Diversity in the WorkplaceSean Johnston

What is Diversity• Di·ver·si·ty • An instance of being composed of differing elements or

qualities• Merriam Webster

• “You can’t categorize diversity based on what a person looks like. It’s what that person can do for the organization.”• Charles K. Poole

• Former Vice President, Citi Mortgage Communications

How does Diversity Impact Organizations?• Diversity can spark diversity

• Creates a broader employee base

• Helps teams to be more creative when problem solving

• Diversity can increase creativity and drive innovation

Why is Diversity Important?• Diversity can increase individuality within an

organization

• Diversity can build a stronger organizational brand

• Encourages personal growth and development

• Diversity can attract and retain greater talent

How Diversity Can Drive Innovation- Harvard Business Review• Inherent and Acquired Diversity • Inherent=Born with—Acquired= Developed through

experience

• 2-D Diversity= Leaders that exhibit 3 inherent and 3 acquired traits

• Companies with 2-D diversity out innovate and out perform others

• 2-D diversity can unlock innovation with outside the box ideas

How Diversity Can Drive Innovation- Harvard Business Review• Companies without 2-D diversity are less likely to

promote minority candidates

• Diverse employees can better understand diverse clients

• Diversity helps organizations understand under-leveraged markets

How Diversity Can Drive Innovation- Harvard Business Review• 6 acquired diversity behaviors help unlock innovation 1. Ensuring that everyone is heard2. Making it safe to propose novel ideas3. Giving team members decision-making authority4. Sharing credit for success5. Giving actionable feedback6. Implementing feedback from the team

Why Diversity Programs Fail- Harvard Business Review• Companies still rely on approaches they have used for

decades

• Executives rely on command and control approaches • Easy to understand and defend

• Diversity training programs have poor returns

• 75% of diversity training programs utilize negative messages

Why Diversity Programs Fail- Harvard Business Review• Mandatory training programs have negative results,

while voluntary programs increase diversity

• Results from hiring tests and performance reviews amplify bias towards minorities

• Grievance procedures can lead to retaliation and a decrease in reports

Why Diversity Programs Fail- Harvard Business Review• How to get managers on board with diversity

• Engagement with other beliefs and ideas can increase employee diversity

• Managers participation increases when they are invited to participate

• An increase in contact can lead to the degradation of managerial bias

• Managers can encourage social accountability within their divisions and teams

• Transparency creates accountability

Why Diversity Programs Fail- Harvard Business Review• Diversity Programs that create positive results • Voluntary Training • Self-Managed Teams • Cross Training • College Recruitment of Women and Minorities • Mentoring• Diversity Task Forces• Diversity Managers

Questions?• How can an organization utilize diversity to jump start

innovation?

• How can an organization increase their diversity?

• Why do some diversity programs fail?

• What is 2-D diversity and does this help an organization innovate and expand their business?

Sources• Sokolova, S. (2015, May 22). Why Diversity Is Important In Organizations? Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-diversity-important-organisations-siyana-sokolova

• Hewlett, S. A., Marshall, M., & Sherbin, L. (2013, December). How Diversity Can Drive Innovation. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-can-drive-innovation

Sources• Dobbin, F., & Kalev, A. (2016, July & Aug.). Why Diversity Programs Fail. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/07/why-diversity-programs-fail