Implementation steps

Consider setting up a diversity council or task team: In larger organizations, it is useful to set up a diversity task team or council to spearhead the diversity initiative. The diversity council can help analyze the research and make recommendations about interventions. You will want to make sure that representatives are chosen from horizontal and vertical cross-sections of the organization. You also want to make sure that visible diversity is represented on the team.

Select one or two areas: Once you have identified specific diversity issues from your employee feedback, you should select one or two areas to focus on for the next year.

Obtain baseline data: After you have identified the one or two focus areas, then you should select a few measures that capture the situation you are trying to improve. For example, if you are trying to reduce the turnover of women, then you should calculate the turnover of women and compare it to the turnover of men over the past few years.

Communicate: Clear, honest communication is essential throughout the diversity initiative process. In the beginning, you should inform your staff that you are researching diversity issues and solicit their input. Once you have identified your one or two focus areas, then you should communicate them in writing and in person to your employees with a statement of the current situation and what you hope to change. You may need to have this communication reviewed by legal and human resource staff prior to its dissemination. As you take action and measure progress, you should provide your employees with periodic updates.

Utilize the toolkit: Once you have your focus areas, then you should review the appropriate topics in this toolkit.

• For recruitment and hiring issues
• For turnover and retention issues, including career development and planning, work/life balance, and rewards and recognition
• For teambuilding, productivity and innovation issues

Identify a few personal actions: As a role model, you need to demonstrate leadership on diversity. You should review the Diversity Commitment Action section of the toolkit and commit to undertaking at least one or two actions.

This toolkit is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace legal, compliance, or other professional advice. TWP assumes no liability for the use of this toolkit.
Web-based Leaders' Toolkit, © Copyright, 2002. Technology Workforce Partners. All Rights Reserved. Technology Workforce Partners was a consortium of high technology companies that worked collaboratively on diversity issues in the workplace from 1995-2005.