Ok, I know I have been on my soap box for the past few months talking about how the population in the world is a changing and that companies need to get on the good foot and start seriously diversifying their pipeline for entry- and middle-level positions and leadership roles.
To be frank, I believe companies have been celebrating too long past achievements with regard to diversifying rank-and-file employees by ethnicity and identity.
I am not here to shatter that success, but I am saying it is time to move forward and do some courageous things to diversify the top. Let’s just take a quick review of what I am talking about. According to the DMBA 2014 inclusive leadership survey, these are the trends in the workforce:
• 51 percent of employees are non-Hispanic white; 49 percent are people of color;
• The breakdown of the total employee base by gender is 60 percent female and 40 percent male;
• Of the total employee population, companies know that, on average, 10 percent of employees are professionals with disabilities;
• Of the total employee population, companies know that, on average, 9 percent of employees are veterans;
• Of the total employee population companies know that, on average, 2 percent of employees identify as LGBT;
Analyzing the above data, it’s clear companies have done a good job diversifying the employee populations by gender and ethnicity. What happened to identifying and supporting the other dimensions of diversity? It’s clear that much work is still needed in just knowing who are in the employee ranks. Of course, that is a whole ‘nother issue. The culture has to be receptive to other groups self-identifying. How is yours?
DMBA 2014 inclusive leadership survey provides some insights on inclusive programs to help get to the other dimensions of diversity:
• 81 percent of companies have LGBT ERGs;
• 69 percent of companies have veteran ERGs;
• 47 percent of companies have ERGs for person with disabilities;
• More than 85 percent of companies have women and ethnic ERGs;
• At least 90 percent of companies have some type of generational ERG;
So what is the point? The point is companies are trying to engage their diverse workforce and are trying to expand the dimensions of diversity; the issue is that they just ain’t advancing them into the leadership ranks….it is a stalemate.
With less than 18 percent of people of color in leadership roles – I’m just saying? – What is wrong with looking inside first?
