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The benefits of diversity
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| Julie Furst-Bowe
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By JULIE FURST-BOWE / CVBR
By 2008, women and minorities will represent 70 percent of new labor force entrants and by 2010, 34 percent of the U.S. workforce will be non-Caucasian. These demographic trends have significant implications for organizations in the Chippewa Valley.
Organizations in all sectors, including academic institutions, businesses, manufacturers, service providers and health care providers can share a set of common opportunities by recognizing the importance of diversity in the workplace.
Over the past several decades, the concept of diversity has evolved. Once, diversity focused primarily on assimilation, affirmative action, quotas and compliance. Today’s thinking sees differences as assets, with the belief that diversity initiatives can improve organizational competitiveness and performance.
Diversity in academic institutions is essential to teaching college students the human relations, critical thinking and analytical skills they need to be successful in their careers and leaders in their communities. The educational benefits of integrating diversity into curricular and co-curricular activities are numerous. They include academic growth, increased social and cultural awareness, increased engagement in the learning process, and increased satisfaction in students’ campus experience.
When students who have experienced a diverse academic environment graduate and enter the world of work, employers recognize their ability to relate to colleagues from diverse backgrounds, to view issues from multiple viewpoints and to respond to the needs of clients and business partners.
Recognizing these benefits and acknowledging the demographic trends that are transforming the country, UW-Stout requires all undergraduate students to complete courses in ethnic studies and global perspectives. UW-Stout also has implemented a strategic plan for diversity, Plan 2008. Initiatives in this plan include expanded efforts to recruit and retain minority students, faculty and staff members, and create an inclusive campus environment.
People from varied ethnic backgrounds can be seen on the campuses of UW-Eau Claire, shown here, and UW-Stout. Exposure to people with diverse backgrounds is considered an essential part of a well-rounded education today.
For the Business Report
“Diversity reflects the real world,” says UW-Stout Chancellor Charles Sorensen. “We have an obligation to prepare our students for the many complexities they will face in the workforce and in society.”
The case for workplace diversity as business imperative is gaining recognition by leaders throughout the private sector. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, there are several reasons why diversity is becoming increasingly important to organizations.
A diverse workforce is essential to attracting and retaining the best talent, achieving greater adaptability in a rapidly changing marketplace, moving into new markets with an expanded customer base, enhancing the reputation and image of an organization and ultimately increasing sales and profits. Workforce diversity is now viewed as having both direct and indirect links to an organization’s bottom line.
Both the student body and faculty at Chippewa Valley Technical college reflect the greater diversity in the workplace seen throughout the Valley.
For the Business Report
High performing organizations also leverage diversity to improve decision making. Bringing together a number of different viewpoints to develop a plan, solve a problem or address an opportunity will result in better decisions because more variables, options and alternatives have been considered.
Sometimes these varying perspectives can bring the organization to think entirely differently about a situation and potentially lead to innovation and breakthrough opportunities. Key organizational areas where cultural diversity is important include employee recruitment, strategy development, product development, marketing/advertising and operations planning.
Organizations should also consider diversity of membership when creating employee teams, task forces or other formal or informal groups in the workplace.
A diverse workforce can enhance an organ-ization’s reputation in the community. When organizations hire and promote women and minorities, develop partnerships with minority suppliers and support minority communities, these actions can lead to good will and a reputation as an “employer of choice.” Making contributions to and connections with local minority groups can be an effective businesses strategy that will also earn the approval of both employees and community members.
Many companies in the Chippewa Valley are competing in a world economy now and are dealing with global issues. These issues require global thinking and mindset for an optimum response, and those organizations embracing this premise will develop a competitive advantage.
Success in global markets depends on a skilled intercultural workforce that understands the unique needs of different cultures and regions. If area companies are planning to market their products or services in Mexico, or Canada, or Asia or Europe, those employees that best understand the culture of the region are best to determine how to plan and implement successful marketing and sales strategies.
In this global economy, the lack of diversity can be a limiting factor for several reasons. Organizations that are not committed to diversity may have difficulty recruiting and retaining employees, especially recent college graduates. Often job applicants will ask employers about diversity issues to determine whether the organization is forward-looking and has a tolerant work environment. Diversity initiatives in organizations are correlated with improvements in organizational culture as well as improvements in employee recruitment, retention and morale.
In summary, a diverse workplace is a reflection of a changing world and a rapidly changing marketplace. Most organizations are aware of these changes and react accordingly, recognizing the increasing purchasing power of women and minorities. Organizations that ignore demographic trends and the growing diversity of both their employee base and customer base risk losing market share and falling behind the competition.
“Until organizations and their leadership embrace diversity as a value-added strategy, they will not realize the tremendous benefits to be gained,” says Chippewa Valley management consultant Roy Bauer.
Julie Furst-Bowe is the Provost for the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Reach Chippewa Valley Business Report at 715-723-5515 or through www.chippewavalleybusinessreport.com.
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