©SHRM 2010 1©SHRM 2010

16th December 2010

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

All materials are Copyrighted 2010 by Strategic Human Resources Management India, Pvt. Ltd. or Society for Human Resource

Management unless otherwise expressly noted. All rights expressly reserved.

Leveraging diversity in

Corporate India …

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Framework for discussion

• What is Diversity and Inclusion? Why does

it concern business?

• Managing diversity - challenges in

creating an inclusive workplace.

• What is the ROI on Diversity and

Inclusion?

• Trends in Diversity?

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What is Diversity?

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What is Diversity?

• Diversity is all the ways in which we are different

• Examples of these different characteristics:• age

• gender

• physical abilities

• beliefs

• socio-economic background

• physical appearance

• marital or family status

• gender identity; place of origin

• language(s) spoken

• sexual orientation

• any of the other zillion ways each of us is different from another

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Why must businesses be concerned with it?

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The business case

• The world is our market place.

• War for talent. Cannot ignore any employee

group.

• Creativity & Innovation. Most powerful

advantage

• Equal opportunity is a basic human rights

principle. Can have legal implications.

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What is “Managing” diversity?

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What IS “Managing” diversity?

Proactively and consciously

addressing differences to “enable”

effective relationships at work

Inclusion!

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What aresome challenges

in doing this?

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Challenges for Inclusion

• Stereotyping/Prejudices. Denial of equal

access

• New and creative policies and systems to

accommodate differential needs and

ensure equity

• Resistance to change. Reverse

discrimination?

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Interventions to Support D&I

• Audit where you are. Raise Awareness on

business case

• Create equitable and “psychologically safe”

workplaces.

• New and creative policies to accommodate

differential needs of employees (Mentoring programs, Flexibility, Networking groups, unique

needs of Gen Y, PWD, working parents, GLBT etc.)

• Strong and visible leadership support.

• Sustain the change!

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What is the ROI ?

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The cost of the “do nothing” option

• Strategic Business Costs• Decreased market reach/share. Poor customer service

• Lowered productivity, creativity and hence competitiveness

• Inability to attract and retain talent

• People Productivity Cost • Poor engagement and reduced “Psychological safety”.

• Reduced cooperation, absenteeism & turnover

• Manager time spent investigating, counseling & disciplining

• Legal and HR costs• Equal opportunity is a human rights issue. Legal

implications

• Costs for counsel, Settlement, Litigation, Compensation etc.

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Trends in Diversity

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