Retention Practices
Career development has been one of our most appealing recruitment tools. Rarely in the first five minutes of an interview do employees ask about money. The first thing they want to know about is opportunity and how committed the company is to developing employees.
- Ron Brown, Capital Management, LLC
In today’s tight job market, it is as tough for an employer to find good candidates as it is for job applicants to find good positions. Pair that with the problem of competition for employees by competitors and the employer has a sizable challenge in maintaining a strong employee team. Building relationships that link people with the organization is an important part of retaining and advancing a diverse range of talent. Programs that focus exclusively on recruitment efforts without further relationship-building enhancements, often result in frequent turnover among the hard-won diverse recruits. Providing opportunities for professional growth are excellent ways to increase retention rates of your employees, including:
In addition, firms are conducting other types of training to help develop women, minorities, and all employees. The learning vehicles are most often in-house training, which is often supplemented by computer-based training, video conferencing, and Internet-based training. Types of such general employee development programs include: leadership and management training; career planning; succession planning and development; professional development skills; and business skills training.
Mentoring
According to a recent survey by Korn/Ferry International, an executive search firm that specializes in management searches at the senior level, more than 70 percent of minority executives say they had a primary informal mentor at their current company and, as a group, enjoyed faster salary and total compensation growth than their executive counterparts who did not have a mentor.
Organizations sometimes overlook important sources of talent and may ultimately lose talent to discouragement or recruitment by other companies in instances where minority and female candidates lack, or feel they lack, personal connections and resulting sponsorships that many believe are part of the informal process of advancement. Informal and formal mentoring programs are among the most common programs currently in place to cultivate relationship-building and aid in fostering retention and advancement in a diverse workplace.
Mentoring is not exclusively for women and minorities; a high percentage of White males and other groups also express a need for the personal connection that can be found with a mentor.
Most successful senior managers attribute a major portion of their success to the benefit of a rewarding relationship with one or more mentors at key stages in their careers. Mentors generally provide a sounding board for junior persons and insight about the organization, such as how to avoid pitfalls. The mentor may also offer a measure of protection from false complaints or misunderstandings. This fosters a positive understanding of the mentee’s qualities for advancement and sponsors him or her for promotion.
Many people feel that mentoring should be an informal partnership that happens naturally when senior managers take an interest in sharing their insights and providing gentle guidance to proteges who attract their interest. However, inhibitions, fears, subtle stereotypes, and basic unfamiliarity or discomfort with differences, may keep senior managers from focusing on minority and female candidates for mentorship. Such factors may also discourage minorities and females from seeking a mentor. By establishing a few structural supports to a mentoring program, you can help to bridge these gaps.
Most companies agree that the development of key mentoring programs makes a significant contribution to increasing employee retention. In fact, many see a rise in the number of mid-level employees retained.
A key element of a mentoring program is that mentoring is a “two-way street,” with benefits to both the mentee and mentor. If mentors concentrate exclusively on teaching mentees how to “fit-in,” the mentors and the organization may lose much of the learning inherent in diversity. Mentors should also expect to learn new ways of thinking and to identify ways that the organization might change to gain greater access to diverse talent.
Other important tips for successful mentorship programs are:
- Take your company culture into account. When developing a program, think about the general attitude and philosophy of your managers to avoid misunderstandings, clarify expectations of mentoring commitments and benefits. Establish objectives at the start of the relationship and a time limit can be set.
- Encourage cross-gender and cross-racial mentorships. Some firms reward managers for participating in mentoring programs by including it as an element of management performance reviews
- Create measurements of effectiveness for the program.
Other non-traditional mentoring efforts include:
- Developing networks. Establishing associations or networks within the company for various ethnic groups or women can be an effective complement to mentoring. These kinds of programs can help people feel that they belong in your organization. They can recognize other successful people like themselves-women, people of color, or those who have other special profiles that work in other parts of the company.
- Looking at external associations and coalitions. Mentoring and network programs can be co-sponsored by many companies in a region, industry or profession. This is particularly helpful for medium or smaller companies where the pool of senior managers may be less diverse. External partnerships or associations can help individuals gain confidence and skills regarding how to relate to the culture of the majority.
- Menttium. In major cities, an organization called Menttium matches male and female senior managers with sponsored female mentees. This program, called the Minneapolis 100, the Chicago 100, etc., has been effective in providing a cross-industry mentoring experience for women. Mentors are volunteers and sponsoring companies pay a fee for mentees to participate.
"Companies spend all this time aggressively recruiting and then their minority hires leave and the employers wonder why. They think, ‘Our recruitment program is failing.’ No. It’s just that they don’t have the proper support mechanisms in place."
-Lisa Willis-Johnson, Vice Chair of the Society of Human Resource Management’s Workplace Diversity Committee.
As noted, attracting and then obtaining a talented, diverse group of employees is only the beginning. The more important challenge is creating and sustaining an environment where individual differences are respected and hard work and results are rewarded.
Diversity training is one step in creating a culture that is more open to people of different backgrounds. The common goals in diversity training are to develop employees who deal effectively with colleagues and customers from many different backgrounds; to learn about and optimize the unique contribution inherent in the culture of each individual; to anticipate the impact of cultural biaseson business relationships and processes; and to remove obstacles to equity and inclusiveness wherever possible.
Many firms are conducting programs to increase employee sensitivity and awareness to diversity issues. The classes are either conducted by internal staff or external consultants and include information on the changing demographics, value of a diverse workforce, and activities and exercises to increase awareness.
A number of firms are also directing their training efforts at developing skills such as interviewing, teamwork, and conflict resolution, specifically as they relate to working with people from diverse backgrounds. Training for managers has focused on recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.
There are quite a few different ways in which training is introduced. In many firms, training is given to all of the managers and/or associates and attendance is mandatory. In firms where training is not mandatory across the firm, staff from specific departments or a specific level of employee may be targeted to attend.
One-on-one coaching is also being used for training of senior managers or specific individuals. There are also several computer-based training aids on CD-ROMs or via the Internet that are being used as an alternative, or in addition to, a live instructor. Many companies have begun to integrate diversity-related issues and skill development into other programs. For example, a class on interviewing would include things to consider when interviewing someone who is of a different gender, culture, ethnic or racial group than that of the interviewer. Courses where diversity is particularly relevant are: Listening Skills, Interpersonal Behavior, Interviewing, Performance Management, Coaching, Time Management, Team Building and Conducting Meetings.
Another common aspect of diversity training is designed to acquaint staff with legal issues related to diversity and workplace harassment. During one of several sessions, a team from the legal and/or human resources departments review the firm’s policy on diversity and non-discrimination. Sometimes an outside legal firm gives the presentation.
Most agree that the most effective training efforts occur when senior and middle management are involved at all stages to establish commitment and buy-in. Some firms have had success by getting such managers involved in mandatory classes to develop standard accountability procedures. In this context, one firm measures diversity proficiency in four areas: thought, results, relationships and change. At other companies, managers are subjected to a bi-yearly review, which holds them accountable for developing and retaining women and minorities. Their results are reflected in their bonus payouts.
Many options are available when developing training programs. You can use an external consulting firm or develop your own training program in-house.
Utilizing External Consultants for Diversity Training
Many firms use outside consultants to assist in developing or delivering training classes. A list of professional training resources to assist you in this endeavor appears in the Resources section.
You can also obtain recommendations through referrals from contacts in other firms and the American Society for Training & Development Guide to Consultants.
Developing Your Own Training Program
Some firms choose to develop their own diversity training modules. If you are considering doing so, consult the Resources section. Materials focus on skill development for managers and sensitivity training for all employees.
In short, determining what “diversity” looks like for your company, developing measurement instruments that consider the kinds of awareness and training that employees receive and the behavioral modifications expected, having the performance evaluation system support diversity once employee training is completed are some suggested methods which can be used to increase the effectiveness of your diversity training.
To this end, you may want to consider one or more of the following training assessment tools:
- Employee attitude surveys
- Cultural studies
- Focus groups
- Customer surveys
- Management and employee evaluations1
Formalized succession planning programs are another effective way to achieve maximum diversity at mid and senior levels of management. This program is one of the most frequently cited as a benefit to employees of both genders and all majority and minority groups. Steps to take to encourage effective succession planning include:
- Identify the competencies and experiences required for success. Often when the backgrounds of senior managers are analyzed, certain patterns emerge regarding experiences that are important for success and advancement. In succession planning, these patterns and guidelines can be used when considering succession candidates.
- Require managers to identify several candidates to replace themselves. In this process, each key manager identifies three or more candidates who could advance to fill their position, including qualified diverse candidates.
According to Catalyst, more and more companies and professional service firms realize that to meet strategic business goals, more effective staffing options must be incorporated into the way we work. Providing opportunities for flexible work arrangements, such as flextime, compressed workweek, part-time, job share, and telecommuting, can create a more productive and effective work environment. According to a recent study of dual-career couples by Catalyst, 87 percent of women and 82 percent of men would look for flexible hours from a new employer.
Flexible work arrangements can help employers:
- Recruit and retain the best and the brightest workforce.
- Improve employee productivity and customer satisfaction by improving employee satisfaction.
- Increase service to customers and clients by extended coverage to different time zones.
- Decrease absenteeism and lateness.
- Improve employees’ organizational commitment.
- Encourage employees and supervisors to work together and discover creative answers to work challenges.
- Reduce the negative impact on employees’ work that results from the stress of trying to balance work and personal commitments.
- Increase opportunities for employees to get involved in community activities.
- Advance employers commitment to social and corporate responsibility.2
New findings from the Boston College Center for Work & Family (BCCWF) demonstrate the importance of corporate culture and its impact on work/life initiatives, in addition to all business goals and programs. According to this recent study, the importance of workplace culture is often taken for granted and overlooked in many corporations. The Center’s work indicates that workplace culture has the power to “make or break” the success of all business initiatives, particularly work/life projects.
Researchers in the past have acknowledged workplace culture greatly influences the use of options such as job sharing or reduced work schedules. Just as society has unwritten codes of conduct, the workplace also has its fair share of norms concerning expectations of employees.
The BCCWF defines workplace culture as the assumptions, values, and expectations that establish “rules” and “guidelines” for behavior. Culture is represented by employees’ actions towards each other, including the way they carry out corporate systems, rituals, and decisions.
Researchers conclude that organizations that keep corporate culture in mind when developing work/life initiatives are more likely to win employee commitment to these initiatives.
In sum, flexibility provides organizations with an effective way to retain experienced and valued employees who are often enthusiastic, loyal to the company, and grateful for the opportunity. Flexible work arrangements provide employees with an effective way to maintain a professional identity and career momentum and to reduce the stress caused by work/life conflicts. In general, successful flexible schedules can create a win-win for employers, managers, employees, and customers alike.2
1 You should be aware that use of certain of these assessment tools may raise legal considerations. Therefore, you may wish to consult with your legal counsel before undertaking these measures.
2 To Careers, One Marriage: Making it Work inthe Workplace, Catalyst, 1998