Addressing Imperatives: The growing requirement to address how workforce diversity has a quantifiable effect on business/performance outcomes, creates financial/economic benefits, and shifts organizational culture to impact greater human contribution; Assessing Implementation: The proactive effort that responds to the changing demographic profile of the workforce through the implementation of programs and services that support and empower a diverse workforce through multicultural approaches (ie. programs, initiatives, execution); Achieving Success: The return on investment (ROI) in terms of performance and economic outcomes that results from leveraging the variant knowledge, skills, abilities, talents, intellectual capital, perspectives, working styles, etc. of a diverse workforce (process-oriented).

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2. • Demographic shifts
• By 2030, the number of people 65+ will double to 1 billion
• Growing from 8% to 12% of world’s population from 2010-2030
• 75% of the U.S workforce will be millennials by 2025
• Blacks and Hispanics will make up 62% of the US population
causing a majority//minority shift by 2045.
• A growing middle class in emerging/growth markets
• China’s middle-class consumers accounts for 75% of its urban
population
• The MENA region is expected to contribute 40% of international
growth among emerging markets
• Increasing incidence of chronic disease
• 52 million people die of chronic disease each year
• Over the next 20 years, will cost the global economy $47 trillion
Some irrefutable facts

3. The workplace is changing
• Globalization competition is intense
• Dramatic changes in the customer base
• More women, people of color, and
immigrants seeking opportunities

4. The approach to
communication is changing
• Many managers are ill-prepared to handle diversity
issues
• Many Americans grew up in racially unmixed
neighborhoods
• Do not talk about so-called “personal” or sensitive
issues in the workplace
• Had little exposure to people substantially different
from themselves
• Uncomfortable talking about cultural differences
• Develop limited perspectives from inner circle or
news media

5. Strategic imperatives are changing
• Becoming more competitive globally
• Improving quality, productivity, consumer
outreach, customer service and culture
• Retain, recruiting & advancing diverse
talent
• Applying new information technology to
reach greater innovation

6. The data is pointing toward diversity
• Companies with cultural diversity are at least 15 percent more
likely to experience above-average ROI; companies within the
top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more
likely to do the same.
• Even gender split contributes to 41% increase in revenue;
Companies with higher female representation at the top
management outperform those that don’t by delivering 34%
greater ROI. Fortune 1000 companies that had women CEOs
between 2002-2014 produced equity returns 226 percent.
• More than ¾ of c-suite execs reported that their global
companies are looking to focus more on leveraging diversity
for innovation over the next three years. (Forbes Insights)

7.
91% of job seekers
think diversity programs
make a company a better
place to work
Survey
commissioned
by
The
New
York
Times

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9. .
Inclusion . . .
Providing equal opportunity
to all people to fully engage
themselves in creating an
environment and a cultural
attitude whereby everyone and
every group fits, feels accepted,
has value and can contribute to
society.
@aerialellis

10.
Diversity
is
the
measure
or
the
varia9on
of
social
and
cultural
iden99es
among
employees
exis9ng
together
in
a
defined
se@ng.
Inclusion
is
the
mechanism
that
welcomes
all
employees
to
par9cipate
and
creates
feeling
they
belong;
the
state
of
diversity
being
acknowledged,
heard,
respected
and
supported.
Diversity is the measure or the
variation of social and cultural identities
among employees existing together in a
defined setting.
Inclusion is the mechanism that
welcomes all employees to participate
and creates feeling they belong; the
state of diversity being acknowledged,
heard, respected and supported.

11. .
Diversity and Organizational Competitiveness
COST:
doing a poor
job in
integrating
workers from
different
backgrounds
can result in
increased labor
costs and lost
business.
RESOURCE
ACQUISITION:
attracting and
retaining
employees
from different
backgrounds
increases the
ability to
compete in
tight labor
markets.
MARKETING:
having a
reputation for
valuing all types
of workers
affects the
ability to market
to different types
of consumers.
SYSTEM
FLEXIBILITY:
the diverse life
experiences of
people helps
them to develop
cognitive
flexibility and
openness to
experience.
CREATIVITY
& PROBLEM
SOLVING:
including groups
from different
backgrounds and
experiences
results in greater
creativity and
problem-solving
ability.

12. Highest Level
of Awareness
Stages of
Diversity
Awareness
Denial
• Narrow video
of the world
• No awareness
of cultural
differences
• In extreme
cases, may
claim other
cultures are
subhuman
Defense
• Perceives
threat against
one’s
comfortable
worldview
• Uses negative
stereotyping
• Assumes own
culture
superior
Minimizing
Differences
• Focuses on
similarities
among all
peoples
• Hides or
trivializes
cultural
differences
Acceptance
• Recognizes
validity of other
ways of thinking
and perceiving the
world
• Accepts
behavioral
differences and
underlying
differences in
values
Adaptation
• Able to
empathize
with those of
other cultures
• Able to shift
from one
cultural
perspective to
another
Integration
• Multicultural
attitude-
enables one
to integrate
differences
and adapt
cognitively
and
behaviorally
@aerialellis

13. © 2013 Thomson/South-Western. All
rights reserved.
1–13
Difficulties Resulting from
Increased Diversity and
Organizational Responses
Internal
• Contribution vs. Fit
• Dysfunctional communication
processes
• Discrimination and Harassment
• Perceptions that nontraditional
workers are unqualified
• Bias: Hiring, Structural, Performance
• Lowered Attachment, Commitment,
and Satisfaction
External
• Boycotts
• Negative publicity

14. Challenges For
Management
Organization
Culture
• Valuing
differences
• Prevailing
value system
• Cultural
inclusion
Mindsets
about
Diversity
• Level of
majority buy-
in (resistance
or support)
• Challenge
met or barely
addressed?
• Obstacle or
opportunity?
Education
Programs
• Educate
management
value of
differences
• Promoting
knowledge/
acceptance
• Taking
advantage of
opportunities
that diversify
provides
Race/Ethnicity/
Nationality
• Effects on
cohesiveness,
communication,
conflict, morale
• Effects of group
identity on
interaction
(stereotyping)
• Prejudice
(racism,
ethnocentrism)
HR
Management
Systems
• Recruitment
• Training and
development
• Performance
appraisal
• Compensation
and benefits
• Promotion
Higher Career
Involvement
of Women
• Dual-career
couples
• Sexism and
sexual
harassment
• Work-family
conflict
@aerialellis

15. Key
Strategic
Focus Areas
for Diversity
& Inclusion
Strategic
Leadership
Commitment Attraction,
Development
and
Engagement
Education &
Training
Culture &
Values
Customers/
Publics
Communication
& Marketing
Suppliers
Accountability
& Measurement
Community
Involvement

16. • Leadership commitment
• Equity in employment,
advancement, & recognition
• Diversity & Inclusion principles
incorporated in strategic
planning
• Accommodation for diverse
physical, cognitive, and
developmental abilities
• Powerful communication and
information sharing
(transparency)
• Shared accountability and
responsibility
• Continuous learning
• Competency-based diversity
training (starting with
managers and supervisors)
• Participatory work processes
• Interdisciplinary, pluralistic
teams for optimum perspective
• Inclusive organizational culture
• Culturally competent retention
and rewards strategies
(empowerment, not just $)
• Collaborative, constructive
conflict management

17. HR focuses on organizational culture.
PR focuses on organizational communication.
• Initially, diversity officers had a direct line to the
CEO and C-Suite, providing instant credibility
and backing for D&I efforts and giving access
across the entire corporation and different
business functions so that they could ensure a
comprehensive approach to diversity initiatives,
and meet business imperatives.
• Together, HR & PR hold leadership teams
accountable for strategic diversity deliverables
while diversity officers play a comprehensive
cross-functional role across multiple lines of
business.
• The most successful companies develop
enterprise-wide objectives with business-
specific execution and solutions through HR
and PR, and align business leaders with a
dotted line into the CDO.
Merging HR & PR
@aerialellis

18. Developing Diverse
Communication Networks
• Mentoring programs focused on
developing women, ethnic minorities, and
other under-represented employee groups;
but also the mentor.
• Networking/affinity programs that
connect employees who share a similar
identity or cultural background, such as
discussions and meetings to share
information, and seek support and career
advice.
• Listening Sessions are great method of
engaging one’s organization to find out how
policy change might affect the employees.
• Unconscious Bias Training – (Project
Implicit) provides internal insight into the
stumbling blocks that prevents inclusive
environment.
@aerialellis

19. Workforce
• Examine employee demographics
• Examine composition of the labor pool
in the area
• Examine composition of the customer
base
Career Advancement
• Eliminate the glass ceiling
• Accomplish mentoring relationships
Accommodating Special Needs
• Child care
• Non-English speaking training
materials and information packets can
be provided
• Maternity or paternity leave
• Flexible work schedules
• Home-based employment
• Long-term-care insurance, special
health or life benefits
Developing Diverse
Communication Networks
@aerialellis

20. ADVANCEMENT
Grooming talent for leadership
Explain the whys Coach the why-nots
Provide a sense of
ownership in order to
show real impact
RETENTION
Creating culture for long-term employment
Recognize value beyond
stereotypes/Avoid the pigeonhole.
Acknowledge core values by
understanding motivation.
RECRUITING
How to find multicultural talent
Align with senior-level professionals
who are ethnically diverse.
Align with orgs that serve specific
cultural groups/ advocate for diversity.
@aerialellis

21. 21
HOW
DO
WE
MEASURE
SUCCESS?
•
Organiza)onal
composi)on
– Workforce
demographics
vs.
RCLF/CLF
– Analysis
of
promo9ons,
separa9ons,
hiring…
•
Organiza)onal
culture
– Climate/employee
surveys
– EEO
complaints,
grievances,
disciplinary
ac9ons
• Organiza)onal
performance
– Line
of
business
objec9ves
– Outcome
metrics:
quality,
service
level,
efficiency
Correlate:
Establish
baseline
in
year
1,
then
correlate
annually
thereaXer
to
gauge
progress.
What
is
being
measured
at
your
company?
Are
managers
being
rated
on
D&I
ini9a9ves,
such
as
recruitment
and
advancement
of
underrepresented
groups?
Are
compensa9on
and
promo9on
9ed
to
achieving
D&I
objec9ves?
In
order
to
meet
diversity
objec9ves,
what
is
being
measured
must
be
meaningful
from
the
perspec9ve
of
both
the
company’s
diversity
and
business
objec9ves.
• Has trust been built?
• What are the cross-cultural competence
skills of those involved our efforts?
• Has a safe environment been created
where people will not feel judged or
punished for their difference or level of
competence?
• Do we have a skilled facilitation for both
employee and leadership discussions?
• Does our program present the kind of
cultural change that requires new
initiatives, programs and engagement?
• Is there a commitment to ongoing
learning?
Measuring Success
Models
@aerialellis

22. LET’S CONNECT
Aerial Ellis
Strategist | Speaker | Trainer
[Communication, Culture,
Diversity, Change, Community]
Talk to Me:
615.307.0460
Book Me:
hello@aerialellis.com
Work with Me
LinkedIn: aerialellis