"I don't worry about my production numbers..."
Larry Seward is not a diversity director. He does not work in Human Resources. He does not require a title to do what he does. Rather, Mr. Seward lives diversity and community building in such a way that it simply becomes the way he works everyday.
A different approach
Mr. Seward doesn't talk about diversity and inclusion the way you might expect a diversity champion to. In fact, he does not memorize Huntington's diversity and inclusion statement. Instead of preaching diversity and inclusion, Mr. Seward, "spends more time thinking about how to manage people, how to treat people."
Something is working with Mr. Seward's approach to diversity because his management team reaches their goals every year. "I don't worry about my production numbers," Mr. Seward says, "People get their work done because the attitude and culture here is very different than anywhere else in Huntington. I don't add it up; I make my goals every year. Here, there is a very strong connection between community and business."
Community service
What exactly does Mr. Seward's management team do to build the connection between community and business? He explains that his team is required to participate on community boards to receive their bonuses. "They are very clear about what I value, to ensure that we have a diverse environment," he says.
Seward's management team works with LifeCare Alliance, a non-profit organization that facilitates Meals on Wheels. Mr. Seward's team delivers meals out of their building Monday thru Thursday. They tutor the homeless in the community center, two-thirds of which are children under 17. Seward's branch actually has about 15 employees who cook and serve dinner for the community center and raise money to buy food. After Hurricane Katrina, this Huntington branch housed 150 families by adopting homes and filling them.
"We're not twisting arms... ...We have a very strong community culture."
One of Mr. Seward's greatest successes
Last year 75 percent of his employees donated a certain percentage to United Way, up from 40 percent seven years ago. Mr. Seward explains, "We're not twisting arms. When people get engaged in the community and know the needs out there, they will give. If you actually compare incomes to what they give, it's pretty amazing. We have a very strong community culture."
"...we pay attention to many diverse communities."
The "Building of Choice"
In Columbus, Ohio, the collections department of Huntington Bancshares is located in what's called "the building of choice." It's a building of Huntington that the employees made very personal. In fact, employees picked out all the amenities, colors, and colorful artwork. They also included a cafeteria and a day-care center just for associates, all of which are included in an art book. Visitors to the branch will get a tour of the facility, and the building even has a community room that the public can use at no cost.
Mr. Seward uses his branch to educate employees on issues that are important to their work in the community. He says, "We have seminars, different learnings about diversity, and speakers who come in and speak personally about their challenges in work life. I talk about hiring, lending and making sure we pay attention to many diverse communities."
Again, Mr. Seward does not just preach about diversity, he actually lives it. He says that good business is about how you treat people. He encourages others, "Hire people with disabilities. Spend a little money so that the person can do the job. It's not that hard to do."
"It's hard to pinpoint success because we're not done."
Only the start
When asked about some of his successes, Mr. Seward found it hard to define. "In terms of success, I don't know what that means. People are still hungry and homeless. It's hard to pinpoint success because we're not done."
The only way to start is to get involved. Mr. Seward recognizes that businesses have to make money, but it's easy when business and community are linked. He urges other businesses to get involved, "Look at your culture and see what it will accept. It can be tough when you have goals and money to make, but it just comes down to treating people respectfully."
"...it just comes down to treating people respectfully."
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