How to Recruit

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How to Recruit Hire a Diverse Workforce

• Vallerie Maurice, Director
• Multicultural Diversity
• Assistant to the Chancellor
• LSU AgCenter

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Pathway to Diversity 10/91Pathway to Diversity
Reaffirmed 10/93
The Emphasis on Diversity in the Cooperative
Extension System
Extensions EMPHASIS ON DIVERISTY addresses the
many dimensions of diversity that are already a
feature of the mosaic society present in our
Nation, states, and territories. Its mission is
to achieve and sustain pluralism as an integral
part of every aspect of Extension mission and
vision work force programs audiences and
relationships with other people, groups, and
organizations. Many organizations have a diverse
work force and diverse program audiencesbut are
not necessarily multicultural organizations. The
EMPHASIS ON DIVERSITY is designed to move
Extension to being a multicultural organization
that values diversity and pluralism.
(Pluralism is defined as an organizational
culture that incorporates mutual respect,
acceptance, teamwork, and productivity among
people who are diverse in the dimensions of human
differences listed above as diversity.)
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EEO/AA and the Emphasis on Diversity
DIFFERENCES

• EEO/AA
• Government initiated
• Legally driven
• Problem/prevention focused
• Focus on program and employment neutrality
• Assumes assimilation
• Reactive/proactive

• EMPHASIS ON DIVERSITY
• Extension initiated
• Productivity/effectiveness/relevance driven
• Opportunity focused
• Focus on work and program environment and the use
  of work force skills
• Assumes pluralism
• Proactive

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Toward a Multicultural Organization

• Recruiting and Hiring a more diverse work force
  as current staff leave or retire.
• Developing, training, and evaluating methods to
  assist current staff in their efforts to work
  with diverse programs and audiences.
• Developing reward and recognition systems that
  acknowledge staff at all levels who provide
  affective educational programs for diverse
  audiences.

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Business Case for Diversity

• Focusing on diversity and looking for more ways
  to be a truly inclusive organization one that
  makes full use of the contributions of all
  employees is not just a nice idea it is good
  business sense that yields greater productivity
  and competitive advantage.

(Society for Human Resource Management)
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Business Case for Diversity - Key factors

• Diversity Initiatives can improve the quality of
  your organizations workforce and can be the
  catalyst for a better return on your investment
  in human capital.
• Capitalize on new markets client bases are
  becoming even more diverse than the workforce
• Recognized diversity initiatives and diversity
  results will attract the best and the brightest
  employees to a company
• Increased creativity
• Flexibility ensures survival

(Society for Human Resource Management)
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Business Case for Diversity - Questions

• What are the demographics of your client base?
  (e.g. age, income, gender, education, ethnicity,
  etc.)
• How many languages are spoken by your clients?
• How much does employee turnover cost your
  institution?
• How much does your institution spend annually on
  recruitment?
• How much have discrimination/harassment suits
  cost your institution in the past year (in both
  legal fees and settlements)?
• How frequently does intergroup conflict arise?
• Is there a high level of turnover among certain
  employee groups?
• Are your policies and benefits attractive to
  potential diverse recruits?
• Is your organization losing top talent because
  people do not feel valued, included or heard?
• Do all employees feel that their talents and
  skills are well rewarded?
• Is there some career advancement possibility for
  employees and a focus on developing people
  internally?
• Is diversity reflected in your procurement
  policies and among your suppliers?

(Society for Human Resource Management)
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• People gravitate toward people like themselves.
• People hire people like themselves.
• Everyone looks for someone they believe fits into
  their community.
• Do small communities change much over time?
• Can people learn to tolerate others overtime?

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Important Steps to Diversity Recruitment and
Hiring

• Culture of the Institution
• Perception of the Institution
• Recruitment of Diverse Applicant Pool
• Preparing the Search Committee
• Preparing Stakeholders
• Preparing the Faculty and Staff
• Actual Hire Acclimating the New Hiree
• Mentoring

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Culture of the Institution

• Is the institution culturally competent?
• Does your organization reflect the cultures of
  all employees and potential employees?
• Is the language inclusive?
• Dont make assumptions!

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Perception of the Institution

• Public perception of a good organization is an
  important intangible asset. This is also true of
  its perception by minority communities. What is
  the perception of your organization in these
  communities? Does your institution embrace these
  communities?

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Recruitment of a Diverse Applicant Pool

• A positive perception of your institution aids in
  the recruitment of a diverse applicant pool and
  sets the foundation to recruit the best and the
  brightest
• Consistent interactions with minority communities
  is a necessity.
• Utilize all minority institutions
• Utilize local, state and national organizations
  and web sites (e.g. MANNRS)
• Offer student internships
• Brochures, etc.

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Preparing the Search Committee

• Policies/Procedures
• Culturally Competent
• Seriously consider needed requirements (e.g.
  disciplines of students, etc.)
• Review and seriously consider changing
  demographics
• Screen all minority candidates

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Preparing Stakeholders

• When hiring someone of a different background,
  the county and surrounding counties will receive
  calls and questions as to the abilities of the
  new and different person. People can be fearful.
  It is our responsibility to educate and use our
  influence to acquire assistance from stakeholders
  to create a successful diversity hire (of the
  best and the brightest).

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Preparing the Faculty and Staff

• Policies/Procedures
• Expectations everyone must help the new person.
• Positively greeting new hirees
• Lobby/Building set-up (e.g. brochures, magazines)
• 75 words/phrases most important to know (e.g.
  Spanish language, etc.)
• (Be tenacious!)

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Actual Hire Acclimating the New Hire

• Discuss Policies/Procedures written and
  unwritten
• Provide constant names for all key areas in which
  employee will have contact (e.g. accounting,
  etc.)
• Provide mentors
• Introduce to key stakeholders

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Mentoring

• Create a formalized Mentoring Program
• Use persons of color if at all possible
• If not, use culturally competent individuals who
  want to mentor
• Identify secondary mentors
• Provide leadership training opportunities to all
• Review the progress from both the mentor and
  mentee