Applications to Human Resource Management

Recommendation 1: Human Resource Practice of Recruiting Diverse Employees

According to Jonamay Lambert, President of Jonamay Lambert,  in her lecture for the Indiana University in the Kelley School of Business, “the dominant factor for business in the next two decades is not going to be economics or technology, it will be demographics.” As organizations adjust to this new environment, recruiting diverse employees to reflect changing demographics will be of utmost importance. If an organization chooses to recruit employees from within, the demographics in a particular department may become more diverse, but the overall demographics of the organization would not change. Any effort to adjust the overall demographics and diversity of an organization would require recruiting employees from outside the organization. If organizations seek to recruit diverse applicants, projecting their dedication to diversity on job postings will attract more demographically diverse applicants (Ng & Burke, 2005).

Recommendation 2: Human Resource Practice of Recognizing Diversity and Associated Conflict

In the longitudinal study, performed by F. Pinar Acar (2010), the dynamic nature of groups and their members’ perceptions of diversity were derived at the conclusion of the study of students.  The primary implication of the study for HR managers is to be aware that different levels of diversity may be present at different stages of group interaction (Acar, 2010).  Surface-level attributes (race, age, gender) are more salient at the beginning and end of group interactions while deeper attributes (values and attitudes) are more salient in the middle of interactions (Acar, 2010).  A concept from Pfeffer and Sutton (2006) is the idea that stars attract more stars.  This is the idea where employees are sorted into As, Bs, Cs, etc. and As want to hire As.  The effect is further outlined as “bring[ing] in the clones” (p 89) where males prefer hiring males and white interviewers prefer to hire white candidates.  The perceptions of diversity are surface level at the most critical time (the job application process) while deep-level attributes are not as present until the middle of group interactions.  It is important for HR to be aware of these perceptions when dealing with conflicts and employee interactions.  These perceptions are relevant to the other evidence-based suggestions made by the group.  The advertising of inclusion and the lack of appropropriate representation on boards are related to surface attributes and by all accounts are most relevant during initial interactions.

Recommendation 3: Human Resource Practice of Mentoring Diverse Employees for Board Appointments

Female and minority representation on boards in the United States is lacking greatly.  In a 2004 census, conducted by The Executive Leadership Council’s Institute for Leadership Development and Research, only 8.1% of minorities had board seats in the 500 largest corporations.  Women and minorities are excluded from informal training to advance to managerial and board seats.  Since majority of board members are white males, women and minorities do not establish mentoring relationships as easily as white males.  Therefore, human resources practices should implement professional development practices that reflect diversity policies.  Including female and minorities on decisions regarding promotions allows diversity concerns to not be ignored.  To help females and minorities to receive the mentoring that white males do from board members or top executives, human resources could implement programs that assign employees mentors.  This would help improve females and minorities chances of obtaining board seats and advancing their careers.  Diversity issues in companies should not just satisfy the laws in place, such as affirmative action, but implemented at the human resources level to ensure all employees benefit from mentoring and communication.

When organizations have a diverse workforce, it inspires an organization’s innovation and their consumer capabilities.  Management needs to focus on not only having diversity training, but embracing the concept into the organization’s culture as well.  The majority of mismanagement of diversity within an organization stems from leadership lackings.  Pfeffer & Sutton (2006) point out skilled leaders know what the organizational objectives are, paths to achieve those objectives, and then as much as possible, help people find and perform roles that move the organization toward those objectives while allowing people to be who and what they are.  Stereotypes and preconceptions based off wrongful, inaccurate notions assign an identity to an entire group, rather than judging each individual on their own merits resulting in conflicts in the workplace (Goessl,  2008).

Resources

Acar, F. (2010). Analyzing the effects of diversity perceptions and shared leadership on emotional conflict: a dynamic approach.International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 21(10), 1733-1753. doi:10.1080/09585192.2010.500492

Evidence-Based HR. (2013). In HRO Today Forum. Retrieved August 3, 2014, from http://www.hrotodayforum.com/index.php/evidence-based-hr/

Goessl, Leigh.(2008, September 17) "Challenges of Diversity in the Workplace." Inside Business 360, Web. 06 July 2014. http://www.insidebusiness360.com/index.php/challenges-of-diversity-in-the-workplace-23210/

Hirsh, W & Briner, R.(2011, August). Evidence-based HR: From Fads to Facts?.  Retrieved August 4, 2014, from http://www.cebma.org/wp-content/uploads/CRF-EBHR-report-aug-2011.pdf

Ng, E. W., & Burke, R. J. (2005). Person-organization fit and the war for talent: does diversity management make a difference?. International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 16(7), 1195-1210. doi:10.1080/09585190500144038

Newton, C. (2013, December 8). Diversity Isn't Smiling Faces and Rainbows It's Intangible. In The Middle Ground-Human Resources & Recruitment. Retrieved August 3, 2014, from http://www.themiddlegroundhr.com/2013/12/diversity-isnt-smiling-faces-and.html

Pfeffer, J. & Sutton, R. I. (2006). Hard facts, dangerous half-truths, and total nonsense: profiting from evidence-based management. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press.

Shen, J., Chanda, A., D'Netto, B., & Monga, M. (2009, February). Managing Diversity Through Human Resource Managment: An International Prespective and Conceptual Framework. THe International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(2), 235-251.