Annette Merritt Cummings on Diversity and Recruitment
An HR.com Thought Leaders interview by Karen Elmhirst
The following interview with Annette Merritt Cummings is a condensed version of HR.com's live, one-hour online learning seminar.
Topic: Best Practices in Diversity Management and Recruitment
Karen Elmhirst: I understand that many people working in diversity are now using the term inclusion, instead of diversity. Can you tell us what you think of the term "inclusion" and is it the ultimate goal?
Annette Merritt Cummings: When we talk about "inclusion", we are talking about all of the differences that define each of us, including the majority and minority populations. One of the reasons that diversity practitioners are beginning to move away from diversity is that inclusion seems less threatening. It's also more descriptive of the ultimate goal. While I understand the move to using inclusion, and I embrace that, I still believe that the term "diversity" aptly describes the work that we do to get to an inclusive state.
The Four Stages of Diversity 1. Affirmative Action--Complying with Federal, State and local laws around equal opportunity and affirmative action. 2. Valuing Diversity--Celebrating diversity and providing diversity training. Marking Black History month, Women's History month, etc. Appreciating the fact that diversity can add value to your organization and help you achieve your goals. 3. Managing Diversity--This is where you change your culture. This is the hard work. This is changing attitudes so that everyone is embracing the value of diversity. Everyone understands the business case. At this stage, you start holding people accountable. You may include diversity as a measure in performance reviews. 4. Inclusive--At this stage, the organization has diverse teams in place as well as formal measurements. Managers are held accountable for their success in fostering diversity, and are rewarded with bonuses or provided with negative consequences. |
Best practices companies would probably rank themselves between stage 3 and 4. Companies can have mixed results, with different divisions doing better or worse than others.
As HR professionals, we are often asked to make the business case for HR initiatives. What advice can you provide our members about a business case for diversity?
In developing a business case, Marketing and Sales is the place to start. They are the closest to the customer base and future target markets. Your business case needs to be revenue-based; it's about the purchasing power of emerging groups. It's looking at the future market trends for both employees and customers. It's about identifying emerging markets and making certain that your employee base reflects your future customer base in terms of their diverse characteristics.
Annette, often HR professionals feel the burden of fostering diversity initiatives. Who, in your view, should be responsible for diversity?
If you think of diversity management as part of the corporate reputation, HR is not the only department responsible. If you look at the issue as being more than recruitment and more than retention, it is all functions of the organization. HR can be the driver around diversity, but it is everyone who is responsible--from Marketing and Sales, to Community Relations, Public Relations, Advertising, Finance, Procurement and Philanthropy. To become an inclusive organization, all aspects of a business should have plans that incorporate diversity.
How do you recommend a company tackle the recruitment of a diverse workforce?
Use the 360 approach--it's a strategic marketing approach.
The 360 Approach to Diversity 1. Do an honest assessment 2. Develop strategy 3. Implement 4. Measure |
How do we ensure that we retain, better yet, engage these individuals?
Ask the diverse employees who have been with you for 10 years or longer why they stay. What are the benefits that attracted them? Does the mission of the organization keep them there? Consider using your employee affinity groups to help you build relationships and link to those groups that are important to your company. Enlist people as diversity ambassadors. They may be those people who understand diversity, understand the business case and make excellent spokespeople.
Annette, you talk about diversity initiatives not just within the organization, but also with extended enterprise and customers. What are companies doing well in this area?
There are four industries that do the best job of engaging diverse suppliers and consumers: Automotive, Retail, Government (Federal, State and County) and Food Service/Hospitality. These industries do well because they are so close to the consumers and understand the business case so well. Even though they may have had some compliance issues in the past, they have made the connection between the marketplaces, the diversity of those marketplaces and their long-term successes. They do a good job communicating with one vision, using integrated marketing communications. There is a balance between accepting your reality and speaking about where you want to be and how you will value diverse individuals going forward.
In your work with Fortune 500 companies, you have seen some failed attempts at fostering diversity. What are some of the pitfalls to avoid?
Companies sometimes underestimate the resistance to change that they will inevitably encounter from some hiring managers and recruiters, as well as the "root guards" of the company culture. If you think of your organization as a tree, there are root guards. The root guards are those who have been in your organization for about 15 to 20 years. It is a good thing they are guarding the corporate culture--they have the memory--but when it comes to change, they are the people who are the most resistant. It's important to have continuous training. Make sure these individuals understand the business case. You can do that with employee surveys.
The second pitfall would be insufficient resources--people and money to drive the initiatives. Often, there is only a diversity manager and one other person in charge of moving the whole organization toward inclusion.
Another pitfall is continuous turnover of leadership. How can you institutionalize diversity so that it withstands leadership changes? Many organizations focus on recruitment, but forget retention, supplier diversity, and marketing and sales. All of these elements are part of creating and managing a multicultural environment.
Finally, managers are not being held accountable. There have to be negative consequences, as well as rewards, to help create buy-in for division and strategic goals of the organization.
Finally, Annette, please summarize some best practices for diversity management and recruitment for our HR.com members.
If diversity is a core value, then it will be reflected in all of your planning. It won't be a program in its own silo. It will be a part of the planning for the entire enterprise. You will have a vision for what it is you are recruiting.
Best practices companies have effective corporate communications. Companies like Merck and American Express have annual reports regarding where they stand with diversity. These companies have a vision for diversity recruiting and it's reflected on their websites. Research has shown that many candidates go to company websites to evaluate the degree to which they are diversity-friendly. Candidates should not have to click more than twice to get to some mention of diversity if diversity is a core value of the company.
Best practices companies focus on retaining and developing the careers of all of their employees, and rewards are key components. Managers and leaders are held accountable. Their work/life benefits support their goals. They have a diversity supplier/vendor program and continuous education and training. Their community involvement and philanthropy reflect their commitment to diversity.
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