Diversity in the workplace is now a concept that many businesses are starting to focus on due to increasing globalization. A diverse workplace can be interpreted as a place where all employees feel free to express their ideas and suggestions on productive business practices. Some businesses argue that workplace diversity improves recruiting, employee retention, relationships among employees and outside partners, product development, marketing, global expansion, and problem solving.
Employers are starting to recognize that the “business as usual” and “one size fits all” model doesn’t work. In order to increase visibility and productivity, businesses are realizing that diversity is a resource of learning. Diversity can help individuals to form interpersonal skills and communicate information to broader set of people.
David Wilkins, director of global diversity for Dow, stated “ We started to consider to cultural and personality style differences and sexual orientation and the differences of growing up in different countries. If employees feel comfortable in the workplace and feel their ideas are valued, productivity is increased and higher revenues result.” (Human Resouce Department Management Report 2003) A University of Illinois study found that businesses with greater racial diversity reported higher sales revenues, more customer, larger market shares, and greater profits. (Work-Life Newbrief 2006) In a survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management and Fortune Magazines, data was collected from 121 Fortune 1000 companies. The survey was intended to provide a snapshot of how businesses are handling diversity. Most (75%) are focusing their efforts on trying to recruit a more diverse workforce and seventy-seven percent said they see results. (Work & Family Newsbrief July 2001).
The 2007 State of Workplace Diversity Management Report included a survey that asked more that 1,400 human resources professional and diversity practitioners to determine the extent to which diversity practices accomplish specific business objectives: fifty-two percent said that to a “large extent”, diversity practices created a work environment or culture that allow everyone to contribute all that they can to the organization and to that same extent, forty-nine percent said that the practices achieved appropriate representation of racial and ethnic groups. (US Newswire 2008)
In 1999, Charles Morgan, a former executive vice president and general counsel of BellSouth Corp., crafted and published a document know as the “Statement of Principle”. The statement was signed by more than 500 general counsel and advocated diversity in the workplace. ( Reeves 2006). The statement also served the purpose of letting law firms know that diversity would be an important factor in selection of outside counsel. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. was one of the companies that signed the “Statement of Principle”. Wal-Mart’s associate General Counsel Samuel Reeves said “The goal is to increase the number of women and minorities directly responsible for the Wal-Mart relationships at our law firms.”(Hobbs 2005) The Gilette Company has picked up its supplier diversity efforts to increase the development of beneficial business relationships with eligible and qualified minority and women-owned business enterprises.
Diversity has also been a major concern in Library and Information Science programs. LIS doctoral programs consistently have very few African American and Latino students enrolled in or completing programs of study. (Jaeger et. al 2007). There is a belief that increasing the diversity of LIS students and faculty will better reflect the diverse patrons that libraries serve. Possibly, if more minorities go into the library profession, the greater the inspiration for younger generations of minorities to consider the profession.
Sources:
Jaeger, P.T, et. Al, The Virtuous Circle: Increasing Diversity in LIS Faculties to Create More Inclusive Library Services and Outreach. Education Libraries v.30 no.1 (Summer 2007) p.20-6
“Diversity” Defined in Less than a Third of Workplaces. US Newswire ( Feb 26, 2008)
Racial Diversity in a Workforce Leads to Improved Performance. (University of Illinois research) Work-Life Newbrief ( Sept 2006) p.1
Reeves,S. The Carrot Didn’t Work, So Clients Apply The Stick. New Jersey Law Journal (Nov 27, 2006)
Hobbs, M. Wal-Mart is a Tough Customer on Diversity. The National Law Journal (Sept 5, 2006)
How Gillette Hones It Diversity Efforts Via Strategic Sourcing. Supplier Selection & Management Report (June 2004) p.7
Top Companies Say Diversity Efforts Have A Positive Impact on Bottom Line. Work & Family Newbrief (July 2001) p.3
How HR Can Make A Business Case for Diversity Initiatives. Human Resource Department Management Report (June 2003) p. 6
Discussion Questions:
How do you think LIS programs can increase the number of minorities that enroll?
Are you aware of any businesses that offer their employees diversity training? Are there any benefits to diversity training?
Are employers practicing affirmative action, when trying to increase the diversity in their companies?
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9 comments:
I think increasing the number of minority students going into the profession has to start with the library itself. Librarians need to offer storytimes and other programming in areas where a more diverse population exists. Introducing children to libraries when they are young and giving young patrons a fun, safe place to congregate will promote libraries to them. When these young patrons start to think of career paths, they will remember fondly their experiences and consider entering LIS programs. Getting LIS staff to career days and promoting the graduate level programs at undergraduate colleges cannot hurt, either.
In my opinion the diversity from the LIS program opens our eyes to the different kinds of patrons we will meet in the field. Thus the LIS program can grant international scholarships to encourage students from out side the country to come and student. For example, in some countries in Africa, studying to become a librarian is not given an importance. This people need to see the need for this program.
I do not know of any business promoting diversity but i think that student exchange programs help a great deal to create diversity in organistions. As students change countries they learn more about those other countries as well as teach about their country. this calls the crowd: diversity. However, emplyees are practicing affirmative action trying to increase the diversity in their companies, but some are still bias on issues such as race and th woman.
How do you think LIS programs can increase the number of minorities that enroll?
I suppose you could provide scholarship opportunities for ethnic minorities.
Are you aware of any businesses that offer their employees diversity training? Are there any benefits to diversity training? No. At places I've worked, people only seem to get "diversity" training if they've offended someone and human resources gets involved. Everyone pretends to be politically correct and polite at work, but I think people still retain that bias against others. Just because they watch what they say at work, doesn't mean they've stopped thinking negative thoughts about others.
In response to question one, I think that there are a number of ways that LIS programs could increase the number of minorities that enroll within their programs. In my opinion, one suggestion would be for these programs to actively send out representatives to participate in school career orientated activities such as college job fairs, career workshops, or career days especially in areas in which there is a large diverse population more inclusive of minorities. This will allow for more awareness which hopefully will encourage more people to become interested and pursue a LIS career interest. Another suggestion would be to make the diverse communities aware of such programs by using community libraries as a way to provide such information. Or grade schools could express more of the value of libraries and could try to incorporate more and make students aware of LIS careers as much as other career opportunities are explored, such as those of medicine and law. Another idea is to administer MLIS placement surveys that could be used as a way to find trends to recruit more minorities. An example of such MLIS placement survey is as follows: http://www.fims.uwo.ca/mlis/careers/placement/
One article I found makes a great suggestion for increasing the number of underrepresented groups in LIS students and faculty. In her article, Claudia J. Gollup mentions the Spectrum Initiative, an ALA based scholarship for minority library students. The article also talks about how the New York Public Library has made a deal with their local LIS school to get those library employees who are not not accredited in the program on scholarship to better represent diverse groups of people.
Gollup, Claudia J.(1999). Library and Information Science Education:Preparing Librarians for a Multicultural Society. College and Research Libraries, 60(4), 385-95.
Probably the greatest benefit to encouraging diversity in the workplace is the range of ideas the diverse group will generate. Anytime you get a group of people together from various backgrounds and beliefs, then you get a flux of ideas that not only will benefit the workplace and company, but can also help that company to relate to and reach a broader range of client or patron.
LIS programs and libraries both need to reach out to the groups in their community that just aren’t taking advantage of them. We can all benefit from each other. A library or LIS program can learn a lot about new things that patrons need and new ways to get people involved by looking to those minorities that may not know about us yet. Simply reaching out to them and getting the word out are great initiatives. But we also need a diverse workforce to help generate the ideas that will attract more diversity to the workforce. As the LIS community moves forward in this area it will get to be more self-generating.
How do you think LIS programs can increase the number of minorities that enroll?
I think there are several ways in which LIS programs can increase minority enrollment. First, LIS programs can offer more scholarships for qualified minorities. Secondly, most of us choose to be librarians because we had childhood memories about how we loved libraries. Therefore, reaching minorities as child is the best way to increase enrollment. After school programs for all children would help.
Are you aware of any businesses that offer their employees diversity training?
Diversity training is usually more of a "punishment" for people who offended someone of another race. This really hinders, rather than helps, because then the person who did wrong is even more resentful of the other race because he/she had to have the training.
How do you think LIS programs can increase the number of minorities that enroll?
I think as time goes on we will see the program become more and more diverse which is great. It will take the libraries playing a large role.
Are there any benefits to diversity training?
Yes, and no people should already know that everyone is different. But you have your few jerks that are just mean.
Are employers practicing affirmative action, when trying to increase the diversity in their companies?
I think more and more companies are hiring people of all different cultures. Maybe not even realizing that they are.
I'm not sure if anyone else has seen this, or if it has been posted elsewhere already--but the ALA has a staff diversity and inclusion action plan on their website:
http://www.ala.org/ala/diversity/diversityactionb/ALA_Diversity_Action_and_Inclusion_Plan.pdf
It looks like a really great resource that librarians would potentially want to print out to apply to the library where they work. They have seven goals that look great and the chart provides an action associated with that goal and if it has been reached yet or not! A very practical tool!
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