Further Issues in Diversity

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Further Issues in Diversity

• Recent Survey
• Sex
• Race
• Sexual Orientation
• HR Responses

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Before we begin

• Difficult topics for HR managers and students
  (and professors!)
• Aim open and frank conversation

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Diversity Recent SHRM Survey (Marquez, 2005)

• 78 of human resources managers surveyed say
  their companies diversity initiatives reduced
  costs associated with turnover, absenteeism and
  low productivity.
• 74 percent say that their diversity efforts
  have improved the companys bottom line by
  decreasing complaints and litigation and
  improving the organizations public image.
• 89 of employers look at how many diverse
  employees have been recruited to determine the
  effectiveness of their initiatives. 75 percent
  say they look at the number of diverse employees
  retained, while 72 look at the number of
  diverse employees at all levels of the company.
  
• Only 12 of HR professionals say they tie
  diversity to management compensation, which the
  report says is the one of the most effective ways
  to promote diversity goals.

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Sex (not Gender)

• Two main issues

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Sexual Harassment In Brief (Kulik, 2004)

• 40-90 of women have been sexually harassed at
  work
• In two years alone, EEOC administrative
  settlements (not including court filed
  litigation) topped 83 millionhttp//interactive-
  sexual-harassment-prevention-training.com/prevent
  ion
• EEOC defines sexual harassment as,
• Recent cases have been launched at any
  discriminatory behavior directed towards someone
  based on their sex

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Sexual Harassment In Brief (Kulik, 2004)

• Two kinds of sexual harassment
• Hostile environment

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Seinfeld Case Debriefing
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Response to Women as Business Imperative
(Schwartz, 1992)

• What was your reaction to women as a business
  imperative?-- should organizations have as a
  mandate promote more women? How far can/should
  we go? (Schwartz, 1992)
• Organizations range from 0-5
• 0 dont care
• 1 legally compliant but do not take initiative
• 2 companies that try to do what is fair and
  right (but deep down do not believe women should
  play a role)
• 3 organizations who are treating women well (as
  high as current organizations go)
• 4- have leveled the playing field for men and
  women
• 5 starts with a level playing field, true
  egalitarian environment

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Sexual Harassment HR Responses (Kulik, 2004)

• Affirmative defense
• Claimant did not avail her or himself of the
  organizations preventive or corrective
  opportunities
• Zero tolerance culture
• Training

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Responses to Sexism?

• From your reading, what other some best
  practices regarding this issue?

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Racial Issues

• Problem is still endemic. Organizations appear
  to claim almost anything as diversity management
  (e.g., charitable contributions, ads targeted
  towards minorities). As a result, sustainable
  programs are being pushed into the background
  Black Enterprise Magazine The Thirty Best
  Companies for Diversity, 2005

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Racial Issues It Wasnt About Race (Or Was It)?
(OConner. 2000)

• Hope, a partner at Fuller Fenton, was going into
  work on Sunday. She swiped her card to enter the
  parking garage and notices a car following her
  without swiping a card. The driver is an African
  American man dressed in work out clothes. Hope
  stops the car, and asks him for identification.
• The man in question is Dillon Johnson, an
  associate at Fuller Fenton.
• As a result of this interaction, the organization
  is in an uproar. Jack Parsons gets calls from
  Dillon alleging discrimination in this and in
  other cases (e.g., picture, pulled from team). He
  is also getting calls from Hope saying that the
  issue was one of safety not race.
• Whats Jack Parsons to do?

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It Wasnt About Race Debrief
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Best Practices
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Best Practices (cont.)
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Other Best Practices?

• From your assignment, what other best practices
  are there?

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• Why do these and other organizations go beyond
  simple compliance with the law?

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Sexual Orientation Issues

• Gay and lesbian employees are estimated to
  comprise 6-12 of the workforce
• , issued on May 28, 1998,
  prohibits discrimination based upon sexual
  orientation within Executive Branch civilian
  employment
• Recent movement Fortune 500 Companies
• 95 preclude discrimination based on sexual
  orientation
• 70 offer same sex benefits
• Still strong glass ceiling effects

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Sexual Orientation Issues

• Microsoft has traditionally been seen as an
  advocate for gay rights.
• Microsoft quietly withdrew its support for House
  bill 1515, the anti-gay-discrimination bill
  currently under consideration by the Washington
  State legislature, after being pressured by the
  Evangelical Christian pastor of a suburban
  megachurch.
• Was Microsoft wrong? How sensitive should
  organizations be to political pressure? Should
  organizations be forces of social change?

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Microsoft Debrief
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Diversity HR Responses

• Leaders need to specify how cultural identities
  play a role in organizations(e.g., assimilation,
  differentiation, and integration)
• Need to support valuing diversity with cultural
  mechanisms (e.g., values, leader modeling) and
  training

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HR Responses (Schwartz, 1992)

• For sex-based issues - acknowledge biological
  differences in men and women (acknowledge
  maternity and separate from child rearing)

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But None of This Works, Unless

• For-profit organizations that run effective
  diversity programs (and are agents of social
  change) have learned how to link diversity with
  the bottom line.

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Wrap-Up

• As noted in the beginning of this class,
  diversity remains a key issue in HRM
• While there are unique issues surrounding sex,
  race, and sexual orientation there are also
  many similarities
• In general, HR tends to respond similarly to all
  of these issues (e.g., look to law, start with
  basic changes in practice, try to enact culture
  change, etc.)
• Unfortunately, will likely continue to be hot
  when you are managers / HR managers
• Learn how to use both the carrot and the stick

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Any Questions?