MARKET DATA, BEST PRACTICES, ADVICE

KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST HERE

Don’t Make These Diversity Mistakes in Your Engineering Workplace

A diverse workforce at your engineering organization plays a key role in fostering the kind of company culture that leads to improved employee morale and ultimately higher productivity. Additionally, the company will be better able to attract talented emerging professionals as well as retain your current staff. On the other hand, implementing a diversity program needs to be done correctly to prevent any efforts from simply being wasted.

Here is a look at a few mistakes to avoid when championing diversity at your engineering office. Leverage these insights to ensure success in your endeavor.

Watch Out for Analysis Paralysis

Don’t let too much analysis actually prevent your company from implementing a diversity program. This includes the fear of failure concerning the program itself. Any PR hit suffered by the organization due to a mistake would likely be worse if sued for discrimination for not having a diversity policy in place.

It is vital to recognize the need for diversity and inclusion in the engineering field. Even more important is to actually react to the problem in a significant – and quick – manner.

A Formalized Approach to D&I works best

Companies can’t expect to be successful by taking an informal approach to workforce diversity. Caroline Stokes, an executive headhunter and organizational coach, commented on this problem.

“For large legacy companies, diversity and inclusion needs to be formalized as the culture needs to adapt. The mistake I’ve seen is that often external partner companies aren’t informed of this, which has created some employer brand PR catastrophes,” said Stokes.

Avoid “One Size Fits All” Diversity Plans

Group diversity training isn’t always the best approach and may cause more problems than solutions, according to Nicola Crawford, CFIRM, Chair of the Institute of Risk Management. “A mixture of team building and training can foster better working relationships and an understanding of the subject,” said Crawford.

A Diversity Policy Is Only the First Step

Simply instituting a policy for diversity and inclusion isn’t enough. Your organization needs to follow through with a tangible effort to make your engineering office more diverse. Instead of merely an edict from HR, it must be a company-wide focus.

Additionally, remember that diversity and inclusion are two separate concepts. Embrace the diversity within your staff and ensure all qualified professionals are welcome to join your engineering team.

When you need additional insights on building a talented and diverse team at your organization, talk to the experts at Venteon. As one of the leading engineering staffing agencies in Michigan, we maintain a robust supply of qualified candidates. Schedule some time with us soon!

 

 

Share It

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn