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