September 4, 2003
OEC Sees Renewed Interest in Diversity
The Organizational Effectiveness Consulting Group at Ayers has detected a reawakening of interest in diversity training. “Over the last few months, I’ve been getting at least a call a week,” says Joan Caruso, Managing Director of OEC. The Ayers Report asked her about this trend.
Q: What groups are the focus of interest?
"It’s a fairly even split between women and minorities, and the focus is most often on increasing their representation at the top of the house. Major companies are coming to us and saying, ‘We can name all the women—or members of minority groups—at the top of our organization, there are so few.’ As someone whose HR career began in the late ‘70s, I find it interesting that this is becoming an issue again. It’s amazing that in 2003 big companies can still make this statement. And although they’re talking about it in terms of diversity, it’s really a talent-management issue."
Q: Why talent management rather than diversity?
"Identifying candidates from these target groups is just the beginning. The real focus needs to be on attracting and retaining them. Being a blue-chip company doesn’t automatically make you attractive to top female or minority candidates. The factors that make you a good place to work for other populations might not carry the same weight. You attract women and minorities through your organizational track record with regard to treatment of their peers, which is connected to how you retain them.
"I suggest you look at diversity as part of talent management, and think about identification, attraction, and retention as a unit. You need to consider issues such as whether there are role models in your organization for them, whether you have mentoring and other kinds of development programs designed expressly for them, and whether you support the kinds of community activities that are important to them."
Q: The fact that women and minorities have other options these days must make retention even harder.
"More and more women—and men—have discovered that entrepreneurialism offers them more control over their time and lives, making it easier to achieve work-life balance. In addition to having attractive alternatives, women and individuals from minorities who make it to the upper ranks tend to attract attention—and offers—from other companies. These are savvy people who have choices and will ask you tough questions."
Q: What’s driving the reawakened interest in achieving diversity?
"There’s a growing need for organizations to recognize and adapt to major changes in the workplace caused by globalization, technology, and immigration—as well as the new demands these changes place on corporate leadership. I’ve been asking clients where the pressure is coming from: mostly from turnover at the board and senior management level. As the new leadership comes in, it looks at the organization’s demographics and is surprised. There are more women and minority members on boards these days, and younger people are moving up the ladder. They want to see more people like themselves at the top of the organization.
"It’s an evolving trend and it remains to be seen how much depth it has, so stay tuned as we watch how it plays out."
The 2000 Census and corporate reputation surveys confirm that companies must be inclusive to succeed in the 21st century. The Ayers Group partners with clients to design, develop, and implement an integrated approach to diversity. Contact Joan Caruso at 212.889.7788 or joan.caruso@ayers.com for more information.
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