Diversity in practice

Governance structure

• • Selling the business case for diversity to current leaders and staff

• • Selecting and grooming diverse members for leadership roles

• • Changing leadership culture to embrace diversity, including training for leadership and key staff

• • Mentoring newcomers in leadership positions

• • Benchmarking against other organisations with successful diversity programmes

• • Establishing organisational bodies to support and lead the diversity effort.

Executive management

• • Articulating, leading and setting the stage for a diversity orientation among staff

• • Acting as a role model for diversity in professional and personal lives.

Human resources

• • Hiring, promoting and retaining diverse employees, so that staff reflects diversity of the community

• • Using alternative media to recruit employees, reaching out to diverse communities

• • Training staff to appreciate diversity and create an environment where all employees are welcome and integrated into the mainstream

• • Establishing training, mentoring and management development programmes to assure success among diverse employees

• • Setting examples and modelling by staff leadership of successful work teams and relationships that include diverse staff

• • Supporting, measuring and recognising diversity successes by leadership

• • Including diversity goals in employee performance expectations and evaluations

• • Setting staff diversity goals

• • Engaging in pro-active diverse employee recruitment and promotion from within

• • Providing employee benefits that are conducive to attracting and keeping diverse employees

• • Evaluating supervisory performance in the area of hiring and developing diverse staff.

Marketing

• • Making product, price, place and promotion decisions to reflect inclusiveness

• • Designing products and services to appeal to diverse audiences

• • Establishing pricing structures to maximise access to offerings across all audiences

• • Considering delivery channels that reach diverse audiences

• • Targeting promotions to diverse audiences, with copy, graphics and media placement tailored to reach and interest under-represented audiences.

Meetings and education

• • Selecting venues that are accessible, attractive and hospitable to diverse groups

• • Planning programmes or agendas to interest the needs of diverse participants

• • Planning educational activities that represent all levels of experience and diverse viewpoints

• • Using a variety of presenters that diverse audiences can identify with

• • Accommodating the disabled, providing facilities for childcare, breast feeding, etc.

• • Examining certification criteria and standards to eliminate any biases that may exist.

Legal

• • Training staff to adhere to all statutes related to diversity and inclusion

• • Providing training and information about policies on diversity, harassment and accessibility

• • Publicising open standards on discrimination, harassment and sexual orientation issues, incorporating a formal grievance procedure.

Finance and administration

• • Obtaining grants and other funding for diversity initiatives

• • Pro-active budgeting for diversity initiatives

• • Outfitting headquarters office and other facilities to include access and accommodations for diverse employees and visitors.

 

Sources

http://www.fasset.org.za/downloads/Valuing_Diversity/Culture_and_Diversity_in_the_Workplace_Final.pdf
http://www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/human-capital-management/5bestpractices-diverse-workforce-2162559.pdf
www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights

 

(Revised by M van Deventer)