Conflict Management - Working Through Differences
Interactive Training for Government AgenciesPromoting Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: Statistics, Tips and Resources
Create a more inclusive work environment with these tips, resources and statistics.
Discover how employers can ensure they are as inclusive as possible.
Originally Published by: Wake Forest University
What defines a company? Beyond the products it sells, services it offers or profits it generates, any organization is defined by the people who work there. Managers and employees help shape a company’s mission statement and viewpoints, and they reflect an organization’s greater ideals and aims. As businesses pivot into new sectors or different services, it’s the people whose names are on the organization chart who carry on the spirit of the business.
This is why cultural diversity is so important in the modern workplace. Managers who hire employees who come from all economic and sociopolitical backgrounds will bring unique viewpoints and perspectives to the company. Embracing cultural diversity allows employees from disadvantaged backgrounds to have a better chance of enjoying a rewarding, fulfilling career. People who work in an office that cherishes cultural diversity can approach conflicts and decisions with a global and holistic mindset.
Cultural diversity is crucial to the workplace, but there are challenges to making it a reality in any office setting. Some companies may not make cultural diversity a priority. They might not dedicate the financial investment required to hire diverse employees, or they may not appreciate the many benefits of a culturally diverse workforce.
The tips and resources in this guide are intended to help managers, business leaders and employers create culturally diverse workplaces that flourish with new perspectives and unique insights.
(Click here: Learn about Alliance Diversity Training)
Statistics Regarding Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
Cultural diversity in the workplace is important for the health and well-being of companies and their employees. These statistics examine the state of cultural diversity in the U.S.
Gender Diversity
According to research reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, almost 47% of the workforce in 2017 was comprised of women, or 74.6 million working women in total. Women’s participation in some health and social fields was high: 98% of speech-language pathologists, 93% of dental assistants and 82% of social workers are women, according to the Department of Labor.
However, in many high-paying fields, women’s participation is low. According to data from PayScale, women account for 14.7% of software engineers, 26.6% of mathematicians and 20% of civil engineers. Forbes contributor Janice Gassam explains the bias in some STEM fields that causes male students to be perceived more favorably by some science faculty. Gassam cites a study reported by Margo Pierce of NASA that found science faculty hiring for a campus laboratory job consistently chose males over females when each presented with the exact same credentials.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the number of African American workers in the labor force is projected to increase from 19.6 million in 2016 to 21.6 million in 2026, or 12.7% of the total U.S. workforce. African Americans are shut out of many jobs with high salaries in technology, business, life sciences, architecture, engineering and other professions, according to a USA Today article that cites an Associated Press study.
Also according to the BLS, “Hispanics (80.5 percent) were more likely to participate in the labor force than were the other groups” for men aged 20 or older. “The labor force participation rate for Asian men (75.0 percent) was higher than the rate for White men (71.8 percent),” the BLS notes. For educational attainment, Asian individuals were the most likely to have a college degree. While employment levels generally increase along with a person’s highest level of education, the BLS reports that African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher earned less than Asians and whites at the same education levels.
Other results of the BLS study include the following:
- 52% of employed Asians held jobs in management, professional and related occupations, which is the agency’s highest paying major occupational category.
- 41% of employed whites, 31% of employed African Americans and 23% of employed Hispanics held jobs in the BLS’s highest-paying categories.
- African-American and Hispanic men are more likely than their white and Asian counterparts to work in production, transportation and material-moving industries.
- Employed Asian women are more likely to work in management, professional and related occupations (50%) than white women (45%), African-America women (36%) and Hispanic women (28%).
Religious Diversity
The Pew Research Center recently surveyed 35,000 individuals in the U.S. regarding their religious beliefs. Among those surveyed, Christian was the most common religious group, with 70.6% identifying as members of the faith. Out of non-Christian faiths, 1.9% of the people surveyed were Jewish, 0.9% were Muslim, 0.7% were Buddhist, 0.7% were Hindu and 0.3% followed a different world religion. The survey found that 22.8% of those polled were unaffiliated with any religion.
These are among the survey’s other findings:
- Of the survey respondents who identify as Christian, white people represented 86% of “Mainline Protestant,” 81% of “Orthodox Christians” and 76% of “Evangelical Christians.”
- African Americans account for 94% of “Historic Black Protestants,” 8% of “Orthodox Christians,” 6% of “Evangelical Protestants” and 3% of “Mainline Protestants.”
- More African-Americans have an “absolute” belief in God (83%) than do whites (61%), Hispanics/Latinos (59%) or Asians (44%).
Even though religious tolerance is one of the principles on which our country was founded, religious discrimination happens frequently in the workplace. Writing for the Guardian, Alison Moodie reports on instances of religious discrimination that include a Muslim woman suing a clothing retailer after not being hired because she wore a hijab, and other Muslims complaining that the companies they work for don’t adequately address their needs, such as having the ability to pray at certain times. “We now have enough religious minorities in the U.S. reaching a critical mass, and it’s something that schools and businesses are having to wrestle with in a new way,” Robert Jones, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Public Religion Institute, told Moodie.
Mental and Emotional Health Diversity
While a person’s cultural diversity may be apparent due to their outward appearance, mental and emotional health is more difficult to identify and is frequently misunderstood. A report from the Americans with Disabilities Act National Network (ADANN) states that some 44 million people over age 18 in the U.S. have experienced a mental health condition in the previous year, which is 18.5% of the population.
As for how mental and emotional health conditions are discussed in the workplace, the ADANN states that around 20% of employees in a workplace have a psychiatric disability, which highlights the need for employers to respond effectively to issues regarding mental illness in their staff.
Diversity Regarding Disabilities
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that around 41 million Americans, or roughly 12.7% of the population, have a disability that impacts major life activities. For individuals who have a disability, 19.1% of working-age adults participate in the labor force, according to 2018 data from the BLS. This compares with a labor force participation rate of 65.9% for people who are not disabled. Individuals with a disability, moreover, were more likely to be self-employed than those without a disability, and they were also more likely to be employed part-time.
Common fields in which individuals with a disability work include service occupations, production, transportation and material moving, according to BLS data. Individuals with disabilities, however, are less likely to work in management, professional and similar occupations.
Diversity Regarding LGBTQ+ Identity
According to a study by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, 5.5% of adults in the United States identify as LGBTQ+, which is about 13.9 million people. However, recent polling by Gallup suggests that the number is higher, at 7.6%In an article on Gallup News, Frank Newport notes that 4.5% of people in the U.S. are members of the LGBT population. Even though these individuals compose a large portion of the country, they still face discrimination within the workplace.
In the U.S., 25 states have laws that explicitly prohibit workplace discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender identity in both public and private sectors. However, there are 25 states that do not provide such protections statewide. In these states, LGBTQ+ employees may face potential workplace discrimination without legal recourse unless local or company-specific policies are in place
Types of discrimination include coworkers harrasing a colleague because he or she is gay or bisexual or a boss refusing to refer to an employee by his or her preferred pronouns.
Benefits of Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
Achieving cultural diversity in the workplace can be difficult, especially in certain fields and occupations. However, its benefits are hard to ignore. Here is a partial list of the positive impacts a diverse workforce has on businesses of all types.
Fresh and Unique Perspectives to Drive Innovation
Tendayi Viki writes in Forbes that “researchers have been able to identify the social and psychological factors that influence creativity. One such finding is that multicultural experiences enhance creativity.” Viki states that multicultural experiences strengthen “idea flexibility” among workers, allowing them to see the underlying connection between certain ideas.
In a workplace, this could involve an individual working with an employee who is from a foreign country who makes an extra effort to learn about the person’s culture and unique background. The experience can change the way the employee approaches other tasks and projects, allowing them to be seen from a new perspective.
Equality and Accountability
Certain high-level and senior jobs within an organization are frequently restricted to white males, making it difficult for members of diverse backgrounds to reach the upper echelon. If an employer gives individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds the means to access and succeed in senior positions, it demonstrates to employees and the outside world that the organization treats all of its employees equally and is making progress toward a diverse workplace.
“All companies should try to explore and evaluate initiatives and opportunities to create a more diverse and inclusive space and culture. And those opportunities will expand and morph as more communities and enterprises make diversity a focus,” Rebecca Pan notes in an article in Forbes.
Knowledge About Specific Markets or Territories
An office that is composed of only one type of employee demographic or cultural background can have limited knowledge about certain international trends or how to appeal to different customer bases. Building a diverse workforce allows these companies to understand and reach new consumers from various cultures and ethnicities.
Writing for AdAge, Shelley Zalis notes that even though strides still need to be made to realize cultural diversity in the workplace, “diverse teams operating in inclusive cultures can offer ideas and viewpoints that help drive innovation and effectiveness for the business.” Zalis writes that doing so is particularly important when devising marketing strategies. Teams that mirror the cultural spectrum in markets will likely find that their brand message and ads click with a wider swath of the public. For example, a sports clothing retailer that has employees from diverse backgrounds will create advertising that garners the attention of the many types of people who are interested in purchasing athletic goods.
Increased Productivity
Beyond building a more equitable and inclusive workforce, encouraging and promoting diversity has been shown to increase productivity within organizations. In fact, embracing diversity can improve a company’s financial performance, whether the firm is a mom-and-pop operation or a multinational enterprise. Forbes writer Anna Powers discusses a report from the Boston Consulting Group that found diversity increases a company’s bottom line. “Companies that have more diverse management teams have 19% higher revenue due to innovation.” Tech companies, startups and industries in which innovation is tied to economic growth have the most to gain from having a diverse workforce. The researchers determined that diversity is “an integral part of a successful revenue generating business” rather than simply a public relations gimmick.
Tips and Resources for Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
The benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace are clear. By following these steps, companies and their employees can prosper from bringing diversity to their operations.
Diversity Hiring Initiatives
One of the first steps that companies can take to embrace diversity in the workplace is to hire individuals from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. Instead of just posting a job online and waiting for workers to apply, recruiters and HR departments can seek out candidates from many different backgrounds via platforms such as LinkedIn.
However, diversity hiring initiatives only go so far. Companies also need to retain employees of culturally diverse backgrounds by creating inclusive environments. “If you bring diverse populations in the door and don’t have an inclusive environment, they tend not to stay,” states Barbara Wankoff, executive director for diversity and inclusion at KPMG, in an article in Digitalist Magazine written by Olivia Berkman.
Even if a company reaches its diversity hiring targets, it may not achieve its goal of having a diverse workforce in the long run, according to Wankoff. “If you create an inclusive environment and then focus on those recruiting goals, the likelihood is you’ll have a better retention of that population,” Wankoff says.
Diversity Training
When it comes to creating inclusive work environments, staff members within a company need to be aware of how they are conducting themselves. They should be using appropriate messaging and making diverse employees feel welcome. Not all employees will know instinctively how to achieve this goal, nor will they know off the bat which inclusiveness-enhancing practices they should adopt. This is why strong diversity training is particularly helpful.
A Forbes article notes 13 different methods for diversity training that have proven to be effective. They include developing training that is mandatory for all employees, creating safe places online and offline that allow and encourage dialogue and implementing consistent, year-round learning efforts for diversity. Such activities help an organization create an atmosphere in which diversity is something that’s constantly embraced rather than something that employees hear about at a single seminar.
Promoting Cultural Diversity Within an Office
Promoting cultural diversity within an office starts by evaluating the attitude and behavior of candidates during the initial job interview. For example, if a hiring manager notices that a candidate treats female employees differently from male employees or sees that the person acts rudely or inconsiderately toward workers of a certain race, the manager can note these behaviors and prevent the potentially troublesome employee from being hired. Consistently communicating and acknowledging an employee’s contributions on a professional level and a personal level will foster a positive work culture. “When the leader makes people feel important, everyone on the team understands the value of every person,” says Ken Gosnell, CEO of Experience, in Forbes.
Promoting Cultural Diversity in the Workplace on a Brand Level
Beyond embracing cultural diversity within the confines of the workplace, managers can take steps to ensure that the company is embracing diversity on a larger brand level. For example, even if a sporting goods company makes strong efforts to hire diverse employees and create inclusive environments, those values need to be represented in the company’s messaging to its customers, partners and everyone else in the outside world. These steps may include using individuals of culturally diverse backgrounds in advertisements or producing goods that cater to the needs and tastes of diverse markets.
Writing for Adweek, Vann Graves states, “It is clear that race continues to be infused in many of today’s business practices and can lead to the success or failure of brands. Even the most cynical, who care only about the bottom line, should acknowledge that it’s smart business to recognize the importance of diversity and the need to develop well-trained, diverse teams.”
Even if an organization is thriving, having a lack of diverse employees will inhibit that company’s growth. Regardless of their size or how much success they’ve achieved, embracing cultural diversity is crucial for all businesses to ensure they are incorporating unique viewpoints and are speaking to a global audience.
Original Source: Wake Forest University
Sources
AdAge, “Diversity and Inclusion: Rewriting the Rules for Marketing”
Adweek, “Brands Still Have a Lot to Learn About Diversity and Creating Inclusive Work Environments”
American with Disabilities Act National Network, “Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace and the ADA”"46 Diversity in the Workplace Statistics to Know"
Digitalist Magazine, “Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives That Actually Work”
Forbes, “13 Effective Ways to Educate Employees on Diversity”
Forbes, “A Study Finds That Diverse Companies Produce 19% More Revenue”
Forbes, “How to Build a More Diverse Business”
Forbes, “How to Increase Female Representation in the STEM Field”
Forbes, “Why Diverse Teams Are More Creative”
Gallup News, “In U.S., Estimate of LGBT Population Rises to 4.5%”
The Guardian, “Are US Businesses Doing Enough to Support Religious Diversity in the Workplace?”
PayScale, Average Civil Engineer Salary
PayScale, Average Mathematician Salary
PayScale, Average Software Engineer Salary
Pew Research Center, Religious Landscape Study
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Blacks in the Labor Force”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Labor Force Characteristics by Race and Ethnicity, 2017”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Persons With a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics Summary”
U.S. Department of Labor, “12 Stats About Working Women”
USA Today, “Analysis: Blacks Largely Left Out of High-Paying Jobs, Government Data Shows”
Victory Institute, “Issue at a Glance: LGBTQ Employment Discrimination”
Limiting Cell Phone Liability
By: Dale Mask
New state laws are becoming more strict on the use of cell phones, PDAs, and laptop computers.
Many employers provide wireless communication devices such as cell phones, PDAs, and laptop computers to employees. As a result, these laws can restrict common business uses such as using a cell phone to call a client, sending text messages or reading emails on a BlackBerry or other similar device while driving. For example, under a new Louisiana law sending a simple "running late" text message to a client while driving to the appointment is forbidden.
Even without specific laws limiting these practices, employees who are engaging in business wireless communication activities are exposing their employers to increased potential liability. Studies show that driving while using a cell phone opens up increasing possibilities for accidents and potential fatalities. Now, consider the potential for using the cell-phone, text messaging or other wireless communication devices for work-related purposes while driving and you can envision all sorts of employer liability concerns. These days, the employer may be held responsible when an accident occurs while a cell phone is being used within the scope of employment.
Employer liability exists when the employee is driving a company vehicle as well as when the employee is using their personal vehicle while engaged in business related activities. When it comes to personal automobile insurance coverage, attorneys for injured parties will typically use the “deep pocket” approach and look to the employer because the employer's liability insurance usually has greater dollar value than the employee. Attorneys can easily subpoena cell phone records to determine if drivers were using their cell phone near the time of the accident. Because the record identifies who the driver was speaking with, it’s an easy next step to determine if the call was business related.
In one case, Dykes Industries of Little Rock paid $20.9 million for personal injuries sustained by a citizen in a car accident where a Dykes employee was using a cell phone at the exact time of the accident.
In another case, Cooley Godward, a Virginia-based law firm, was slapped with a $30 million wrongful death suit where an employee of the firm was conducting business on her cell phone when she struck and killed a fifteen-year-old boy with her car.
The State of Hawaii agreed to pay $2.5 million as its share of liability for an accident involving a state employee who allegedly was talking on her cell phone when she hit a tourist from New Jersey which caused permanent brain damage. In this case, the state was found twenty percent liable for the plaintiff's injuries.
In still another case, the employee was on his own time and was using his own phone but was making a call to a customer. The employer, a major stockbroker, settled the case for $500,000.
These cases are likely to be just the beginning. A survey by the Insurance Research Council indicated that 84 percent of cell phone users already believe that using a phone while driving increases the risk of an accident and over 60 percent of people claim to use their phones while driving.
What should an employer do?
The employer should set guidelines concerning the use of cell phones while driving and prohibit the use of making cell phone business calls while driving or using cell phones while driving company owned or leased vehicles.
Here is a list of actions employers can take to reduce liability from employees using cell phones while driving.
1. Establish employee policies and safety manuals stating that using a cell phone, text messaging devices, or any other wireless communication device for company business at any time while driving is prohibited.
2. Modify employee policies or practices requiring employees to immediately answer phones or text messages. If an employee is driving, they should find the closest safe location to stop the vehicle and then return a call or message.
3. Communicate the policy to employees. Having written policies and communicating these policies can help limit damages by showing the company took steps to avoid driver accidents.
4. Require “hands-free” cell phone users to follow the same policies and safety guidelines as their hand-held cell phone counterparts. The conversation can be just as distracting as punching in numbers to make a call.
5. Enforce violators of company policy and adhere to any local laws restricting cell phone use. This also reinforces the idea that the employer is serious about safety and expects employees to follow the rules and the law.
6. Establish procedures rules for the use of wireless communication devices while driving. The following are examples of safe practices:
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Make necessary calls before getting on the road
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Use the cell phone mailbox to avoid having to pick up calls immediately while driving
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Activities such as checking messages, returning calls and text messaging must only be done at parking lots, rest stops or other off-road areas.
7. Document acknowledgement of policies and restrictions related to cell phone usage. Have employees sign a policy stating they understand, and are willing to comply with, the policies and procedures regarding cell phone and wireless messaging system usage.
Conclusion
Due to increased potential for accidents and injuries and the litigious nature of our society, employers should weigh the benefits of unrestricted cell phone and wireless messaging system use against the potential cost of liabilities. Eliminating cell phone and wireless messaging system usage while driving can be in the best interest of the employer and may prevent untold personal tragedy caused by the increased potential for accidents and injury.
By: Dale Mask
© 2015 Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc.
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Managing the Generation Mix in the Workplace - Tips to Manage the Generation Gap
By: Dale Mask
Values often collide when members of different generations work together. In today's complex mix of generations, Traditionalists are found working with Boomers and Boomers working with Generation Xers. Trends toward later retirement means that Traditionalists are still working and Generation Xers are quickly moving into positions of power and influence where they are supervising and leading members of older generations.
Each generation has different work values, different perceptions of authority, and different views about what is important in life in general. This is often referred to as the generation gap. If cross-generation team managers are not prepared for these differences in values, it can create conflict, poor performance and low morale in the workplace. Cross-generational team members also need training to overcome the same challenges.
Understanding the generation gap can make the workplace more productive.
Inter-generational training can help managers understand what makes their younger and older employees tick. Here are some tips to help managers manage the generation gap. These tips can help managers communicate with and motivate employees of a different generation than their own.
Today, the typical workplace population includes several generations. Although the specific birth year and name for each group may vary slightly from one authority to the next, here are generally accepted names and ages of today’s workplace generations:
- Traditionalists – Born prior to 1947
- Baby Boomers – Born 1947-1965
- Generation Xers – Born 1966 -1977
- Generation Y or Nexters – Born after 1977
Baby Boomers make up the largest percentage of the population according to U.S. Census statistics.
Boomers are generally considered to be people currently between the ages of 42 - 60 (born between 1947 - 1965). When discussing this group, we can't forget the Traditionalists, the parents of the Baby Boomer. Traditionalists are the War Babies or the Veterans who are now older than 60. Then come the younger generations. The Generation Xers are people in the 30 - 41 age group (born between 1966 - 1977). Then we have our youngest employees, the Generation Y or Nexters. They are employees under 30 (born after 1978). They are the “cyber kids.” They grew up using the Internet. To them, high-speed access to information is something that has just always been there.
Each generation has different work values.
Fundamental value differences exist between individuals of different generations. Understanding these values helps us understand differences that may arise in the workplace. When we understand the value system shared by generational groups, then we can better understand their diverse beliefs and behaviors. We may not agree with the values of different generations, but we can strive to understand the mind-sets of different generations and how each group sees the world and the workplace
Just as it is important to recognize the many dimensions of diversity (including race, sex, and culture) that shape who we are and how we behave, we must also recognize the values that impact communication between generations in the work environment.
Research shows members of each generation have a tendency to exhibit similar characteristics. However, there are always exceptions and you should be careful not to stereotype employees based on these tendencies. Let’s look at some basic workplace values of each generational group. Keeping the following points in mind can help you understand an individual's perspective and allow you to more effectively manage their work and their work environment.
Traditionalist Values
Traditionalists’ values are influenced by the experiences that often include the hardships of their parents and grandparents immigrating to a new country and making their way in a “new” land. The Traditionalist values are also impacted by experiences they had during the Great Depression and World War II, both of which shape how they view the world.
- Privacy: Don't expect members of this generation to share their inner thoughts.
- Hard Work: They believe in paying their dues and are irritated when others are wasting their time. They often feel that their career identifies who they are.
- Trust: A Traditionalist's word is his/her bond.
- Formality: This generation values formal dress and organizational structures.
- Authority: Traditionalists have a great deal of respect for authority.
- Social Order: Other generations may view this desire for social order and placement as bias, prejudice or even racism or sexism.
- Things: This group loves their stuff and they will not get rid of it. Some would argue that they remember the Depression days and keep a "you never know when you might need it" mentality.
Baby Boomer Values
Baby Boomers represent the children of our World War II veterans. They did not go through the economic hard times as their parents did. They had the good life and their parents, the Traditionalists, wanted them to have the best and as a result, the "Me" decade arrived.
- Competition: Boomers value peer competition.
- Change: Boomers thrive on possibilities and constant change.
- Hard Work: Boomers started the "workaholic" trend. Where Traditionalists see hard work as the right thing to do, Boomers see it as a way to get to the next level of success.
- Success: Boomers are committed to climbing the ladder of success.
- Teamwork: This group embraces a team-based approach to business. They do not depend on the command and control style of the Traditionalist.
- Anti Rules and Regulations: They were the “Hippies.” They do not need to conform to the rules and they will challenge the system.
- Inclusion: This generation will accept people who will perform to their standards.
- Fight for a Cause: While they do not seek out problems, if you give them a cause they will fight for it.
Generation Xer Values
Generation Xers are economically conservative. They remember double-digit inflation and the stress faced by their parents dealing with times on and off unemployment. As a result, they do not rely on institutions for their long-term security like their predecessors did.
- Entrepreneurship: Xers believe in investing in their own development rather than in their organization's. They are cautious about investing in relationships with employers because experience has shown that these relationships are not reliable.
- Loyalty: To an Xer, loyalty may mean two-weeks notice. (If you want loyalty, get a dog, may be their attitude.)
- Independence: Xers have clear goals and prefer managing their own time and solving their own problems rather than being controlled by a supervisor.
- Information: They want access to information and love plenty of it.
- Feedback: This group needs lots of feedback and they use feedback to adapt to new situations.
- Quality of Work-life: This generation will work hard, but they would rather find quicker, more efficient ways of working so they can have more free time. They will work hard to move up the ladder, to have more personal time for themselves and family.
- Communication: Xers like quick “sound bites.” Email is preferred over long meetings and letters.
Generation Y (often called Nexters) Values
Generation Y represents people who grew up during the high-tech revolution. A world with high-tech video games, ATMs and high-speed access is what their generation is used to. Providing frequent and systematic feedback in real time (as it happens) is critical when working with members of this generation.
- Positive Reinforcement: This “cyber generation” values positive reinforcement at accelerated rates.
- Autonomy: Nexters want more input into how they are doing and want to work with a good deal of independence.
- Positive Attitudes: Growing up during peace times, they have a very optimistic outlook on life in general.
- Diversity: Through community and media coverage, this group has grown up with more diversity than their predecessors.
- Money: Generation Y is used to making and spending money.
- Technology: Technology is their valued tool for multi-tasking.
- Action: Generation Y likes action, accepts challenges and looks for the challenge of opportunity.
Managing the Generational Mix
How do we keep a group of employees with a diverse generational mix motivated in today's workplace?
The first step to making generational diversity work is to understand what motivates members of different generations.
The second step is to institute management techniques that are flexible enough to meet the needs of each generation.
Top business leaders recognize that the changing demographics of the workplace effects both morale and productivity. Many companies have incorporated inter-generational training as a key component to their leadership development and management training programs.
In these training sessions, participants experience how different generations react and interact with each other. The training focuses on opening the channels of communication, creating a working environment to address the needs of incoming generations, and matching people and job responsibilities that challenge and motivate people appropriately.
We believe it is important to focus not only on what work needs to get done, but also on the values and work styles of the various generations who are doing the work.
By: Dale Mask
© 2015 Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc.
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The Medici Effect: How Diversity Improves Creativity and Performance
By: Dale Mask
Amazing things can happen when talent from different disciplines and cultures come together.
In Frans Johansson’s book, The Medici Effect: Breakthrough Insights at the Intersection of Ideas, Concepts & Cultures, published by Harvard Business School Press, he explains that when two different disciplines or cultures intersect, it can exponentially expand the number of new ideas that can be explored.
When new ideas are created, they are really created from a combination of existing ideas.
For example: Scientists took a gene from the yellow weaver spider, which produces a web five times stronger than steel, and put it into goat herds. The milk harvested from these herds is now used in a process to make stronger and more flexible artificial tendons.
In the same way, people from different disciplines, backgrounds and cultures can come together to form high performance teams capable of generating innovative ideas and executing break-though approaches.
The “Medici effect” term comes from the wealthy Medici family of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Their wealth allowed them to attract artists, scientists, poets, architects, theologians, and philosophers to Florence. The resulting interactions and work of this diverse culture stimulated a burst of creativity that was the key factor allowing society to emerge from the Dark Ages and enter into the Renaissance era.
We use the Medici effect as a metaphor for deliberately bringing different cultures together in order to create more productivity through the intersection of different ideas, experiences, backgrounds and beliefs. This is only possible when intercultural differences are understood and intercultural communication is taking place effectively.
Many intercultural and diversity seminars and programs are designed to:
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Break down cultural barriers
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Help people accept and understand the value of diversity
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Help people better understand their own cultural heritage
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Help people view issues from different perspectives and different cultures
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Encourage people to venture beyond familiar networks and develop better relationships
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Generate high levels of understanding and acceptance of differences
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Improve communication
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Formulate new ideas
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Improve team performance
Take advantage of the Medici effect in your team and the organization by celebrating diversity at all levels.
By: Dale Mask
© 2005 Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc.
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Five Employee Retention Mistakes Employers Are Making Now
By: Ross Blake
Even though it's an "employer's market" with millions of capable people looking for work due to the recession, many employers are making five key employee retention mistakes.
Mistake #1: Assuming employees "won't dare to leave now due to the recession."
Many organizations have discontinued their employee retention programs, figuring they are not needed because their employees would be crazy to leave now. While it's true that most of your good employees will not leave now, some employers lose their most valuable employees during downturns and recessions. Why?
Having already undergone several waves of layoffs, many organizations now operate as lean as possible, continuing to employ only their critical skills and best performing employees. If even one of those key or high performing employees leaves, the impact can be significant. Every time there's more bad economic news, reduced customer orders, or another layoff, many employees ask themselves, "I wonder if I'll be next?" If another employer, possibly one of your competitors, can offer them a job with more security, don't you think some employees will at least consider it? Or, if their families are complaining about increased workloads and time away from home, including nights and weekends, and another employer can offer a job with improved work-life balance, won't some consider it? Is this really the time to potentially risk losing the employees who are getting you through the recession? You want to be looking for ways to better serve and retain customers, not dealing with costly employee turnover.
Mistake #2: Assuming other employers aren't hiring or making strategic job offers.
Many organizations have kept only their most valuable employees: the ones with the most skills, knowledge, expertise, important customer relationships, and highest productivity. All of these are things other employers, especially competitive ones, value. Even though their talent management plans don't include hiring new employees now, some employers will make special allowances to hire valuable employees away from key competitors. And, it's also not unheard of for companies to terminate one or more existing employees in order to gain another employer's "star."
Mistake #3: Not talking with your best employees about how they're coping.
Many high performing employees were already working to full capacity before the recession; now, many of them have even more demands and responsibilities. Meet with them one-to-one in private, asking questions like these:
1) Do they feel overloaded or overwhelmed? If so, what might help reduce this? Can some of their work or projects be delegated to others?
2) Have their families complained about the hours they're working?
3) What would they like from you to help them work more comfortably and effectively?
4) If they were going to consider leaving the organization within the next 6 months, what might make them do so? (Don't be afraid to ask this question fearing you're putting thoughts in their heads that aren't already there. They'll appreciate your honesty).
5) How do they describe their relationship with their immediate boss?
While this dialogue is always important, it's especially important now; it helps establish relationships of open communication and trust which is one most of the most effective employee retention strategies there is.
Mistake #4: Not paying enough attention to the relationships between employees and their immediate bosses.
Research has continually shown that the quality of the relationship employees have with their immediate boss is the number one reason they leave. If their boss places more and more demands on them while treating them as less than a valuable asset during a difficult economy, this will prompt some employees to look now, or decide to leave once the recession's over. Train managers how to retain good employees; make retention part of their job descriptions; and make good employee retention at least 25% to 33% of their bonuses. Employee turnover will usually decrease. Notice that the one-to-one conversations previously recommended can help you uncover concerns in this area.
Mistake #5: Assuming employees will stay once the recession's over.
Just because capable employees don't leave during the recession, you can't assume they won't leave once it's over. Because they often do. After several past economic downturns and recessions, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), reported that two-thirds or more of employees intended to seek new employers. When the economy improves, you don't want to be spending resources on employee recruitment to hire and train replacement employees, you want to take advantage of increased business and recoup lost revenues.
Avoiding these five employee retention mistakes will help you avoid spending tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars and substantial amounts of administrative time.
By: Ross Blake
© 2015 Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc.
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