Workplace Diversity and Inclusiveness - Diversity,
Immigrants, Gen Y and New Technologies
Wendy Cukier
MA, MBA, PhD, DU (hon), LLD (hon), M.S.C.
Associate Dean, Business
Founder, The Diversity Institute
Ryerson University
AGENDA
1. The Business Case for Diversity
2. Effecting Change
 - Organizational Strategies
 - Social Innovation and Change
 - Personal Strategies
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WHAT IS DIVERSITY?
“All forms of individual differences, including race,
ethnicity, culture, gender, age, marital status,
religious beliefs, educational background, stage in
career, physical and mental ability, personality,
social status and sexual orientation”
Effective management of diversity promotes a fair
and equitable work place and is critical to
organizational performance
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Under-representation persists
• Immigrants are under-employed in Canada.
 Earn 85% of Canadian born in spite of having higher
levels of education
 Face barriers to career advancement
• Visible minorities were16% of the population in 2006
 Only 44% of corporate boards had at least 1 visible
minority director
 In 2006, 7.8% of all Members of Parliament were visible
minorities
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Gender wage gap persists
In 1980 women earned 60.2% of men’s wages
Now women earn 81% of men’s wages
BUT in Canada visible minority women earn
64% and Aboriginal women earn 46% of
men’s wages
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Representation of Leaders (DI and Maytree,
2009)
• GTA - 49.5 % visible minorities
• Just 13% of 3257 leaders were visible minorities
• Education sector was the most diverse, and the
corporate sector least
• Overall, women represented 38% of leaders
• Similar pattern; women best represented in
education sector (59%) and least in corporate sector
(15%)
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The “Glass Ceiling” Persists
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Women are under-represented in technology
Percentage of Females Enrolled in University Programs
(1985/86-2004/05)
60%
50%
Commerce, Bus. Admin. etc.
Percent
40%
Computer Science
Mathematics
30%
Civil Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
20%
Engineering, General
10%
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03
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02
20
01
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99
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98
Year
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96
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95
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93
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92
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91
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90
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89
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88
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87
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85
-
86
0%
The Business Case?
1. Addressing the Labour Shortage
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Aging population = critical skill shortages
By the year 2011, 100% of workforce growth in Canada
will be fuelled by immigration
Higher percentage of immigrants are visible minorities
Changing generational values regarding work-life
Our ability to integrate immigrants is critical to business
success and national competitiveness
2. Enhancing employee productivity
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There are significant gaps in the satisfaction of mid
career visible minority versus white employees in
large Canadian firms (Yap, 2008)
36% of gay employees will change careers in the
face of discrimination (Stonewall, 2008)
Career satisfaction is linked to retention, loyalty,
retention and productivity
Gen Y’s have different values, motivations and tools
3. Growing diversity of markets
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•
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Markets are increasingly diversified - immigrant
advantage
Women buy cars and drink beer
“Pink Dollar” is worth $75 billion per year in Canada
Technology use is changing: social media (web 2.0)
revolution
Matching diversity of workforce to diversity of markets
provides an advantage
4. Harnessing Diversity = Innovation
• Diversity and creativity are linked
• “Innovation comes from a deep understanding of
customers not just R&D spending” – Booz Allen
• “Creative City” - Richard Florida et. al.
• Multiple perspectives provide better solutions
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5. Risk Avoidance
• Recent Ontario Human Rights cases relate to
GLBT issues
• Pay equity decisions
• Lawsuits
• Negative effects on REPUTATION
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BARRIERS:
FOCUS ON ORGANIZATIONS
Individual
Group
Organization
Sector
Social
Environment
•“Hidden” Job Market and Exclusion from informal networks
•Language and “communication” norms concerning “self promotion”
•Lack of recognition of international credentials
• Catch 22: No Canadian experience
•Access to Mentors and Role Models
•Stereotypes of leadership eg. “Think Manager, Think Male”
•Boomer styles of work and management: workaholic culture
•Multiple Roles : 25% male CEOs have partners working outside the
home compared to 75% of female CEOs
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Chilly Climate? (DI and Catalyst, 2007)
White/Caucasian
Respondents
Survey Items:
Visible Minority Respondents
% Somewhat/Strongly Agree
% Somewhat/Strongly Agree
Men
Women
Men
Women
I believe “who you know” (or who
knows you”) is more important than
“what you know” when deciding
who gets development opportunities
in my organizations.
54%
60%
67%
72%
I feel like I am held to a higher
performance standard than peers in
my organization.
33%
35%
46%
47%
In my organization, people tend to
recommend people of their own
ethnicity for high-visibility
assignments.
9%
11%
33%
30%
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Generational Culture Gap
Boomers
Cohort Experiences Psychographic
Work style
Vietnam War, Rock
and Roll, Viagra
Value:
achievement,
accomplishment,
discipline and
openness.
Task orientation
Understand and respect
hierarchy
Highly individualistic
Media use
Achievement driven
AIDS, MTV, 9/11, 2
career, doting,
workaholic (?)
parents
Value: freedom,
customization, me
and my friends;
choice.
Curiosity-driven
Highly social
Wikis - crowd-sourcing
Media creation
1946-1964
Net Gen
1978-1996
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BARRIERS: SOCIETAL
Individual
Group
Organization
Sector
Social
Environment
• Organizations do not exist in a vacuum
• Cultural “carriers” reinforce values and stereotypes
• Legislative and regulatory barriers: eg. definitions of
spouse and marriage
• Policies: eg. parental leave, universal daycare
• Socialization and self efficacy
• Representation in the media: eg. women are seldom
“experts”
Representation for women will have profound consequences
on whether or not women are perceived as competent leaders,
because "authority is not recognized by these shows. It is
created by these shows.“ – Marie Wilson
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BARRIERS: INDIVIDUAL
Individual
Group
Organization
Sector
Social
Environment
• Cultural Differences
eg. Communication and Negotiation Styles
• Some cultures value modesty, deference to authority,
economy of expression versus “self promotion”
• Aspirations: role models, media effects
• Socialization :
 Grade 3: girls outperform boys in English and math. Boys are more
likely to say they are good at English and Math
 Women Don’t Ask “Women are less likely to negotiate starting
salary sacrificing over $500,000 in earnings over their career” – Babcock
& Laschever, 2002
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AN ECOLOGICAL MODEL OF CHANGE
Individual
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Group
Organization
Sector
Social
Environment
1. CREATE INCLUSIVE
ORGANIZATIONS
Individual
Group
Organization
Sector
Social
Environment
•Top management commitment
•Embed diversity through the value chain
•People practices:
•recruitment, promotions, mentoring, development, informal networks
•Inclusive work conditions
•work schedules, job titles, physical environment; technological tools
•good for women, good for Gen Y, good for business
•Tie management compensation to diversity targets
•COUNT COUNT COUNT: what gets measured gets done!
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Degree of Formalization
The Diversity Curve
Hi tech and
Federally
regulated
- Recognize overt
and systemic
- Integrated policies
- Metrics
- Work environment is
competitive advantage
SME Manufacturing
- Little recognition of problem
- No policies
- No metrics
% of Senior Executives
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2. SOCIAL CHANGE AND
INNOVATION
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Individual
Group
Organization
Sector
Commit to change at all levels
Government Policy and Services
Media Representation
Socialization of Girls
Organizations can help change the cultural environment
 - Leverage buying power and influence
 - Communicate BUSINESS CASE
 - Promote real representation
 - Advocate for diversity friendly policies and services
 - Support knowledge building and sharing
 - Align philanthropic practices and sponsorships
 - Leverage recruiting power, e.g., hold educational
institutions accountable
Social
Environment
3. DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL
STRATEGY
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Individual
Group
Organization
Develop and nurture networks
Find a mentor, be a mentor
Focus on results - “Display your excellence”
Negotiation skills!
Making your differences a source of strength
Remember your EQ and OQ must match your IQ
Understand your sphere of influence
Take risks but judge how far to “push the envelope”
REMEMBER: Even within organizations, functional
environments are not homogeneous
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Sector
Social
Environment
New Images of Leadership
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Promising Signs: Times are Changing
Meg Whitman,
CEO, eBay Canada
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Elyse Allen,
CEO, GE Canada
Indra Nooyi,
CEO Pepsi
Maureen Kempston
Darkes, former
CEO, GM Canada
New styles of working
• Creating, Connecting, Collaborating,
Multi-tasking…….
• New tools – texting, wikis, blogs,
twitter, flickr, YouTube…
• New approaches – contests, user
generated content, America’s top
everything
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The way forward
We have made progress – the glass is half full
More is needed – the glass is half empty
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Contact
The Diversity Institute in Management & Technology
Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University
350 Victoria Street
Toronto, Ontario, M5B 2K3
Website: www.ryerson.ca/diversity
Email: diversityinstitute@ryerson.ca
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