Diversity in the Workplace

Guide to Adding Diversity to Your Workplace

A more diverse workforce can add vitality to your business
By Charles Dervarics

America's workforce is increasingly diverse, and small businesses need to draw and develop talent from a wide range of backgrounds and experience. A diverse workforce can pay dividends for you business in a variety of ways, but achieving diversity is not always easy, depending on your location.

A commitment to diversity requires a wide-ranging effort with these three goals:

1. Make diversity part of your mission statement and corporate culture.
2. Advertise job vacancies in diverse publications and markets.
3. Promote open communication with your workforce about diversity.

While recruitment efforts are essential, retention and employee development also are critical for success.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Develop a clear statement of principles A mission statement that includes diversity will help meet your goals.

I recommend:  Get small business advice from this Penn State University diversity newsletter or a Small Business Administration resource guide on workplace diversity.

Make diversity a priority Job listings can cite your commitment to diversity. Also get the message you're your Web site, brochures and other literature about your business.

I recommend:  In addition to local advertising, post vacancies on The Diversity Network, an online site popular with employers and job seekers. The site also has a good "Why Diversity?" section.

Go beyond recruitment Employee development and retention are important for the long-term success of diversity initiatives. Once on staff, employees will assess whether they have viable opportunities to expand skills and reach their potential.

I recommend:  The American Institute for Managing Diversity has timely advice, or check out case studies at DiversityInc.com.

Find a quality consultant Diversity consultants can help modify your recruitment and workplace strategies. But check references first to assure quality.

I recommend:  Contact Roosevelt Thomas Consulting or Prism International to develop your message and activities.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Consider a mentoring program that pairs a long-time staffer with new employees of a different ethnicity, age or gender.
• Advertise job openings in media outlets and Web sites that attract a minority audience.
• Subscribe to Diversity World's free newsletter with helpful hints.
• When practical, give top priority to an applicant's skill set more than their past experience. Overly detailed job descriptions may limit your applicant pool.
• Don't forget your local college, particularly when hiring entry-level staff. Contact campus career centers or student organizations to post information.