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CORP. DIVERSITY PROGRAMS.
Term Paper ID:23096
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Essay Subject:
Creating positive environment for women & minorities. Examples (Monsanto, Bank of America, Gannett), benefits & obstacles.... More...
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9 Pages / 2025 Words
8 sources, 14 Citations,
APA Format
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Paper Abstract:
Creating positive environment for women & minorities. Examples (Monsanto, Bank of America, Gannett), benefits & obstacles.
Paper Introduction:
Introduction
Managers can no longer ignore the fact that the nation's workforce is becoming increasingly diverse. Affirmative action programs are no longer enough to deal with this increased diversity; instead, companies are taking a more far-sighted approach that includes setting up departments to assist employees in handling complaints and personal insults from customers, and to setting up workplace environments that foster harmonious and productive relationships among all employees. This research examines various diversity programs which have been implemented at companies in the United States, and considers the reasons behind their success.
Reasons for Diversity Programs
According to analysts, 47.5 percent of the work force will be women by the year 2000,
Text of the Paper:
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Selecting a diversity trainer.HRMagazine, p. Those companies which have strong diversity programs have incorporateddiversity into their management training and made diversity a part of theircorporate culture. One way to solve this problem is through the use of diversitytrainers, who come to the job site and communicate both what diversity isand how it affects the employees directly. 2 ). There are no clear-cut guidelinesfor calling oneself a diversity trainer, with the result that the qualityof diversity training is largely dependent on the individual trainer acompany happens to select. Managing diversity in the workplace. Rogers, B. Given the importance of this function, it isill-advised to have training left to this type of happenstance. Gannett Company, which owns 1 television stations, 15 radio stationsand 8 daily newspapers (as well as being a large competitor in outdooradvertising), found that having a strong diversity program gave it acompetitive edge. 29). Somediversity programs are simply ignored by participants after initialtraining, but there are also cases where there was a long-term negativeeffect due to the perceived backlash that members faced as a result of thetraining. Inother organizations, communication can take the form of including diversityin performance evaluations, or making diversity programs a part of regularemployee communications (such as newsletters or electronic mail messages)(Galagan, 1993, p. Reasons for Diversity Programs According to analysts, 47.5 percent of the work force will be women bythe year 2 , and 29 percent of the net additions to the work force willbe non-whites (Flynn, 1995, p. One of the results of the task force was the creation of adiversity development department which handles day-to-day strategies,implements new initiatives and serves as a link among the company's otherdiversity efforts (Flynn, 1995, p. Employees who find companies which fosterdiversity are more likely to remain in those organizations than incompanies which do not recognize the importance that diversity plays in thework place. 72-8 . Here, the emphasis is to bring employees together inorder to build better communication skills and to openly discuss diversityissues. This wouldenable the company to tailor a training program to meet its uniquerequirements, and would allow it to establish certain guidelines fordiversity training that would enable all employees to receive the samequality of training. Although the company sometimes makes facilities available to theemployees, these chapters meet on employees' time and are not limited towomen and minorities. In addition, gay and lesbian workers are now seeking recognitionunder diversity management, and those with disabilities seek inclusion notonly as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (which prohibits theoutright discrimination against those with disabilities), but also asmembers of a diverse work force where more subtle forms of discriminationmay exist (Elmuti, 1995, p. (1995, July-August). The plan was approved bymanagement, and the company set out to implement the program, using a humanresource professional who reports directly to the president. Gannett uses s three-step approach to its diversity management:benchmarking, training and communication (Flynn, 1995, p. Industrial Management, pp. 27. In addition, thediversity program also sought to create alternatives to traditionalpromotions as a way to measure success (Caudron, 199 , p. (199 , November). Louis, the company was not under the same amountof pressure as companies based on either coast (where there is greaterdiversity in the work force), but MAC took a proactive approach to buildinga diversity program which enabled it to tailor the program to itsparticular needs. Industrial Management, pp. Through their example, companies considering making diversity apart of their culture can learn ways in which diversity can be implementedsuccessfully into an organization. Even with regard to race and gender, the companyrecognized that it needs to be concerned not only with the composition ofthe work force, but with the composition of its management personnel. ForGannett, the issue of starting and maintaining a diversity program was notone of doing the right thing, but taking advantage of a competitiveopportunity (Flynn, 1995, p. 71. 74). White men are invited (and some even are the head ofchapters) which contributes to better understanding among the employees(Flynn, 1995, p. Elmuti, D. (1994, October). 19-22. 74).Benchmarking is used in a diversity survey to measure the environment forwomen and minorities. Training, through the company's Partners inProgress, is an ongoing program which addresses leadership development andworkplace issues through workshops and formal classes. Concentrate on keeping control.Management Today, p. 8). 71), it maybe more prudent to have internal staff members trained in diversityresponsible for the training of the overall organization. Navigating the differences. 74). Training& Development, pp. 27). But there are problems with this. Suchreporting authority gives the diversity program the greatest opportunityfor success, according to analysts. Introduction Managers can no longer ignore the fact that the nation's workforce isbecoming increasingly diverse. 68). Another barrier to establishing an effective diversity program is thatthere is difficulty determining which employees should be covered by the"diverse" label. Bank of America's approach, which began with a task force andencompassed the recommendations of employees as well as managers, is onethat can have beneficial results in other organizations, as well. Flynn, G. 7-9. While Rogers suggests using an outside trainer (1994, p. Diversity at Monsanto extends beyond race and gender, although theseare two obvious issues. Galagan, P. 68-75. (1993, July-August). The task force was charged with gathering employeefeedback, reviewing existing programs and finding new ways to promotediversity. These are not just companies who are seeking publicrelations benefits from their diversity programs; these companies areinterested in building a work force which reflects their consumer base andwhich gives them a competitive edge in attracting the highest qualityemployees. A diversity program is key to success throughout the 199 s and beyond, andcompanies which fail to recognize this will reap the consequences of tryingto manage a diverse workforce with skills and techniques designed for ahomogenous environment. Based in St. There is general agreement that diverse refers to womenand minorities; there is a growing emphasis on the aging work force, aswell. 72). This research examines variousdiversity programs which have been implemented at companies in the UnitedStates, and considers the reasons behind their success. Whenthe program began, there was a strong effort directed at finding ways tomove women and minorities into positions of authority. Instead,companies need to take a proactive approach to ensure that the trainer theyselect is familiar with the overall concept of diversity as well as withthe application of diversity in the immediate environment. Conclusion Setting up a diversity program is not an easy task, but there areincreasingly numbers of resources available to companies who want to do so. (1993, April). This iswhat MAC established from the earliest stages of the diversity programprocess. As affirmative action programs come under scrutiny and as employeesseek to balance the needs of a diverse work force with equal opportunitylaws, there is an increased desire by employers to approach diversity as aseparate issue. What makes diversityprograms work? One of the most difficult challenges that companies must overcome whenimplementing a diversity program is making sure that it will work. At MAC, the diversity program began with a three-day workshop(attended by more than 1 employees) which led to the development of along-range plan to address critical issues. (1995, October). Caudron, S. In other words,diversity programs can give companies a competitive edge in the marketplace(Rynes & Rosen, 1994, p. However, doing so pulls diversity away from an integratedapproach to management which is where successful diversity programs haveplaced it. Let's stop diversity training andstart managing for diversity. 7 ). Obstacles to Diversity Programs While the business community as a whole recognizes that diversity is away of life in the workplace, there is no clear-cut agreement as to how tocommunicate that reality, or the ramifications of that reality, to theworkforce. (1994, October). 67-73. This is the underlying problem thatmanagers face when trying to develop a diversity program: there is littleempirical research which can help guide them in setting up a program thatwill be worth the time and expense that the company will put into theproject. Monsanto Responds to Diversity.Personnel Journal, pp. This means that managers andexecutives will be under increasing pressure to establish diversityprograms which recognize that the American work force is no longer ahomogeneous group of white males, but rather a diverse combination ofgender and ethnicities. Rynes, S., & Rosen, B. References Beaver, W. The lack of empirical information available to human resourceprofessionals faced with developing a diversity program can be asignificant issue for many companies. (1995, September). At Gannett,diversity is tied to the compensation of managers, which provides a built-in communication tool for promoting diversity (Flynn, 1995, p. Bank of America's diversity program also includes efforts to buildcareer development, and its diversity network (there are chapters in sixdifferent states) assist employees in developing on both a personal and aprofessional basis. In addition, the company operates internationally, withfactories in South Korea, France and Argentina. Similarly, as word spreads that a particular organization hasa strong diversity program, it is likely to find it easier to attract andretain high quality workers with diverse backgrounds. Because of this, and theexchange of employees from one location to another, the company determinedthat an aggressive approach to the issue of diversity is the one that wouldserve it best (Caudron, 199 , p. Bank of America, one of the nation's largest financial institutions,began a diversity program in 1994 designed to bring change to theorganization quickly. Companies which focus on diversity programs, including usingdiversity specialists, for a brief period of time may well find themselvesfacing problems when the initial push for diversity programs has vanished.By not integrating diversity in the management strategy of the company,these organizations are doing themselves and their employees a disservice(Beaver, 1995, p. Communication is critical to the company's diversity management inthat it is through effective communication that employees learn how theyare perceived by others, as well as how they perceive others. HRMagazine, pp. 72). 74). Affirmative action programs are no longerenough to deal with this increased diversity; instead, companies are takinga more far-sighted approach that includes setting up departments to assistemployees in handling complaints and personal insults from customers, andto setting up workplace environments that foster harmonious and productiverelationships among all employees. Much of the information available isanecdotal, with the result that human resource managers are left trying topull together the successful elements of a diversity program without strongresearch to support their decisions. Like MAC, Bank of America's approachis proactive, with the company seeking to actively promote diversity, notmerely react to diversity in the work force. 28-33. Heller, R. But the programgoes beyond race and gender to include working couples and the problemsthey face arranging child care and other issues. 9). A corporate diversity task force was appointed atthe behest of the chief executive officer (CEO); the task force wascomposed of 28 executives from a variety of geographic locations andbusiness functions. A. Personnel Journal, pp. Do you have the right approach todiversity? Successful Programs At Monsanto Agricultural Company (MAC), a program was undertaken towelcome minorities and women and to change the corporate culture in orderto build an environment where employees are encouraged to reach their fullpotential. With course topicsfrom identifying personal barriers to learning leadership techniques, thePartners in Progress program (now in its 17th year) has proven successfulat helping employees understand themselves and their co-workers better(Flynn, 1995, p. Thisapproach ensures the involvement of top management, and also promotes thediversity issue throughout the organization through the use of managersfrom different parts of the company. 72). This strategy means that thecompany is able to anticipate changes not only in the work force, but alsohelps the financial institution better serve the needs of its customers,who also form a highly diverse mix (Beaver, 1995, p. In order for diversity plans tosucceed, they need the backing of senior managers, and sometimes championsat the highest levels of the organization (Heller, 1995, p. In Gannett's opinion, if it did not have a work forcewhich reflected the diverse makeup of the American public, its consumerswould discern that and be more reluctant to purchase Gannett products. 7 ).
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