Thinking About Diversity

As the current social justice movement and push for progressive policies reshape how society operates, the significance of diversity in the workplace assumes new meaning. Recruiting employees with diversity in mind is a process that is more than simply “checking a box.” It’s a decision informed by a unique crosssection of perspectives, practices and personalities sought by employers and employees alike. Given the progress that has been made since the inception of the wage system, how much further can diversity in the workplace advance so that all can benefit?

Many scholars point to Executive Order 9981, signed by President Truman in 1948, as the first equal employment legislation introduced in the U.S. The order desegregated the armed services. The civil rights movement produced Title VII, also known as The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed hiring practices that discriminated against race, color, religion, sex or national origin; this would eventually include sexual orientation and gender identity. The Equal Opportunity Act of 1972 further amended Title VII, allowing the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission the authority to sue in Federal court when a reasonable cause for employment discrimination is found in the workplace.

Diversity in the workplace

Today, diversity in the workplace also means incorporating “cognitive diversity,” or what is coming to be known as “diversity of thought.” This is the idea that people don’t necessarily need to look different or identify with an underrepresented group to provide unique viewpoints and experiences to the workplace.

Rosario Avila, a senior benefits advisor of the Petaluma-based company, Arrow Benefits Group, says that companies must evolve and cast a wider net for talent, especially amid a global pandemic.

“Having a diverse workforce or diverse ideas will help a business stay in business,” she says.

“We have a client in landscape and production, and they want to promote the hiring of women for the manual labor departments. They want to reach out and find employees who not only fit the bill, but are interested in the field; they want to be inclusive, so they’re changing the messaging and posting in outreach for that demographic.”

Hanford ARC

Founded in 1984, Hanford Applied Restoration and Conservation is a licensed general engineering and landscape contractor specializing in ecological restoration, erosion control services, civil works construction and site maintenance in environmentally and culturally sensitive source areas. The company restored more than 2,000 acres of land in 2018, and employs more than 100 people—a number it would like to increase with more women entering a predominantly male-dominated industry.

Juliet Clothier, chief financial officer, believes North Bay companies can do more to cultivate diverse workplaces. “We typically see people of color in positions of service and labor, and white people in positions of leadership. Companies must do more in terms of outreach and engagement across cultures, and provide a living wage to workers in the North Bay,” she says. “We often forget that there are many communities of color in the more affordable areas of Solano County, which can be commutable to Napa, Sonoma, and Marin counties, and could be tapped into for a more diverse labor pool. To quote the movie, Field of Dreams, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ Companies can do more to build a culture that invites more diversity.”

Of the company’s administrative roles, 10 of 17 are filled by women, and at least four of those are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of color). Karen Alton, director of human resources, points to this representation as a motivating factor for employees looking for upward mobility. “It gives hope to people that they can climb the ladder to management, if that’s the route they want to go. Or, if they like where they are, that’s okay, too,” she says.

Dalia Caballero, a compliance administrator, believes fostering a diverse workforce helps a company maintain a low turnover rate among staff. “We have so many employees who’ve been with Hanford for 10-plus years. Feeling valued by the company motivates employees to do their best, and that shows when we have clients who’d like to work with us on more than one project,” she says. “I hope as we continue to grow our internal affinity group and maintain a diverse workforce, we will continue to reap the benefits.”

The development and subsequent rewards from emphasizing diversity in the workplace have an immediate impact on successful companies, but what’s the best approach for an employer looking to emulate that diversity and success? How does a company create such a workspace for its employees?

Reluctance and rewards

A 2016 study in the Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology found that members of high-status groups, particularly white males, are threatened by the prospect of pro-diversity organizational methods and progressive employee-policy implementation in the workplace. Avoiding the alienation of one group while creating inclusion for another is a task that many companies are still attempting to accomplish.

Andrew McNeil, a principal with Arrow Benefits group, says he still sees companies operate with a traditional approach. “[They’re] simply checking a box and basing diversity on only two factors—gender and race,” he says. “Some companies are coming from a self-serving place of creating a diverse workplace.” Consider an example provided by McNeil: within the Spanish division operated by McNeil and his colleague Rosario Avila, Arrow finds employers that consider their diversity box checked simpy because they have a Spanish speaking employee.

McNeil points to Zappos, an online shoe retailer, as an example of a company that has a strong approach to recruiting diverse employees. “They hire people for culture, bringing on people with different backgrounds and viewpoints. How is this person that I’m hiring going to make the company better? What are they going to bring to the table that we aren’t already doing?” he says.

Scott Ormerod, a partner of Leap Solutions in Santa Rosa, shares an industry addage that says what a company permits, it promotes. “If you embrace diversity in your organization, you are permitting it to thrive in your business. The outcome is the promotion of diversity as a core value of your business,” he says. “Diversity attracts diversity, as people will identify themselves with an organization the promotes diversity. The reward is business growth, a stronger organizational culture and an environment where diverse people will want to work and spend their money.”

According to McNeil, an important aspect of diversity to consider is the location in which a business functions. “If your business is in Roseland and you’re serving the population for the Roseland community, it would only make sense to hire someone from that community to serve the population in the best way possible,” he says.

There is increased pressure for companies to diversify their workforce, especially given the current wave of activism and calls for a more progressive and equitable society, according to Clothier. Avila says she’s seen that industry shift as well. Ormerod views the increased need to diversify as a positive vehicle of change that should be updated regularly to ensure sustainability, transformation, and the achievement of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“In working with Leap Solutions’ clients, we’re listening and speaking about the transition happening in many organizations to embrace DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion],” says Ormerod. “Nonprofit clients are asking how to include DEI in strategic plans, mission and vision statements, board recruitment and retention, employee development, and education for its workforce and volunteers.”

Ormerod says he’s asked often by clients about best recruitment practices to ensure diverse candidates view their business as a potential employer. He also notes a surge in demand for corporate-wide DEI training and the development of ongoing education programming for current and new employees. “Organizations are forming employee-led committees to create plans and ensure implementation. The forward movement reminds me of the actions taken when the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA] was implemented,” he says. “Today, ADA is so integrated into our organizations that we forget what it was like before the ADA caused a sweeping change. Let’s hope in less time that we see the same impact from DEI initiatives.”

McNeil says that if you look at the businesses that have adopted a model of having employees that differ from one another, they can credit their success to diversity. Several studies support McNeil’s claim. A Boston Consulting Group study found that companies with more diverse management teams report 19 percent higher revenues than companies that fall short in diverse representation. A McKinsey Global Institute research study found that companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financially outperformed companies that have a less diversified representation at management levels.

Clothier believes success in and from diversity is determined by those in upper managment. “Ultimately, the tone at the top is most important,” she says. “If your leaders don’t buy into the importance of diversity, then you can’t expect to have the rest of the company see the importance.”

Ormerod says companies should consider position-opening announcements in media outlets where diverse candidates view, gather and read. “Utilize your existing diverse team members to inform how to market the positions, structure job descriptions, and outline desired skills, experience and qualifications. You may discover some qualification statements are not welcoming or will discourage candidates from applying based upon what is stated as required versus what is desired,” he says. “A language that is open, welcoming and encouraging all qualified candidates to apply will support diverse candidates seeing themselves as viable candidates for your positions. Opening the door to diverse candidates will positively impact your recruiting, ultimate hiring decisions and the diversification of your workforce.”

Diversity of targets

A recent aspect of diversity gaining traction in the workplace is the notion of “diversity of thought” or “cognitive diversity.” This metric is based on the idea that people don’t need to look different or identify with an underrepresented group to bring diverse views to the business. While this attribute is something more businesses feel they need to consider, others feel it moves away from the initial goals of inclusion and equity in the workplace.

Ormerod believes it depends upon what the organization sets as its diversity targets. “I would surmise that varying viewpoints exist no matter what you identify as being inclusive. The variety of background experiences also is present in most inclusive systems. However, to use these perspectives of a diversity of thought as a barometer of inclusion is, in my opinion, seeing your world as a closed system,” he says. “Diversity of thought feels more like a justification of the current state of an organization’s culture, versus an open culture seeking a wide range of perspectives.”

Caballero feels diversity of thought should be a natural outcome of having a diverse representation. “I don’t think a company can accomplish having a diverse workplace with a diversity of thought alone,” she says.

“If companies focus on achieving diversity of thought [alone], it can be problematic because essentially it’s minimizing the lived experiences of people from marginalized communities.”

Proponents of cognitive diversity in the workplace cite its ability to create a safe space for all views and opinions to be considered, and potentially implemented, and an increased level of outside-the-box approaches. Its detractors, on the other hand, point to the philosophy as a way to circumvent modes of equality and representation with traditionally marginalized groups.

Ormerod feels the way an organization can achieve its vision for a diverse workplace is by the hiring of a wide range of diverse individuals that bring their perspectives, experiences, skills and voices into the organization. “Build a culture that appreciates, acknowledges, embraces, and promotes all aspects of a diverse workforce. The culture is what will attract diversity as it is felt when a candidate first engages in the recruitment process,” he says. “The first interaction speaks volumes about how a person will fit into the culture but not be smothered by the culture. Individual voice and experience join the choir of the organization’s diverse culture to ensure a welcoming environment where perspectives are heard, shared and embraced.”

For Caballero, it means creating a culture within the work environment that values and respects employees that come from different backgrounds and identity groups. “Every employee should be given an equal opportunity to bring ideas to the table,” she says. “Diversity in the workplace isn’t about just hiring employees who look diverse, but valuing them for who they are.”