Learning the Role of Diversity Officer
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The truth is most diversity programs aren’t improving diversity.
There's a few reason why: we have been doing the same things for years; leadership feels forced to make changes, and the tools that we use such as hiring quotas, training and grievance systems only activate more bias rather than stamp it out. Even still, we can’t give up. We must continue to fight for this diversity utopia. Forbes magazine recently wrote an article stating that one of five roles that will power the 21st Century Human Resources Department is that of a Diversity Officer.
This makes sense to put someone in charge of the initiative because studies have shown that despite how hard it is to achieve, a diverse team makes for a better performing team. This is what every organization desires — successful teams that perform and lead to financial success for the company.
But what is the role of this elusive and effective unicorn also known as a Diversity Officer?
It is a multi-faceted role, but two things stand out to me. One, is to make sure the company’s workforce is actually diverse. People from all backgrounds — including some of the lesser known diversity factors like sexual orientation, veterans and skill sets — should be included in diverse work forces. And secondly, to make sure post-hire that the managers of the diverse team are understanding and inclusive of the differences between them. Companies will get better results from managers if they control less and include them more in problem solving.
Diversity roles in organizations have long been stereotyped as watch dogs, or policing, the organization for wrongdoing. But, this should not be the case because people are not motivated by force and punishment. We all know there has been inequality and that's why we need diversity roles to make sure the benefits of it are known. Diversity officers provide social accountability that promote voluntary action on the part of the organization. This accountability comes through such manifestations as having a diversity officer, task forces for inclusion and formal mentoring programs for minorities and other underrepresented employees who have historically not benefited from such opportunities.
Never before have workers been so demographically diverse, therefore all organizations would gain perspective from having a Diversity Officer to lead and promote the diversity. For profit, non-profit, associations and boards would all yield rewards from having someone to ask those questions about the programs in place. We should ask whether they are effective or ineffective, prompting leadership to step back and consider what is working or not. If someone is not driving the diversity initiative, reporting numbers and thinking about diversity as a strategic part of the organization, then you are missing out big time. Does your organization have a Diversity role? If so, why don’t you seek them out and volunteer to help. You might actually learn something and like it.
-Contributed by Angela Shaw
