Census 2010: How Effective is Your Employer's Diversity Strategy?

If you've ever worked for a company that has been acquired by another firm, you've experienced a merger. Mergers expose employees to overwhelming amounts of change, including culture shifts, demographic changes, and internal structure revisions. The marrying of 2 cultures can present a mixture of emotions ranging from frustration to excitement, depending on your perspective and the nature of your role. This new relationship of joined cultures can include employees from various backgrounds and all walks of life, but I wonder if employers are equipped to handle the changes from an ethnic standpoint. The landscape of the workforce has changed in recent years and results of the most recent Census confirm that point. From 2000-2010, the following groups of people had the largest percentage change in population: Asian (43.3%), Hispanic or Latino (43%), and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (35.4%). The ethnic groups experiencing the least amount of growth in population were Whites, Blacks or African Americans, and American Indians or Alaskan Natives. As we approach the halfway mark of 2011, employers now more than ever, need to have a diversity strategy that is truly inclusive.

Organizations have to ensure that all employees are aware that cultural differences exist. The differences should be welcomed and respected, as long as professionalism isn't compromised in the workplace. In some Asian cultures, making eye contact with a member of the opposite sex is disrespectful. With Asians having more growth in population than any other race, organizations can experience an increase in the number of Asian employees. Does this mean that an Asian female can be perceived as a weak interview candidate because she didn't make eye contact with the one male participating on the panel? Perhaps it does if one isn't educated from a cultural standpoint. Employers have to make diversity education mandatory and it has to be consistent as well as continuous.

Organizations have to ensure that they can communicate effectively, perhaps in languages other than English. I was saddened to hear that a local non-profit organization didn't have the capacity to help Hispanics because of the language barrier. As employment hopefuls approached the organization to enhance their job readiness skills, they were referred elsewhere because the organization didn't have any Spanish-speaking employees who could translate for them. With a 43% increase in population over the past 10 years, I wonder if companies are ready to attract, develop, and retain Hispanic employees.

Organizations have to be honest about their talent management strategies and accountability has to exist. Who ensures that employers are walking the talk as it pertains to their diversity strategy? If the answer is the employer, perhaps an external firm can bring a level of accountability that will ensure diversity strategies are not just talk, but are intentional, effective actions. As the changes in population were listed above by ethnicity, employers have to analyze their succession plans and promotion policies. It may not be advantageous to promote someone because of tenure alone when you have a decent candidate pool of applicants who possess qualifications, education, and experience.

Diversity is meant to be inclusive and I hope organizations are aware of the most recent Census data. The information obtained will help shape the way an employer does business from the inside out, from the employee to the customer. It doesn't matter how large the organization is, where it's located or what the name is on the outside of the building, what matters at the end of the day are the people.

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