Assessment

HR Must Haves: Diversity and Inclusion

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HR Must Haves: Diversity and Inclusion

We live in challenging times. Perhaps this is a statement that could have been made at any point through history. From an organizational scanning perspective, however, current political, technological, social, and global economic factors seem to be having an immense impact on the strategic Human Resources environment.

The Human Resources practitioner can access an overwhelming number of factors, resources, and pieces of information that need to be processed from a strategic management perspective. Sometimes it is difficult to discern which factors need the most attention and how they might contribute to successful Human Resources strategies. High on the list of current topics are the issues of corporate diversity and inclusion, which have had an impact on business practices around the world.

From a Human Resources perspective, diversity and inclusion are usually part of a series of Human Resources programs that are meant to align with an organization’s strategic plan. While there is nothing wrong with this type of allocation or approach, there is a growing need to move these issues out of the traditional Human Resources space and to incorporate them into the foundation of the organization as a whole.

Josh Bersin provides us with an interesting insight as to why diversity and inclusion need to move out of Human Resources and into the broader corporate strategic plan.

Click here to read the article.

As noted in the article, companies that integrate diversity and inclusion programs as commitments from the corporate level, rather than positioning them as an ‘add-on’ through the Human Resources function, have better business success.

These challenging times call for organizations to take challenging measures.

Discussion Questions:

How are Diversity and Inclusion programs identified in your current workforce?

Does your current workplace have a written statement that commits to inclusion and diversity in the workforce?

If it exists, how would you change it?

If it does not exist, write one that aligns with the organization’s business model.

How will you change HR programs so that issues of diversity and inclusion are not seen as ‘add-ons’ from a strategic planning approach?

 

Does It Work in the Real World?

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In our training and development studies we spend a lot of time discussing the need for proper measurement and evaluation of employee learning or training programs. While these discussions may be theoretical in nature, it is critical to find resources and supports that provide us with practical strategies to be applied in the ‘real world’ that exists beyond the classroom.

The American-based Association for Talent Development (ATD) is one of the many resources used by learning and training professionals around the globe. Recently, ATD posted some very practical advice on how organizations can use data analytics effectively to track, monitor, and evaluate the success of employee learning, training, and development programs.

Click here to read Part 1 on how to use L&D data effectively.

Click here to read Part 2 on how to use L&D data effectively.

As noted in both articles, the methodology for determining what types of learning or training data should be collected and used for evaluation purposes is fairly simple. It follows the basic practice of asking the 5W questions (Who? What? Where? When? Why?) from the beginning of the planning process for collecting, monitoring, and evaluating data in order to ensure the effectiveness of learning and development programs. In fact, both articles suggest using the 5W framework in order to perform a data-based needs analysis.

As we have learned elsewhere in our training and development studies, the needs analysis process is one of the critical first steps that must be taken when applying the structure of the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) model. It is both comforting and encouraging to note that these theoretical tools do make the transition into the practical application of processes that evaluate learning and training programs. When used effectively, they also provide the path to organizational outcomes that drive and thrive on data-based decision making.

Keep your textbooks, the need for data-based evaluation is real.

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does your current workplace keep track of employee learning and development?
  2. How would you apply the needs analysis process to training-related data collection for your current workplace?
  3. As an employee, how do you know what types of training or learning programs you are required to achieve? Who is responsible for keeping track of your professional learning plans?
  4. How can an organization’s Human Resource Management System (HRMS) be used to track and measure organizational learning and development programs? What types of employee learning and training data do you think should be collected through the HRMS?

Benefits of Blind Auditions

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Does objectivity really take the sting out of rejection?

Source: ofoto/Shutterstock
Source: ofoto/Shutterstock

Bias.  We all have it.  It appears either as implicit or explicit; conscious or unconscious.  It is always with us as part of our own perception of the world.

It is, also, one of the biggest obstacles that keeps getting in the way of effective hiring processes.  How we impose our personal biases on others may have an incredibly powerful impact on candidates throughout the job selection process.

The following podcast from CBC’s “The Spark” , discusses a few different methodologies to reduce the impact of bias during the applicant screening and interview assessment stages.

Click Here to Listen to the Podcast.

GapJumpers is a technology based resource that allows for ‘performance auditions’ which may open the door to a different approach for candidate screening.  It is, in essence a ‘blind’ audition.  The statistics cited in the first interview seem to speak for themselves when the use of blind auditions improved the diversity of demographics in a particular selection process.  In the second interview, Ian Cook explores the issue of bias in recruitment processes from multiple aspects including the actual sourcing of candidates from diverse constituencies.

All of these tips and techniques seem to be critical in order to reduce the risk of bias in selection processes.  Why?

It is interesting to note that this clip begins with a very powerful emotional memory, described by the host, about getting the good news confirming her new job.  On the other side, she refers to the emotional reaction that each one of us may have all felt when we were rejected for a particular position.

We are so diligent in the field of Human Resources about neutralizing and objectifying processes in order to minimize our implicit biases and unconscious perceptions.  We want to make the processes fair and accessible.  As we make processes more bias-free, neutral, and objective are we striving to reduce the emotional, subjective, feeling elements linked to making the ‘right’ hiring decisions?

This may be what we want to achieve from a process perspective.  However, in the end, does any objective process really take the emotional sting out of rejection?

We cannot forget that rejection, no matter how it is delivered, it always hurts.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How would you perform in a ‘blind’ job audition if you were not able to present yourself in person?
  2. According to Ian Cook (second interview), there are fewer examples of ‘reverse discrimination’ in Canada than in the United States. From your experience, what evidence supports this statement?
  3. What is reputational effect? Why is this important in any recruitment process?
  4. Promoting a diversity referral process seems to be similar to networking. What are the specific benefits that a diversity referral process would provide?
  5. As an HR professional, how will you respond to individuals want to make ‘networking’ connections with you?
  6. Do you remember your first job offer? What was your reaction?
  7. Do you remember being rejected for a job? What was your reaction?