Diversity Recruitment 101...

Strategies to Recruit and Retain a Diverse Workforce

Recruitment and retention of valuable employees is now recognized as one of the most important issues facing corporate America.

As businesses struggle with layoffs, lower consumer confidence, decreasing commercial investment, and a volatile stock market, effective recruitment has moved from the responsibility of Human Resources Department to that of the Corporate Boardroom. Today's CEO's are learning to refine their process for attracting and keeping the most qualified employees in hopes that it will align the organization with changing business needs. Corporate executives are expected to present clear strategies and directions for staffing their respective organizations. Their own value to their organization is, in part, measured by how skilled they are at recruiting and retaining employees that are highly qualified and motivated in order to stay abreast of ever-increasing competition and improved performance. Indeed with the expanding global marketplace, succession planning and diversified hiring practices is becoming part of their organizations future preparations.

So what are some strategies for recruiting and retaining a DIVERSE workforce?

Before that question can be answered, it is important to know the difference between affirmative action policies and employee diversification. Often times when affirmative action is tied to diversity, diversity becomes tainted by negative perceptions of affirmative action and is frequently misunderstood.

Affirmative Action is grounded in moral and social responsibility. It was developed to amend wrongs done in the past to those Americans who were not of the majority population. These legal obligations are based on numerical measures and were designed to increase the representation of women and other minorities in areas of employment where they were previously underrepresented. This effort was a direct result of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Because of a long history of discriminatory practices, federal contractors have been expected to make a positive effort to recruit, hire, train, and promote qualified employees of previously excluded groups.

Diversity extends beyond affirmative action in that it is not solely based on changing the representation of various types of people in the workplace. Diversity builds upon the foundation laid by workplace equity initiatives. The focus is recognizing the uniqueness in everyone, valuing the contribution that each individual can make creating an inclusive work environment where awareness of, and respect for, those of different cultures is promoted. Affirmative action based on an assimilationist model that focuses on getting people into an organization rather than changing organizational culture. Subsequently, while based on cultural change, diversity is a logical business strategy that focuses on maximizing the productivity, creativity, and commitment of the workforce while meeting the needs of diverse consumer groups.

Now that a distinction has been made, the reason behind diversity is clear. Organizations that incorporate a diversified workforce have improved and maintained their competitive edge. Diversity initiatives not only improve the quality of your organization's workforce but can also be the catalyst for better return on your investment. Just as the workforce is becoming more diverse so is your market.

Without a doubt, employees who mirror the customers you serve can literally and figuratively speak their language, which is a benefit to your organization. Diverse employees can understand your customers, identify their needs and suggest new markets. As the value of diversity continues to grow in the business community and elsewhere, recruiting and retaining talented potential employees who are diverse is becoming even more important to continued organizational success.

When trying to recruit and retain a diverse workforce for your organization here are a few strategies to consider. First, it is important to determine the demographics of your organization. This will help in determining your staffing needs. Then create a diversity statement that sets formal goals and strategies. After this is finalized, publicize your efforts - all written materials should visually reflect the diversity that you wish to attain. This includes articles of diversity in both in house and industry publications and employment brochures. Finally, recruit in minority communities and at predominantly minority attended colleges and universities.

Make sure that all levels of management have received diversity training, not just recruiting teams. Recruitment teams should reflect diversity and understand organizational beliefs and attitudes about the positions to be filled. Make sure that job descriptions are written through established qualifications for a given position rather than historical assumptions. Incorporate nontraditional networking channels to produce a diverse applicant pool. Encourage senior people of color, women, and people with disabilities to assist in providing names of possible recruits. A strong diverse, informal network is a critical part of any successful diversity recruitment effort.

Once these ideas have been incorporated, then the basics of diversity recruitment should be implemented through recruitment and human resource teams.

A diversified environment where all employees feel included and valued helps to produce greater employee commitment and motivation. It also means fewer resources spent on training and turnover. Diversity is a training ground that requires hard work, commitment to business idealism and an ability to learn from people who are different from ourselves. Because change is the only certainty ahead, making adaptations required by diversity keeps an organization flexible. Strengthening the ability to respond to changing environments and demands is a strategic business imperative that is critical to ensuring global marketplace viability.