Talent not tokenism

The CBI/TUC report 'Talent not Tokenism', which is supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, states: A firm's success and competitiveness depends on its ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all its people.

The potential rewards of diversity are significant: an organisation that recruits its staff from the widest possible pool will unleash talent and develop better understanding of its customers. It will also enable it to spot market opportunities.

A firm's success and competitiveness depends on its ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all its people

Three experts in the field share their views on whether UK plc is really addressing diversity in business.

Audrey Williams, Eversheds LLP Partner, a much sought-after employment law expert is very supportive of CBI/TUC's holistic approach when it comes to embracing diversity from recruitment through all business activity.

"We can't be complacent in this country about our track record. While UK plc has made some steps forward, we're not doing as well as we might in the eyes of the European Commission, and still lag some way behind the US - possibly because the kind of affirmative action policies they operate are so alien to the British character of reserve. Such issues as the gender pay gap still loom large and we've really seen little progress in this area in recent years.

"Legislation is there to help the diversity agenda, but it's a stick to beat transgressors rather than something positive, and there's much more that business and society can do to enable us to embrace diversity. "I don't think the responsibility lies solely with employers. We've got to do far more in education to open up wider opportunities for the next working generation. But employers have to overcome the old arguments of meritocracy and stop hiding behind having 'the right people for the job'. Such attitudes merely tend to reinforce all that's gone before.

"We have to take a much more fundamental approach to what the 'right person for the job 'actually means and looks like. How many organisations really look deeply at how they assess the best person for the job; or look deeply at their process? How many know if their processes for recruitment or promotion are even right?

"The law's a good example and I know that clients are challenging us on whether we're recruiting future lawyers and support staff from the right talent pools. It's not comfortable for us to look for new people from unfamiliar talent pools or to assess non-traditional skills. But we just need to look at the talent demographic now to see that we need to look wider and deeper to ensure we can attract the best talent for the future to meet both our needs and those of our clients. Our recruiters have to share this responsibility too.

"To an extent, we can learn from the public sector which is both more open to self scrutiny and also governed by Public Sector Duties. But organisations need to go beyond duty to really see the benefits that diversity will bring in opening up great business opportunities that can be delivered even more effectively."

...organisations need to go beyond duty to really see the benefits that diversity will bring in opening up great business opportunities...

Andrew Mayo is President of the HR Society and is also a Director of Mayo Learning International. One area of their specialism is in building "competency organisers" for all kinds of organisations.

"I have always loved the diversity of the multitude of cultures and subcultures, of nature's never ending variety, and of the uniqueness of every individual," he explained. "My current role as a 'portfolio' manager causes me to wear many hats in many places, and work with so many different organisations. It suits me perfectly.

"And it makes me seriously frustrated with the so called 'diversity agenda', particularly as it is promoted in the public sector. Of course we all have a very natural tendency to tribalism, which is a basic part of human nature. A fair society which comprises many 'tribes' must ensure that that one group does not dominate unfairly and that there is equal opportunity for all. This is vital, and it's not easy to achieve. It's fascinating to look at the great worldwide organisations that claim to be 'global' and see how the top management team reflects their geographical footprint. The majority are dominated by executives from their home base.

"I once asked a member of the Pirelli Board why every Board member was Italian. "It's practical," he said, "we can all speak Italian and we understand each other - In the end it makes for faster decisions."

"So what is wrong with this agenda? Firstly it seems to think statistics will solve everything. The US and the UK (not I am pleased to say many other places) are obsessed with diversity statistics and 'community reflective workforces'. There are, I am sure, some front line public services where they need to have people that each community can trust. But surely what the public needs is effective organisations and employees which together deliver the best service? We do expect them to operate internally with absolutely total equality of opportunity but who would not rather deal with somebody who can properly meet their needs, regardless of race or colour?

"The second area of my concern is the 'gesture politics' surrounding this subject. Firstly there is the universal 'diversity training', which starts from the assumption that we all need to be helped to understand and value others since we are all naturally prejudiced. Personally I would take that assumed need as an insult to my integrity. Then there are the box ticking exercises. In a recent public tender for training, four of the eleven criteria for evaluation were about diversity. Furthermore, they wished the mix of trainers to mirror their own workforce - which was 44% BME (a strange government classification meaning 'Black and Minority Ethnic'). "Not only is that impossible for a small company, but one has to ask what has that to do with delivering excellent training?"

Rewriting the agenda

"Diversity is a journey, and to take part only by adopting a defensive 'equal ops' stance is very limiting. If you can get beyond that, and start thinking about inclusiveness, that journey gets easier and far more productive."

That's the view of Therese Tyson, Diversity Manager at Beachcroft LLP, a national commercial law firm. "Most firms start their diversity journey by looking to comply with legislation and by demonstrating that compliance with statistics. But no-one should be blinded by statistics; they're just a tool in the armoury that enable the organisation to see where it stands. On their own they can do nothing to influence the culture and behaviours necessary to build a robust business that maximises the potential of its people."

Diversity is a journey, and to take part only by adopting a defensive 'equal ops' stance is very limiting

Therese sees diversity as going way beyond the bounds of equal opportunities. "It's about recognising the individual, playing to their strengths and playing down perceived weaknesses. And when it comes to people interacting - whether within an organisation or externally - it's about treating everyone with respect and dignity."

Therese recognises the perception that the law is elitist, traditional, male dominated and white. "Our diversity work is focused on breaking down the perception barriers both within the organisation and particularly with the next generation of lawyers.

"We're working with local schools to show their pupils that they could be part of the profession's future. There are an awful lot of bright kids out there who are turned off because they see no role models or simply assume that the law's not open to them. We're working hard to show that's not the case and to create opportunities for them to experience the firm and what a career in law can offer.

"Internally too, we're working with our staff on inclusiveness. That could be anything from how someone treats a member of their team to how they behave socially with clients or other stakeholders.

"Clients are definitely becoming more challenging on diversity - and not just in the public sector. Many large companies - American clients in particular - recognise the innate value of diverse teams working for them and want to deal with people who share common experience with them.

"Our clients aren't all white middle class males, so why should we field such teams to work with them?"

Appreciation

"I wish the amount of effort and expense that is put into the diversity agenda was matched by an appreciation of each individuals' worth and potential, and their amazing diversity of talent recognised and utilised," Andrew concluded." My skin and religion and gender are not the issue. What I am as a person is what matters. The truly great Martin Luther King, in one of the most famous speeches of the 20th century, said: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character."

"Amen, Martin, may your dream yet come true."