Recruiting Methods and Their Effects on Cultural Diversity

Introduction

Maintaining cultural diversity in an organization can lead to innovation and an increased competitive advantage in the marketplace. In the past, the term cultural diversity referred to differences in race or religion. Today, the term means much more than that. As the uniqueness of each individual is recognized, cultural diversity has grown to encompass many factors about a person and their background. It is no longer delineated by major lines of color and national origin. This research explores the effects of human resources practices on cultural diversity within an organization.

Cultural Diversity and the Workforce

Racial diversity issues have increased in importance since the Civil Rights Movement of 1964. It was recognized that white, Caucasian males still constituted the majority in the workforce. Until that time, this select group was treated as if they were the only ones of consequence. The workforce and legal environment were structured to promote the advancement of the white male to the exclusion of other groups. Changes that brought about the Civil Rights Movement — and eventual laws promoting equality — were largely the result of a recognition that Black Americans and women made a major contribution to the workforce as well. Diversity issues will continue to grow in importance as minority populations continue to increase (Cox, 1993). They are no longer just a matter of white males, females, and African Americans. Diversity issues now involve Hispanics, East Asians, and individuals of various sexual orientations. Diversity is a key issue in the sustainable development of organizations today.

Diversity comes in two forms. Differences such as race are visible differences — one can immediately recognize the race of certain people through differences in skin color, eye shape, face shape, and hair color. These differences can be the basis of division even before a meeting has occurred. Standard classifications have been developed for categorizing these types of differences (Ely & Thomas, 2007). Other differences are more difficult to distinguish. Cultural differences, for instance, represent a type of diversity that is not always easy to identify. Culture operates on many different levels in a person's life. A person may culturally identify with a certain group, sharing in dress, food, and the holidays they celebrate. A person may also have a family culture that dictates their attitudes, viewpoints, and lifestyle. All of these categories fall within the definition of diversity (Ely & Thomas, 2007).

Diversity within a work group generates innovation under certain circumstances. When a group is faced with a particular task, its members will bring different perspectives and problem-solving skills. These various approaches will yield more solutions than if all members of the work group share the same background and ideology (Ely & Thomas, 2007). Diversity breeds creativity in the work group; however, it can also be a source of conflict as various members try to defend their positions and ideas (Ely & Thomas, 2007).

A lack of diversity within a work group can eliminate conflict but also has the potential to limit the group's ability to perform effectively. A group of people with the same ideas and perspectives will not bring as many solutions to the table as one that consists of people with differing ideals and attitudes. Diversity is key to competitive advantage through the presentation of various viewpoints within the group.

The formation of a diverse work group that embraces differences in opinion and perspective — leading to greater competitive advantage and innovation — requires a certain degree of tolerance among its members. They must not only listen to the opinions of others but respect and embrace those differences. This requires comfort with one's own thoughts and beliefs. A functionally diverse work group welcomes the inflow of new perspectives and attitudes, seeing these differences as opportunities to learn from others and to view their own beliefs and problem-solving methods in new ways.

One type of diverse work group can move beyond mere functionality into the realm of thriving. However, if certain members harbor biased feelings against a particular culture, they can create chaos and bring the group to a standstill. Discrimination and bigotry are counter to tolerance and acceptance. From a human resources perspective, it is easy to see which type of group would be most beneficial for the company. The question is how to achieve diversity within the work group without resorting to discriminatory policies and processes.

Human Resources and Diversity Strategy

Diversity and its effect on organizational competitiveness has dominated research during the past several decades. Dissimilarity between different cultural groups creates conflict both within and outside of the workforce. This conflict can influence decisions about whether to maintain membership in a group or organization, or whether to break ties with a cultural group (Jackson & Joshi, 2001). In this way, diversity issues have an impact on organizational turnover rates. High conflict over diversity within a group leads to high turnover, which affects profitability through the loss of experienced workers and the need to continually replace them. By contrast, organizations that effectively manage diversity issues gain many benefits, including increased productivity, lower absenteeism rates, and innovation that leads to increased competitive advantage (Jackson & Joshi, 2001).

As these findings make clear, diversity issues have a major impact on organizations. For this reason, human resources must take a proactive stance on diversity. In a study involving the banking industry, it was found that diversity could be either positive or negative depending on the context in which it is treated within a group (Richard, McMillan, Chadwick, & Dwyer, 2003). This study suggests that organizations can play an active role in shaping how diversity issues are addressed.

In a study exploring the concerns of various managers regarding diversity issues, several key areas were identified. Concerns varied among different groups within the workforce. For instance, major diversity issues concerning Asians centered on stereotyping, networking, mentoring, and targeted advertising and marketing. Among women, issues centered on networking, career advancement, work/life balance, and organizational commitment to advancing women. Among Black employees, issues centered on representation in the workforce, retention, networking, education, and training. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals faced legal issues more than other groups; of key concern were domestic partner benefits and access to online self-identification resources (Thomas, 2004). These examples illustrate how diversity issues affect different groups from a strategic standpoint.

Organizations must comply with laws regarding diversity, but as the literature reveals, there are many additional benefits to proactively addressing diversity in the workforce. The work of Thomas (2004) highlights the importance of developing targeted strategies for the various groups within an organization. Avery and McKay (2006) conducted research on how to attract female and other minority job applicants and found that managing organizational impressions, recruitment strategies, marketing strategies, and psychological framing all play important roles in attracting diverse candidates.

Today's laws and social context underscore the importance of maintaining certain levels of diversity within the organization. However, as this literature review demonstrates, maintaining diversity can be challenging, and the results are not always positive. Diversity can have a negative impact as well as a positive one, depending on how it is handled. Policies that promote diversity are one part of the equation, but policies alone do not guarantee that the organization will receive the full benefits of diversity. The organization must also strive to cultivate a culture that genuinely promotes diversity.

Conclusion

The purpose of this research was to explore the effects of cultural diversity on organizational recruitment. It was found that recruitment techniques and job seeker experiences with the recruiter play an important role in attracting minority employees. The job seeker must feel that the organization has a positive attitude and a culture that supports cultural diversity. It was also found that if the company fails to live up to those expectations once the employee is hired, high turnover rates can result. High turnover due to cultural conflict can have a negative impact on the ability to attract other minority workers in the future.

The key finding of this research is that recruitment extends far beyond the hiring process. Recruiting a diverse workforce means managing diversity issues throughout the organization and cultivating a culture that promotes innovation and cooperation. One-on-one experiences play a key role in developing positive attitudes toward diversity within the organization. Recruitment and the continual management of cultural issues work together to set the tone for the entire organization. First impressions are important, but they are not the end of the recruitment process. Recruitment extends into human resource activities that go well beyond the initial hire. Maintaining a positive experience regarding workforce diversity is one of the most important factors in sustaining continued positive outcomes within the workforce — outcomes that in turn lead to greater diversity and innovation. Prioritizing a positive attitude toward diversity issues remains one of the most critical elements of any effective human resource strategy.

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