Workplace diversity is one of the cornerstones of a successful company. As the world becomes more and more interconnected, businesses must ensure that their workforce is reflective of their customer base. Workplace diversity is crucial for businesses of all sizes - whether it be a Small-Medium Enterprise (SME) or a large multinational corporation. Having a diverse workforce increases a company's knowledge base, offers up new perspectives and helps businesses to better understand the needs of the customer in an increasingly globalised marketplace. 

Furthermore, during a time when talent acquisition and retention are such hot topics – increasing diversity is a sure fire way to help companies source, and retain, the best talent. Not only that, a diverse workplace is integral to harnessing a company culture that is characterised by inclusion, outward thinking and equality. With so many positives, it’s easy to see why companies should be focused on improving diversity in the workplace.
 
Undoubtedly, HR Professionals are ideally placed to encourage and manage diversity within businesses. So, here at the HR department, we’ve come up with 4 ways for companies and HR departments to promote and manage diversity in the workplace for the benefit of employees, employers and society as a whole.

1. Make Diversity a Priority

Let’s start with the simplest way HR professionals can encourage diversity: prioritizing it. The first step to overcoming a lack of diversity in the workplace is making it centre stage, and understanding that diversity involves the inclusion of all workers, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation race, religion or ethnicity.

Here in Ireland, PayPal, the online payments company, employ over 2400 staff and prioritise diversity within their organisation. So much so, - they won the ‘Diversity Champion 2016’ award at the Irish HR Champion Awards last year. Their Vice President of global operations for Europe, Louise Phelan, argues that Irish workplaces should learn from American businesses and invest more in their diversity programmes. HR, as a department, is well positioned to underline the importance of an integrated workforce and help to foster a company culture that champions diversity.
 
2. Monitoring

Many companies are aware of the need for gender diversity and are therefore monitoring the hiring and retention of female members of staff. However, having a diverse workforce is more than simply having a balance between male and female workers. It is about creating a workforce that is representative of society as a whole. HR should regularly monitor the overall diversity of an organisation to ensure that all religions, races, ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations are known and that progress can be made through recruitment. HR professionals should be aware that a diverse workplace is more attractive to prospective employees - all the more reason for HR to lead the charge in diversifying businesses.

That being said, monitoring diversity is not just about the hiring process, it’s also crucial to keep a close eye on current employees. It is vitally important for HR to watch out for any forms of discrimination in the workplace and have effective protocol in place to deal with any such situations should they arise.

3. Mentoring
 
HR departments can play a central role in encouraging companies to undertake mentorship programmes. Initiatives can take place within a company internally or with external organisations such as local schools, universities or youth groups. This can help to ensure that young people from all walks of life are aware of the opportunities that are available to them in business, and positions your company as a role model when it comes to encouraging and promoting equal opportunities.

Mentorship programmes also have the potential to increase the talent pool in Ireland, particularly if they target people from disadvantaged backgrounds, with the aim to provide them with the skills and opportunities to make better, more informed decisions about their future. Importantly, HR professionals can push for mentoring initiatives of all different styles and sizes, from helping mothers return to work after maternity leave to offering work placements for students.

4. Partnerships
 
Much like mentoring, partnerships with organisations such as charities, not-for-profit organisations or schools can be particularly effective for widening the talent pool and offering opportunities. Internship initiatives, which have the backing of partner organisations and are open to all, are just one good example of how HR departments can increase the diversity of the workforce.
 
There is no doubt that workforce diversity adds enormous value to business. The reality is that the demographic of the workforce in Ireland is changing rapidly. For example, with an increase in overseas workers - particularly with the rise of tech industries here - and an aging population, organisations need to adapt, adjust and diversify their workforce in order to cope with the changes. Importantly, companies, and particularly HR departments, need to drive home the fact that improving workplace diversity is not only a necessity, but also a fail-safe way of improving a company’s productivity and profitability.
 
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The 2017 Great Place to Work HR Trends Survey has revealed that HR professionals are moving more and more towards leadership roles within their companies. A massive 82% of people surveyed contested that HR influence in the leadership team had increased and three-quarters agreed that the HR function and HR Analytics played a key role in an organisation.

So, this begs the question: In what ways can HR professionals positively influence leadership roles and increase the HR function within an organisation?

1. Employer Branding
 
HR professionals need to recognise and understand their crucial role in employer branding. Gone are the days when attracting talent was left solely to the marketing team. Creating a consistent employer brand image, which ultimately draws in desirable talent, relies on inputs from all of an organisation’s departments, not least the HR department.

It is essential for HR to ensure employer branding is in line with the values of the company. Should this not be the case, organisations could find talent retention decreasing as employees may jump ship if there isn’t brand cohesion throughout the company. 

2. Mentor line managers in HR practice

That being said, while employer branding might get new talent through the door, managers have a duty to ensure employees are content and working effectively and efficiently. This will, in turn, lead to an increase in talent retention.
 
As Helen Rosethorn, CEO of Bernard Hodes explains, ‘people join brands and leave managers.’ Therefore a vital role of HR is to mentor line managers on how best to treat an organisation’s employees. This may sound slightly condescending, however, there are many aspects of the workplace which not all managers are necessarily well versed in. How to deal with a quarrel on the office floor, giving positive and negative feedback when required, managing workers of varying age groups and providing performance reviews – these are all examples of areas where HR advice to line managers is invaluable.
 
What’s more, according to the Trends Survey, managers are highly motivated to learn more in these areas, so it’s down to HR offer up this guidance. The beauty of this? While it may strain resources in the short term, having line managers able to perform HR duties will ultimately take stress and strain off the HR department.

3. Increase Diversity

It is a known fact that women are grossly under represented in leadership roles within organisations in Ireland. A 2016 Survey by 30% Club Ireland found that only 14% of Irish companies have a female chief executive or Head of Operations. Yet, many studies have found that having more women in the top echelons of a business leads to greater productivity, efficiency and profit.
 
HR can and must play a central role in rectifying this lack of diversity in the workplace. Firstly, HR can offer more flexible working conditions which may increase employee satisfaction. Secondly HR can ensure that there is no unconscious bias towards males in the workplace. This unconscious bias could be in things like dress code for example. Finally, the most important thing HR should do is raise awareness of the lack of gender diversity. This leads back to HR creating an employer brand – one that appeals to all cohorts of society and aims to harness gender equality in the workplace.

As organisations change and grow to meet the demands of globalisation, so too does the function of HR. HR is much more than the department that deals with contracts and dismissals. As we have seen there are many other, perhaps under acknowledged roles HR can play in order to maximise efficiency and ensure the smooth running of your organisation. Companies must be aware of these in order to get the best out of their workers.

So there you have it, three important roles HR can play in your business that you may not have thought of before.

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Taking what I imagine was a very welcome break from the Brexit saga, Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny spoke at Inspirefest 2016’s opening ceremony on Thursday, where he rightly reminded attendees of the EU’s motto ‘Unity in Diversity’ and the advantages that diversity brings both to the workplace and society.

While the focus of his speech was very much geared towards STEM and the tech sector in particular, the points he made hold true across all industries. Core to this is the fact that ‘We don’t get inspired surrounding ourselves with people who are the same as us.’ Rather ‘…we are inspired by those who are different, who think differently, who have lived different lives, who have overcome different challenges.’

In essence is what diversity is all about. It’s not just about him v’s her or young v’s old or anything else like that. It’s about people from different backgrounds, experiences, sharing their different perspectives to create a fuller, more thought-out approach to all faculties of our business, from manufacturing processes to customer relations.
Below are some helpful tips for improving diversity in the workplace:

1.Conduct a Diversity Audit
If you’re looking to enhance the diversity of your work force, then you need to understand where it currently sits and where the gaps need to be filled. Breakdown the metrics on your staff – gender, nationality, age, education, career background, etc. What you’re aiming for is a workforce that matches the communities you operate in.

2.Adjust Your Hiring Process
If your audit uncovers any areas that are out of kilter with the balance you wish to achieve, then it’s important to look at your hiring processes and make adjustments where necessary. Where do you source your candidates from, what criteria must they meet, and so forth? Engaging with local community groups and networks can be an excellent way of identifying and attracting new employees, with different backgrounds that you otherwise might have overlooked.
Another effective way to limit innate, natural bias (we all subconsciously have prejudices that effect our decision making process) is to develop and utilise evaluation forms that score candidates based on set criteria.

3.Introduce a Mentorship/ Sponsor Programme
Even the most well intentioned managers can sometimes overlook incredible talent. We’re social beings and we gravitate and spend most of our time with those most like us. Setting up a mentorship or sponsor programme, with clear objectives and timescales can establish greater integration between senior and junior members of staff, while helping spot real business talent that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.

4.Get Flexible
While this might not be feasible for all employers, providing a more flexible working environment can help your business attract and retain quality employees. Practices such as remote working and flexi-time, shift the focus from attendance to performance. So long as the job is done well, does it matter whether it was done at the employee’s desk or on their couch? Facilitating these kinds of practices are particularly important for women in the labour market, who might have decided to start a family. An added benefit is that various studies have shown they also reduce overheads, sick days and attrition.

5. Train and Indoctrinate
A top down approach must be applied if your company is to embrace diversity. Employees look to their team leaders, managers and employers and so we must set the tone from the outset. Improving diversity isn’t just about getting a few more women or foreign nationals on the payroll; it’s a cultural shift that must be afforded the attention it needs.

Training is a key part of this. As with any cultural change, employees must be 100% on board with what you are trying to achieve. They must see the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of what you’re doing and understand the role they play in bringing it to fruition.

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When Disney’s remake of The Jungle Book hit the cinemas, I was one of the first people in line to see it. As a child I was fascinated by the movie; by this boy who lived with wild animals and overcame such unheralded challenges, and I wanted my kids to experience the same intrigue I did.

As an adult, sitting in the cinema with an over-sized tub of popcorn I knew I’d never finish, I realised the movie that had captivated me so much as a child, holds just as much sway over me today. The only difference is this time it's because of the valuable HR lessons it provides.

Here are four key lessons The Jungle Book teaches us:

#1. Employee Inclusion
From the outset we see how Mowgli’s engaged and fully integrated relationship with the wolves. They have accepted him as one of their own and treat him just as they would any of the other cubs, despite his obvious differences. The result of this sense of inclusion is a loyalty and commitment to the pack that runs to the very core of our protagonist.

Employers and team leaders would be well advised to promote inclusion of all employees under their watch if they wish to get the very best out of them. Recent research conducted by the Gallup Organization, which appeared in the Harvard Business Review, shows organisations with a high level of engagement report 22% higher productivity, as wells as lower employee absenteeism and attrition.

#2. Encouraging Diversity
As was the case in The Lion King, The Jungle Book too teaches us that every creature in the Jungle, no matter how big or small, plays an important role in a complex cycle that ultimately leads to a flourishing and vibrant environment.  Even in times of hardship and great change, as represented by the long drought in the movie, the animals adapt, acknowledging that their individual survival is dependent on their wellbeing as a collective.
In much the same way, more and more employers today are recognising the multiple benefits of diversity to their organisations. Having a broad range of workers – of different ages, gender, race, experience, sexual orientation, etc – with different viewpoints and skills helps keep a company evolving, recognising new opportunities and delivering results for its shareholders.

In 2015 a report by Grant Thornton demonstrated that boards with women on them consistently out-perform those with just men. Meanwhile an MSCI Report revealed that companies with more women on their boards deliver a 36 percent better return on equity than those lacking board diversity.

#3. Workplace Bullying
Earlier this year a survey we conducted into workplace bullying showed that four in 10 employees have been the victims of some form of workplace bullying at some stage in their careers. Sadly, our research also showed that in 80 percent of cases the victim took no action and the issue was never addressed.

Happily, in The Jungle Book, Sher Khan, the villain of our story, eventually gets his comeuppance. However, the cruel tiger’s intimidating and aggressive behaviour perfectly reflects the devastating impact a bully can have on workplace morale, employee wellbeing and organisational harmony. A decline in any of these areas will ultimately impact on staff turnover and your company’s bottom line.

#4. Role Models
Throughout his time in the Jungle, Mowgli encounters a number of key characters who impact hugely on the man he will ultimately grow-up to be. From Akela, the leader of the wolf pack, who teaches him the importance of unity and team work, to Bhagerra, who places huge value on rules and responsibility, to Baloo, who encourages him to embrace his natural talents and not to fret over the little things.

Role models aren’t just for our childhood or for kids’ stories. As employers and managers we should lead by example, extolling the virtues we hold dearest and encouraging our employees to do likewise. This is where the importance of company culture comes into play. You can’t expect a shop assistant to practice good customer service if she sees you being rude to a client.

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