Editor’s Note

A culture where everyone is valued and included, despite of their gender, ethnicity and age is fast becoming a norm in today’s workplace. Though the topic of diversity and inclusion (D&I) has been a hot button issue in the industry for some time now, how developed and effective are D&I programs today? To understand more about the status of D&I in organizations and its impact on employee performance, HR.com conducted exclusive state-of-the-industry research, The State of Diversity and Inclusion 2018/2019. This month, we bring you a themed edition on diversity and inclusion to inform and update you on the trends around D&I today.

 

We asked study participants to indicate the extent to which they agree with the statement that "our workforce is more diverse than it was years ago." Over half (53%) of HR professionals agree with that statement, whereas just 16% disagree. In short, most organizations have become more diverse, while some have become less diverse. The bad news, however, is that organizations still tend to have poorly developed D&I initiatives and only about half say that their workforces reflect the demographics of the marketplace. Moreover, the leadership ranks of most organizations still tend to lack significant diversity and inclusion. To learn more about the research along with key strategic takeaways, we invite you to download and read the complete report.
 
Featured on the cover is Howard Ross’ article, Getting Beyond “Us Versus Them” In The Workplace that talks about how we are increasingly falling into an “us versus them” mindset today. He points out why it is imperative to find ways to bridge the divide, so that greater harmony and cooperation can be created in our workplaces.
 
Laura Hamill’s article, The Building Blocks Of An Inclusive Culture, focuses on why an organization looking to improve inclusion should strive for a culture that embraces unique ideas, perspectives and people.
 
There’s one form of diversity getting short shrift: the diversity of ambition among talented women. How can you keep smart women on your team? Read Kathryn Sollmann’s article, The Next Diversity Imperative, for 8 ways to embrace determined women not on the C-suite quest.

While there is no “one size fits all” playbook for attracting diversity, you should make your organization attractive for diverse talent. Read Jeremy Eskenazi’s article, Four Ways To Effectively Attract A Diverse Workforce, to know more about effective success practices.
 
Most organizations currently have narrow definitions of D&I, are in the early stages of developing programs and, overall, are unsure about how effective their D&I programs really are. Our research offers various suggestions for making D&I more of a reality in the workplace. Apart from that, the articles included in this edition throws light on various facets of diversity and inclusion in the workplace today. We hope you enjoy reading this issue and look forward to receiving your valuable feedback and/or comments.