and the organization," writes | | | | programs are more words than actions or make no |
| Nancy Lockwood, a human resources expert, in | | | | difference was because in terms of personal rewards, |
| "Workplace Diversity: Leveraging the Power of | | | | they really don't make a difference! If Hispanic workers |
| Difference for Competitive Advantage." If that were | | | | expect to get some sort of personal financial benefit |
| the case, one would think that diversity initiatives would | | | | or a promotion as a result of a more inclusive |
| perhaps increase growth, sales, and even productivity | | | | workplace, the reality is that it may not happen. More |
| and eventually positively impact the bottom line. In | | | | likely is the case where because of Company X's |
| some cases, however, the results of diversity initiatives | | | | public and transparent commitment to workplace |
| appear to be nothing more than periodic tallies of | | | | diversity, their product or service becomes more |
| employees from "diversity groups" to save the | | | | appealing to a larger, more diverse market, thus |
| corporate face. The Diversity Research Network's | | | | spurring corporate growth and more internal |
| (DRN) five-year study on the effects of diversity on | | | | opportunities for advancement, eventually leading to |
| business performance found "no strong positive or | | | | the promotion and raise of many employees. |
| negative effects of gender or racial diversity on | | | | I believe we expect too many results too quickly from |
| business performance." It is interesting to note that in | | | | diversity programs. If we examine the status of |
| conducting this study, the DRN found it very difficult to | | | | workplace diversity in the United States as a whole, |
| find companies willing to participate for the duration of | | | | the reality is that although it has made amazing strides |
| the study. Of the twenty large and well-known Fortune | | | | over the past two decades, it is still a relatively new |
| 500 companies that initially agreed to participate in the | | | | concept. Bear in mind that it was just 42 short years |
| study, only four actually completed the study. The | | | | ago that the Civil Rights Act was passed, the Equal |
| remaining sixteen withdrew from the study for a | | | | Rights Amendment was never passed, and we still |
| variety of reasons, some citing time commitments and | | | | struggle with discrimination in all arenas of life on a daily |
| confidentiality issues, but the DRN found that "not only | | | | basis. Nevertheless, the US workforce is continuously |
| had none of the organizations [they] contacted ever | | | | becoming more and more diverse, and the fact that |
| conducted a systematic examination of the effects of | | | | there are people in your place of work that are |
| their diversity efforts on bottom line performance | | | | different from you is an accomplishment in and of |
| measures, [but also] very few were interested in doing | | | | itself. Even though right now it may seem that diversity |
| so." Excuse me? They were not interested in | | | | policies are somewhat useless because we may not |
| measuring the results of their own diversity initiatives? | | | | be able to reap immediate tangible benefits, the fact |
| Diversity initiatives cost a great deal of money and | | | | that we have these policies in this country is a strong |
| require long-term commitments, especially large-scale | | | | indicator that we are on the right track. Diversity |
| implementations of these initiatives. It is baffling to me | | | | polices are long-term investments and the link between |
| that with the amount of money many of these large | | | | these policies and personal financial success may not |
| Fortune 500 companies probably spent on diversity | | | | be immediately apparent. |
| initiatives, they chose not to measure the results. When | | | | We have a long way to go in crafting a completely |
| businesses make investments in new programs, | | | | diverse and inclusive workforce in the United States |
| entities, or assets, it is because they expect the | | | | before we can fully reap the benefits of diversity and |
| investment to yield additional revenue, competitive | | | | inclusion in the workplace on an individual level. But as |
| advantage, realized intangible gains such as enhanced | | | | the nation continues to become more and more |
| productivity, or other measurable results. Moreover, | | | | diverse, all companies will have no choice but to |
| when businesses make such investments the | | | | seriously enact measurable and effective diversity |
| performance metrics are usually in place well before | | | | policies to meet not only the needs of their employees |
| making the investment. Perhaps one of the reasons | | | | but also their clients and customers. According to the |
| why Hispanics view diversity programs as | | | | human resources consulting firm Hewitt Associates, by |
| inconsequential and nothing more than lip service is | | | | 2008, women and minorities will represent 70% of all |
| because they are not presented with verifiable results. | | | | new labor force entrants, and by 2010, 34% of the |
| In addition, as we all are part of the instant gratification | | | | workforce will be non-Caucasian. This follows the |
| society that we live in, we expect immediate results | | | | general US population trend, as minorities, Hispanics in |
| from workplace diversity programs that are relatively | | | | particular, are increasing in numbers and purchasing |
| new. We often expect short-term results and have | | | | power. In the next decade, Hewitt Associates expects |
| the tendency to become disheartened and | | | | that "there will be a significant labor shortage |
| disappointed when those results fail to appear. | | | | (anywhere from 10-23 million) largely due to baby |
| I do not believe that any Hispanic would disagree with | | | | boomer retirements and a smaller emerging labor pool." |
| the notion that diversity initiatives have tremendous | | | | If minority populations are growing, but the labor pool is |
| potential, and I am equally confident that corporate | | | | shrinking, minorities will eventually make up a substantial |
| execs believe that such programs will eventually lead | | | | majority of the entire labor pool. If this trend continues, |
| to additional revenue, as they have expanded their | | | | we may need to worry about our over representation |
| applicant pools to include the best and the brightest | | | | in the workforce! |
| from all groups. But if diversity truly is that important, | | | | The fact remains that diversity initiatives are |
| why not devise a means of measuring the | | | | necessary and benefit almost everyone, but at this |
| effectiveness of diversity programs prior to | | | | stage, those benefits are more likely to be realized in |
| implementing them? Sadly, it appears that some | | | | the long term. If deficient corporations don't get on |
| corporations prefer the idea of a more colorful | | | | board and begin to create meaningful diversity policies |
| corporate photo and measure the effectiveness of | | | | that are more than just lip service and that actually do |
| their diversity policies essentially by counting heads at | | | | make a difference to all employees-not just |
| the company picnic. According to Braun Consulting, a | | | | Hispanics-they'll miss the boat and the giant pile of |
| Seattle based personnel and labor relations consulting | | | | money that will float away with it. |
| firm, "Many companies track the success of their | | | | Source: |
| diversity efforts in terms of what they DO, not | | | | Acknowledgments: |
| necessarily what leads to RESULTS. Or in another | | | | 1. National Society of Hispanic Professionals |
| words, they measure what they put out, not what | | | | (2005-2006) "Hispanic Values at Work Survey" 2. |
| results they achieve in terms of either profit or | | | | Lockwood, N. R. (2005) "Workplace Diversity: |
| savings." Or in terms of employee satisfaction, for that | | | | Leveraging the Power of Difference for Competitive |
| matter. | | | | Advantage" from SHRM Online 3. Kochan, T., |
| While some corporations are clearly failing in the | | | | Bezrukova, K., Ely, R., Jackson, S., Joshi, A., Jen, K., et al. |
| performance metrics arena, it may also be true that | | | | (2002). The Effects of Diversity on Business |
| Hispanics, along with other minority groups, have | | | | Performance: Report of the Diversity Research |
| somewhat unrealistic expectations of workplace | | | | Network 4. Braun Consulting News, (2005) "Workplace |
| diversity programs. If we assume that one of the most | | | | Diversity: Does it Work? Explaining 'Myth vs. Reality'" 5. |
| important results of diversity policies is the presence of | | | | Wrench, J. (2005) "Commentary: Diversity |
| more minorities, disabled, women, and LGBT | | | | management can be bad for you" 6. |