Leaders in Global Equality and Diversity since 1962
A World of Difference
ORC's Monthly Newsletter for Diversity and Inclusion Specalists Making a Difference in Their Organizations. Sign up for ORC Worldwide's Global EDI mailing list.
August 2009
Age is Focus of Attention in US and UK
Age is one dimension of diversity receiving a lot of attention on both sides of the Atlantic recently. In July, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held hearings on age discrimination. EEOC's acting chairman Stuart Ishimaru noted that 25% of all EEOC charges include an age component. Charges specifically related to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) rose 29% last year.
One of the reasons for the increase in age discrimination claims is the increase in layoffs which may hit older workers especially hard. At the July hearing, EEOC released Understanding Waivers of Discrimination Claims in Employee Severance Agreements, a document intended to help workers determine whether or not to sign a waiver of discrimination claims in exchange for a severance arrangement.
As part of its age strategy, the U.K. government announced this month it would conduct its review of the default retirement age earlier than planned. This is the latest in a series of announcements following publication of the Government's plan, Building Britain's Future. It follows major reforms responding to demographic change, including the Turner Reforms to the pension system, a measure to outlaw age discrimination in the new Equality Bill, and the new Care and Support Green Paper published on 14th July.
Competencies for Diversity & Inclusion Professionals
At the July meeting of the Workforce Opportunity Network (WON), members had a chance to dig into ORC's competency model for diversity and inclusion professionals. The model defines the success factors required in order to fulfill diversity leaders' key roles—being a change agent, a leader, and a coach for other executives. It further breaks down the fundamental skills and knowledge on which those success factors depend. You can use the competency model to assess your own strengths and weaknesses and map out a development plan for yourself or for members of your team. The model is also useful for drawing up hiring criteria for new diversity and inclusion staff, determining performance measurement and promotion criteria, and putting together teams of individuals whose capabilities complement one another.
Best Practice of the Month: Measure and Publicize the Impact of Employee Networks
Many companies track intermediate measures, such as the number of hours Employee Network members volunteer for community projects, the number of members who attend network events, evaluation of development programmes offered to members through the networks. But measuring and publicizing the impact networks have on the business can go a long way to ensuring future support for the networks and giving them the tools to make more of a difference to the organisation.
Measures that represent the impact of Employee Networks on the business might include:
- Number of employees hired through Network participation in recruiting or outreach
- Percent of Network members promoted
- Percent of participants in Network-sponsored mentoring or development programmes who are promoted
- Improvement in academic performance of students mentored by Network members
- Revenue from products developed with the help of Network members
- Retention rates over time of Network members
- Improvement in offer acceptance rate for job candidates who meet with Network members
For more on getting the most out of employee networks, see ORC's Best Practice Guide, Cultivating Grassroots: Managing Employee Affinity Groups, in the Knowledge Center.
NOTE: ORC's Mary Martinez will be discussing the latest developments in managing and leveraging employee networks at the World Diversity Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, on September 16.
New in the Knowledge Center
The latest ORC Diversity and Inclusion Best Practice Guide is now available in the ORC EDI Knowledge Center. The Cream of the Crop: Diversifying Senior Leadership offers proven strategies and tactics for increasing the diversity of your organisation's senior leadership team. It is free to members of ORC's equality, diversity and inclusion networks. (Members of other ORC Networks receive half off the cover price.)
