Diversity

Diversity
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Sponsorships
Organisations are evolving beyond
mentoring programmes towards
sponsorship as a means to help
level the playing field for underrepresented
groups. Sponsors serve
a different purpose to mentors
or coaching – they advocate for
the advancement of people in the
workplace, championing their
work and potential with other
senior leaders, helping them to
secure optimal work allocation and
opportunities to be more visible.
Sponsorship is of particular help to
women in the workplace and many
relationships focus on women helping
other women to gain profile at work.
Returnships
Returnships are a relatively recent
development. Essentially, it is a
professional internship designed
specifically for people, most
often women, returning after
an extended career break. The
position is relatively short-term,
usually six months or so, and it
allows the returner to refresh their
existing skills and experience
while deciding whether they want
to return permanently to such
a role. Returnships provide the
returner with an opportunity to
build their confidence and gain
recent experience for their CV, while
employers benefit from gaining
access to the skills of experienced
professionals.
Inter-generational networks
While many organisations were
fearful of the impact millennials
would have in the workplace, the
more forward-thinking embraced the
change and developed programmes
to integrate existing and new
generations. Such programmes
include reciprocal mentoring, where
younger people partner with longer
serving ones to achieve specific
business objectives. Generally, the
younger person teaches the older
person about the power of technology
to drive business results while the
For diversity and inclusion work to really be
successful and really break through, it absolutely
can’t be an initiative that is buried in HR. Diversity
and inclusion absolutely has to be an integral part of
culture and part of everything that we do.
longer serving person shares their
experience and organisational capital.
Over time, millennials will become
a demographic bridge between
Generation X and subsequent, more
diverse generations at work. The
ability of millennials to advocate and
become accepted will be key to the
successful transition from diversity
to inclusiveness.
Accessibility
Trinity College Dublin established
the first third-level programme for
people with an intellectual disability
in Ireland. The Trinity Centre for
People with Intellectual Disabilities
provides access to education and
ultimately to the workplace to people
who previously would have been
excluded from both. Employers such
as Bank of Ireland have recognised
the contribution that can be made by
those from such marginalised groups.
Promoting familyfriendly
policies
Most fathers in the workplace belong
to a generation of men who place
more value on work-life balance and
taking time off with their children.
Yet most family-friendly policies
tend to be aimed at women and it is
usually women who end up leaving
the workforce to care for children
or ageing parents. President and
CEO of New America, Anne-Marie
Slaughter, and Facebook COO, Sheryl
Sandberg, agree that, in order to
support women’s progression in the
workplace, men must be allowed to
take more responsibility at home.
Organisations are beginning to
encourage male employees to avail
of family-friendly practices by
“normalising” such practice. In the
US, Facebook offers four months of
paid leave to both male and female
employees. Its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg,
made a very public statement by
taking two months’ paternity leave
when his daughter was born.
Conclusion
The key to creating a diverse
workplace is really quite simple.
The starting point is to look beyond
compliance and do what is right,
rather than what is required. The
role of senior management is to
set the tone, to educate people and
empower them to act; to make them
accountable and trust them to do the
right thing. Then, pay real attention
to the results.
Intel’s Chief Diversity Officer,
Danielle Brown, suggests that,
“For diversity and inclusion work
to really be successful and really
break through, it absolutely can’t
be an initiative that is buried in HR.
Diversity and inclusion absolutely has
to be an integral part of culture and
part of everything that we do.”
With the implementation of
such positive initiatives and future
generations shifting attitudes and
expectations, workplaces are being
reshaped to become not just diverse
but inclusive, closing the circle so
that the term ‘equality’ reclaims its
real meaning – the state of being
equal, especially in status, rights
or opportunities.
DAWN LEANE
Dawn Leane is Director of People
and Resources at Chartered
Accountants Ireland.
www.accountancyireland.ie