In the past twenty years an increasing number of multicultural professionals (MCPs) have entered all facets of the workforce. And in the past decade a significantly higher number of MCP women have entered technical, professional and managerial positions. That is the good news and cause to celebrate!

More challenging is the fact that MCPs are leaving their companies in alarming numbers, at rates higher than Caucasian males and females. It is not uncommon that the attrition rate for MCPs can be three times greater than Caucasian males and twice that of Caucasian females.

Data from two recent studies on retention for African American technical managers and multicultural women suggests that this trend is going to continue. Results from a study of 1500 multicultural women from 16 Fortune 1000 companies indicate that 33% have actively looked for another job with other companies. More alarming is that 42% of these women, who were directors and managers, were considering leaving their companies. Results of a recent survey conducted by the National Society for Black Engineers indicates that 71% of the respondents, who were African American technologists (engineers, computer scientists, etc.), were considering leaving their organizations.

Companies are struggling to keep these employees. Increased recruiting costs and the competitive job market make it difficult and expensive to replace this valuable, intellectual human resource. Unfortunately, many of these MCPs do not see themselves as valuable resources and are leaving their employers to work for the competition, to return to school, to start their own business, or to change their careers entirely.

Why are MCPs leaving?

1. Companies and organizations do not present a compelling reason for MCPs to stay
2. MCPs are subjected to stereotypes that have an adverse impact and are career limiting
3. Poor quality supervision and frequent supervisory changes
4. Unclear misaligned career paths
5. Job dissatisfaction, shifting criteria for competencies, mastery and demonstration of leadership
6. Mismatched perception of job entitlement and tolerance levels

Author: Vanessa J. Weaver, PHD

Source: MOSAICS: SHRM Focuses on Workplace Diversity

July/August 2001

Managing a diverse workforce? Think of yourself as a chef creating one dish from many ingredients. You could make fondue, melting ingredients together until they are indistinguishable - a good choice for military commanders whose units must perform as one. But since most groups fare better by letting their individuals stand out, why not make stew? With stew, ingredients combine to form one hearty meal, but you can still pick out the potatoes and carrots. Here are some cooking tips:

Choose ingredients wisely. People don't have to look, think, or even perform alike to work well together. When hiring, set an example by focusing solely on skills and shared organizational values. Regardless of their backgrounds, it's easier for people to blend in if their talents benefit the group as a whole.

Let each ingredient exert its flavor. You may loathe the stud in Dina's nose, the stars on Shelly's acrylic nails, or Ben's goatee and ponytail. But if their quirks don't interfere with work or violate a dress code necessary to your business, bite your tongue.

Use your own best judgement. Consider these true examples: Although he disagreed, a division head honored a request to remove an African-American from a team because he might make a conservative client uncomfortable. However, another manager refused to remove a longhaired worker from a team because his appearance might offend Japanese clients. What happened? The division head wound up with a resentful and deeply divided staff - while the longhaired worker was warmly accepted by the Japanese. The lesson: Don't let other cooks spoil your dish.

-Suggested by an article in the Salt Lake City Deseret News

Selecting and hiring the right trainer is crucial to your diversity efforts, but it can be a tough choice, especially if you and your workforce are uninformed about or skeptical of diversity issues. Here are some pertinent questions to ask potential trainers:

• How long have you been a diversity trainer? Experience is no guarantee of success, but it helps.

• What organizations have you worked with? Find out how the trainer's previous clients were similar to - and different from - your organization.

• What specifically did you do at those organizations? Insist on clear, concrete examples and case histories. If the response is vague or theoretical, you may want to steer clear of the trainer.

• What problems did you run into? If the trainer claims there were no problems at all, then the training must be superficial. There are almost always obstacles and problems.

• What measurable results were realized? Find out how the trainer measures success. Without some kind of yardstick, the results may not be worth the effort required.

• What do you need to know about the trainees before you begin? The answer to the question will tell you a lot about how deeply the trainer customizes his or her work to the individual client. Find out how this information will affect the process.

• What might cause changes in the contract after the training has started? Ask for examples. As noted above, problems and unforeseen circumstances arise often. Find out about the possible time and cost implications.

• What sort of environment do you aim for in a training session? The wrong environment will alienate employees. Find out how the trainer goes about creating a healthy environment.

• What experiences have you had with trainees who resist? Sometimes employees become hostile or abusive, or simply indicate that they think the training is a waste of time. Find out how the trainer has dealt with people like this in the past.

• Who's responsible for what? You need to know the individual responsibilities of the trainer, your organization, your employees, and so forth.

• What would we need to do to get the most out of your training? The better you can prepare yourself and your workforce, the more effective the training will be.

• What experience have you had with situation X? You would find out what kind of work the trainer has done dealing with the specific diversity issue you want to address - racism, homophobia, etc.

-Adapted from the Workforce Online Web site