Consultant shows firms importance of diversity

To Jody Alyn, diversity in the workplace goes beyond what comes to mind for most — having employees of various races, genders, religions and sexual orientations.

“Diversity is the value of attributes, backgrounds, cultures, identities and ideas people bring to their workplaces, schools and communities,” said Alyn, a local independent consultant who specializes in organizational development and diversity strategies. “And inclusiveness is the behavior of welcoming that variety and valuing each person for who they are so they can make a full contribution to the mission.”

Alyn, 53, grew up in San Antonio, and from an early age has been involved in equality issues, building community coalitions and advocacy.

From 2000 to 2002, she served as the diversity coordinator for the city of Colorado Springs and now teaches companies how to create and implement diversity plans.

She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology and has lived in Colorado Springs 35 years.

QUESTION: Why should businesses care about diversity?

ANSWER: Demographically, we’re changing as a community and as a nation. We’re also competing in a global economy. To be effective in business, you have to be able to connect with the people you’re doing business with, both inside and outside the organization.

Data show companies with good diversity practices outperform the Standard & Poor’s 500. When companies win awards for best places to work, their stock prices go up. When they’re involved in a lawsuit, their stock prices go down. It’s simple economics. It’s also simple human decency. We shouldn’t forget organizations exist to serve people in some way.

Q: What does a diversity strategy enable a company to do?

A: You can unearth untapped markets. You have reduced costs from lawsuits and turnover. You have increased assets from greater production and innovation.

Q: How does diversity in the workplace extend beyond having employees with different backgrounds?

A: It’s about how you help people with diverse backgrounds work together once they’re in the door. So the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

Q: What are some common mistakes companies make?

A: Not defining diversity. Not creating a common language around the goals, objectives and culture they want to build. If people don’t know what diversity means and what’s expected of them, they can’t get behind it. Another mistake is seeing diversity as a program rather than a way of thinking and doing business.

Q: What should companies do?

A: Define their reasons for a diversity plan using a common language. Make sure everyone’s on board, from top down and bottom up. Create a diverse team to oversee and customize the diversity effort to fit your workplace culture. If your staff has a hard time getting away from duties for a day of training, create options that allow them to gain and demonstrate new knowledge on a different schedule, or in a different format.

Q: Where do companies start?

A: With leadership walking the walk and allocating resources to show they’re serious. Even on the most limited budgets, though, companies should develop a strategy that has a vision and goals that affect every aspect of business. The strategy should address cultural change — a way to integrate diversity principles into everything your business does.

Q: What are a few tips?

A: Start conversations. Talk in staff meetings and over lunch about what your company is doing well and what it could do better. Make sure your policies, procedures and practices align with your diversity goals. For example, look at every job description to see what requirements are important to include and what might restrict the applicant pool.

Q: What’s the goal?

A: To have individuals and institutions that respect, understand and value human differences in a way that allows them to tap into this vast resource. We need to be conscious about how we invite people into our organizations and create insiders, not outsiders. The result is you get a competitive edge.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0235 or debbie.kelley@gazette.com.

Answers are edited for space and clarity. Send suggestions for a Q & A subject to joanna.bean@gazette.com.