Best Practices: Traits of a Diverse Organization

What does it mean to be a diverse organization? Consider the following:

Diverse organizations recognize that:

• A diverse organization’s culture is based on inclusion and not just on representation.
• Diversity is a mindset, a continuous process and a way of doing business—not a one day program or two hour training.
• Diversity is proactive and always imperative. It does not only become important when there is a discrimination complaint.

They reflect their commitment to diversity in many ways:

• Top management endorses and actively champions the company’s diversity initiatives. It is not solely an HR function.
• Culture change is driven by the CEO and others in the executive suite.
• Diversity—in the form of inclusion—is reflected in the mission and vision of the organization.
• Diversity is integrated into the overall business strategy.
• There is visible diversity at all levels of the organization.
• While visible diversity is a benchmark, the organization uses a broad definition of diversity to include the unique skills and talents of each individual.
• Everyone is seen as part of the organization’s diversity and the goal is to make everyone’s needs and concerns a part of the mainstream diversity effort.
• Compensation is tied to diversity efforts.
• Employees are recruited from a diverse pool of candidates.
• Company recruiters are trained in bias reduction so that they don’t choose candidates based on assumptions and stereotypes.
• Diversity is reflected in company literature, website, and any photos or artwork on the walls. Language in printed material is inclusive and speaks to everyone regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, physical ability, or any other diversity dimension.

Diverse Organizations create systems and processes to manage diversity:

• There are processes in place to resolve conflicts and prevent miscommunication that can be costly to the organization.
• There is a system in place to communicate openings and opportunities throughout the organization.
• Affinity groups are sponsored and attended by people from different backgrounds.
• Opportunities for cross-cultural mentoring exist and are encouraged.

They also know how to leverage the diversity they have:

• The organization draws from the wide range of experiences and perspectives to find more creative solutions to problems and be more innovative in developing new products and services.
• The unique skills and experiences of each individual are leveraged to help make the organization and employee more successful.
• People from different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions and physical abilities are seen as resources for different markets, but not necessarily sent to those markets to represent the organization.

As a result, Diverse Organizations create effective and comfortable environments where:

• Each person has an equal chance to show what they can do.
• All people feel included and are able to do their best work for the organization.
• People are comfortable and able to relate to employees and customers from backgrounds different than their own.
• People are comfortable discussing differences and similarities with each other.
• Employees from different backgrounds feel included in the mission, vision and the organization itself.
• People from different cultures and backgrounds interact and share ideas and resources as opposed to clustering with only people who look and think like them.
• The organization is known as a place where all kinds of people succeed. It acts as a magnet that draws in diverse talent.

Simma Lieberman works with people and organizations to create environments where people can do their best work. She specializes in diversity, gender communications, life-work balance and stress, and acquiring and retaining new customers. Call Simma at 510.527.0700 or Email simma@simmalieberman.com. Visit her website at www.simmalieberman.com.