Hodes Voices

Engaging Diverse Talent

Jan 29, 2010 | mgordon | Diversity & Inclusion, Employee Engagement, Research

The latest Conference Board figures show the lowest level of job satisfaction (45%) since 1987 (when the organization began tracking it). The decades-long decline is reason enough not to lay the blame entirely at the feet of the Great Recession, but layoffs, salary freezes, muddled corporate communications, and the other symptoms that compose Survivor Syndrome can certainly account for some of the recent drop in workplace happiness. But does a gradually reviving job market mean employees are going to become more satisfied in their jobs again or will their bad experiences lead them to look for new employers?

According to a recent study by CareerBuilder, one-fifth (19%) of workers plan to leave their current job during 2010 and 9% in 2011. A large percentage of that 19% is probably top talent who for months clung to the security of their current jobs, even though they were perhaps overworked, or underpaid, and certainly disengaged. Now, however, they know they can find better opportunities out there and they will jump at the chance. Where this is especially going to be an issue is in diversity retention. Programs that face outward, aiming to attract diverse talent, aren’t going to help keep current employees engaged. The same goal of welcoming and inclusion that is used in recruitment advertising needs to be implemented internally, through programs that recognize the diversity of employees and their cultures, such as employee affinity groups, recognition of national diversity celebrations, and mentorship initiatives.

When Hodes Research recently conducted the Engaging Talent study, it was in part to gauge how employers were preparing for the end of the hiring freezes and the renewed struggle to retain top talent. Were programs in place to foster retention and brand loyalty? What new initiatives were being implemented? We uncovered a number of trends among HR and Internal Communications professionals, some of them quite surprising. One of the most unexpected findings was that nearly one-third (32%) of respondents say they don’t plan on implementing any diversity and inclusion programs to engage their employees.

Curiosity about this subset of respondents led us to break out the survey results for those without D&I programs to discover who they are.

They’re small. More than half (53%) have fewer than 1,000 employees and the average number of employees is 2,602.

They measure engagement less frequently. Only a quarter (24%) conduct employee engagement research annually and 38% do not conduct engagement surveys at all.

They have fewer programs in place, but are planning. Compared to respondents with D&I programs in place (or with plans to implement them), those without D&I programs were less likely to have in place each of the other thirteen engagement programs asked about in the survey. Only 12% have an employee blog or wiki in place and 26% have a social media presence, though 35% plan on implementing a social media presence. (See table for comparisons.)

The correlation of company size and program implementation is understandable. Smaller companies may not have the budgets needed for some types of programming. But company size is no reason not to measure employee engagement. Without having a finger on the pulse of your talent’s attitudes, you may not realize how much you may need these programs. Further, employee surveys are valuable opportunities to find patterns that can aid in future program development. According to Annette Merritt Cummings, VP Diversity & Inclusion Solutions:

“[Even] companies that measure employee engagement may not be including differences in the responses by gender, age, and ethnicity. This data could be useful in determining how best to communicate with segments of their employee population as well as providing a benchmark for future efforts.”

Now is the time to understand and act on employee engagement principles, before a fifth of your workforce starts packing their bags!

Tags: Diversity Matters