Creating effective diversity policies

By Gian-Carlo Rolander

In a study entitled "Best Practices or Best Guesses? Assessing the Efficacy of Corporate Affirmative Action and Diversity Policies," (Adobe® Acrobat® .pdf) researchers examined and compared the effectiveness of three distinct approaches of increasing the number of women and minorities that are hired and promoted within an organization.

...researchers examined the effects of seven common diversity programs...

Alexandra Kalev of the University of California, Berkeley, Frank Dobbin of Harvard University and Erin Kelly of the University of Minnesota studied three approaches ranging from organizational restructuring, to focusing on education and training of individuals in an attempt to eliminate bias at the managerial level. The researchers also studied the effects of reducing the social isolation of females and minority groups by improving the professional networks and mentorship opportunities available. Not surprisingly, these various approaches found different levels of effectiveness overall, some methods proving more successful to certain groups than others.

To obtain quantifiable results, the researchers examined the effects of seven common diversity programs, including affirmative action plans, diversity committees and taskforces, diversity managers, diversity training, diversity evaluation for managers, networking programs, and mentoring programs.

Organizational emphasis: Most effective approach

"Structures establishing responsibility... ...are followed by significant increases in managerial diversity."

Overall, the approach that was found to be most effective in increasing hiring and promotion of women and minorities within an organization was to create programs that "are designed to establish organizational responsibility." In most cases, this means to create a position, task force or department whose primary responsibility is the oversight of diversity hiring or promotional efforts. The study found that in cases where responsibility for these efforts were simply piled onto existing positions or departments, this objective often fell by the wayside as these parties remained more focused on their original responsibilities.

Creating change at the organizational level also proved most effective because it forces an employer to be organized and focused in his/her plan to create change. An employer must formulate plans, specify goals and sketch timelines in order to make change at such a broad level. The study shows that a clear pattern emerges where, "Structures establishing responsibility (affirmative action plans, diversity committees, and diversity staff positions) are followed by significant increases in managerial diversity." These measures can also enhance the effectiveness of diversity training and improving social networking.

Managerial training and employee feedback: Least effective approach

"...members of the dominant, white-male culture often feel attacked and blamed..."

Attempting to eliminate managerial bias and stereotyping through education and employee feedback appeared to be the least effective approach in the study. This can be attributed to several factors. First, members of the dominant, white-male culture often feel attacked and blamed when forced to sit through training designed to eliminate bias. They often feel vilified and labeled as "oppressors." Another problem is that this approach brings an organizational problem to the individual level. A manager may feel that he has nothing to gain personally by promoting diversity, and therefore continues in his old habits. There is also a theory that drawing attention to bias may actually "activate" or exacerbate the problem.

Perhaps the most important reason anti-bias programs prove ineffective is the assumption that understanding the cause of a problem and finding the solutions go hand in hand. Just because we know that unconscious bias is extremely common and contributes to workplace inequality doesn't guarantee that pointing it out will eliminate the problem. It is a leap of faith to think that anti-bias training will change a person's personal feelings or opinions, and then cause that person to change their behavior accordingly.

Building and repairing social networks for women and minorities

...personal mentoring has a powerful positive effect for black women...

Sociologists and psychologists have long speculated that differences in social network contacts and the different resources available in these networks have contributed to inequality between whites and blacks and men and women.

White men are more likely than any other group to find good jobs through network ties because other white men dominate the upper levels of management at most organizations. Though attempts have been made to circumvent this "old boy" system through open hiring, many upper-level managers still call their friends at other companies for leads, which has led to the further perpetuation of the "old boy" hiring methods. In response, diversity network programs have begun to gain popularity, ranging in form from regular brown-bag lunches to large national conferences. In any instance, the objective is the same: to create a widespread network or connections similar to what white men enjoy.

Different approaches to battling social isolation have had different effects for different groups. First, white women appear to benefit the most from social networking. As their network connections increase, the odds that they will find a particular job increase. In contrast, personal mentoring has a powerful positive effect for black women, indicating that personal support and guidance is important for their career development.

Interestingly, networking shows a negative effect for black men, which qualitative research has shown could be a negative white response to African American organizing.

Conclusions

...a combination of strategies is most effective...

This study's finding is that different forms of diversity programs benefit various groups in unique ways. White women for example, benefit more as the number of diversity programs in a company increases, particularly in the form of social networking. To black men and women, the number of programs does not matter as much as the content provided. Black women benefit most from mentorship programs, while black men are helped most when there is a responsibility structure in place for an organization's diversity efforts

Overall, this study found that a combination of strategies is most effective in promoting managerial and organizational diversity. However, the most important factor was creating an environment in which a particular person, group or department was primarily responsible for promoting and organizing diversity efforts. With this emphasis on responsibility and accountability in place, other strategies for improving diversity proved much more effective.

Source: Alexandra Kalev, Frank Dobbin, Erin Kelly. "Best Practices or Best Guesses? Assessing the Efficacy of Corporate Affirmative Action and Diversity Policies." American Sociological Review Vol. 71 (2006): 589–617. (Adobe® Acrobat® .pdf)

back to top

Gian-Carlo Rolander is editorial intern for DiversityCentral.com

back to top