There is no doubt that we see diversity everywhere. We see it in the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the music we play, where we live, and how we spend our leisure time. Diversity is a driver of our economy. At work we see diversity in jobs, skills and experience, age, exempt and on-exempt employees, and cultural backgrounds = in other words, the PEOPLE.

Organizational leadership is faced with challenges that diversity brings, but it also has opportunities when diversity is recognized and used as a resource. Many organizations have well defined diversity programs designed to identify its own diversity and then provide learning opportunities that support that diversity. If an organization does not have a diversity program, they may want to research diversity programs that others have implemented successfully. The following are some general points to consider for an existing or potential diversity program.

Step 1: Determine why you are implementing the diversity program (plan) and the outcome/s you desire = Mission Statement. An example of a mission statement might be: To achieve a status of employer of choice while providing opportunities that encourage employees to be productive and successful.

Step 2: Develop clear objectives for the program plan, such as:
• Define diversity and identify the dimensions of diversity
• Recognize how your culture drives attitudes and behaviors toward diverse populations
• Develop an action plan for increasing awareness of diversity and the role it plays in your organization’s success
• Develop strategies for increasing an understanding of the harmful effects of stereotypes and inappropriate behaviors and humor directed to an individual or group
• Establishing guidelines for interaction that fosters respect for diversity
• Understand and comply with federal employment guidelines
• Recruit, train/develop, and retain talented people

Step 3: Form a Diversity Advisory Committee or Council which will develop and implement programs, policies, and procedures that will address personnel interactions and issues. The committee should include a cross-section of employees including race, gender, age, functional teams or divisions, management and non-management, full-time and part-time, and work shifts.

Step 4: Develop evaluation tools and establish progress indicators or benchmarks that will provide feedback on what is going well and what future initiatives might be needed to achieve the diversity program goals.

Diversity is here to stay. Capitalizing on diversity and fostering an environment for its inclusion is just good business sense!