Diversity In The Workplace is as Important as Ever

Originally posted on Recruiter.com February 25, 2014.

Look to the Cookie, Elaine! Diversity in the Workplace

In a particularly great episode of Seinfeld, Jerry tells Elaine that people should look to the black and white cookie to find racial harmony. “If people would only look to the cookie, all our problems would be solved.” Ah, if embracing diversity were that easy. Racism is just one of the many “isms” that leaders fostering diversity in the workplace have to combat.

An EIU report, “Value-based Diversity: The Challenges and Strengths of Many,” collected data from over 200 HR execs worldwide and asked respondents about workforce characteristics that will require the greatest change in HR strategies over the next three years.

• Just under 60 percent of HR execs cited employees’ lack of interest in assimilating organizational values.

The company culture is based off of its established values. Well what if no one communicates those values? Could companies be blaming their lack of communicated values, and therefore culture, on their employees’ “lack of interest”? Just a thought.

For whatever reason employees aren’t jumping on the values bandwagon, it’s important for everyone to know that brand mission (the conveying of values and the mission statement to employees) is, and always will be vital in business success. In a Burson-Marsteller study, 75 percent of companies involved found that brand mission helped their company achieve stability.

• Over half cited conflicting values across a multigenerational workforce.

The topic of diversity in the workplace is all over the place recently because we cannot ignore its importance any longer. There are now four generations in the workforce with completely different skills, experiences, values and needs. Read more…

photo credit: Bob.Fornal via photopin cc

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.