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Gartner Says IT and HR Leaders Must Implement IT Diversity Programs to Capitalize on the Diverse IT Workplace |
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| Analysts Say Companies Should Embrace Diversity to Sustain a Competitive Advantage |
STAMFORD, Conn. 14 November 2005 - With an increasing global economy and the corporate strategies of global sourcing of labor, it is imperative for companies to implement IT diversity programs to obtain a competitive position in the global market, according to Gartner, Inc.
In the Gartner report “Managing IT Workforce Diversity: Maintaining the Competitive Edge,” Gartner analysts examine the new dimensions of workplace diversity and provide strategic and tactical guidance on developing and implementing successful IT workplace diversity initiatives.
“Whether companies are trying to gain access to new customer bases domestically, are expanding business into international markets, are moving into a global IT sourcing model, or are simply facing the challenge of recruiting and retaining the best and brightest people in the market, managing diversity must become a part of their strategic kit to maintain the competitive edge in this increasingly diverse and complex business world,” said Lily Mok, research director for Gartner.
Valuing diversity has become a management philosophy that is critical to not only attract but also retain the best talent available. True diversity is exemplified by companies that attract people who are “different” not just in their looks but in who they are - knowing and valuing that they will change the way they do business.
Diversity is often defined differently from company to company based on individual organizational needs. Valuing diversity means to encompass every characteristic and experience, whether they are visible or invisible, that defines each individual's talent desired by the organization to achieve its objectives.
“Valuing diversity requires proactive changes into a culture of inclusion - a true appreciation of one another - and new attitudes and behaviors toward respect for both individual similarities and differences,” Ms. Mok said. “Because of the underlying cultural differences, different parts of the world tend to define or interpret the term ‘diversity’ very differently.”
IT and HR leaders need to follow a set of processes to gain commitment and support from the entire organization for the success of diversity initiatives. Gartner has identified five key initiatives that organizations should implement to embrace diversity.
First, implement an organization-readiness assessment. This assessment will help leaders identify potential problems in organizational culture, work processes and human capital management (HCM) systems that may hinder a diversity effort. “It also ensures that IT and HR leaders select the right diversity approaches that are most likely to gain acceptance and commitment throughout the organization,” Ms. Mok said. “The assessment can be done through a combination of an employee opinion survey, one-on-one interviews and/or focus groups.”
Secondly, the diversity strategy and initiative must align with the business and IT strategy. It is important to build a strong business case that clearly articulates why, what, who and how the diversity initiative contributes to the achievement of current and future IT and business objectives. The results from the organizational readiness assessment need to be integrated into the business case.
Thirdly, determine the right approach to successfully implement the diversity strategy. “IT and business leaders need to ensure that the chosen diversity approach is the most relevant one for their particular organization's circumstances,” Ms. Mok said. “It should effectively acknowledge similarities as well as differences at the individual, interpersonal and organizational level that are valuable to the success of the business.”
Fourth, integrate diversity approaches with key HCM practices in an effort to create a total rewards proposition for the talent the company is trying to attract and retain. IT and HR leaders will be called on to determine to what extent the trend of global sourcing and the changes in workforce size and demographic compositions may impact the IT organization, and re-examine the current HCM practices to proactively respond to these emerging trends.
The fifth critical element is to get the commitment from leadership and management teams. Managers need to incorporate “emotional intelligence” into their leadership and management styles to effectively manage diversity and build a high-performing IT organization.
Successful diversity initiatives not only contain a well-articulated business case for the strategy to build on, but also include a set of clearly-defined metrics to assess effectiveness in key areas that diversity will have significant impact on once the initiative is implemented.
“The use of metrics enables IT and HR leaders to constantly evaluate the outcomes of a diversity initiative against the original business case, and make necessary adjustments to the processes and/or approaches to ensure its overall success,” Ms. Mok said. “The selected metrics also need to be clear and straightforward for everyone in the organization to understand and follow through to ensure their buy-in and support.”
For additional information on the report “Managing IT Workforce Diversity: Maintaining the Competitive Edge” please call 1-888-736-7533 or e-mail surveys@gartner.com.
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About Gartner:
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the leading provider of research and analysis on the global information technology industry. Gartner serves more than 9,000 clients, including chief information officers and other senior IT executives in corporations and government agencies, as well as technology companies and the investment community. The Company focuses on delivering objective, in-depth analysis and actionable advice to enable clients to make more informed business and technology decisions. The Company's businesses consist of Research and Events for IT professionals; Gartner Executive Programs, membership programs and peer networking services; and Gartner Consulting, customized engagements with a specific emphasis on outsourcing and IT management. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, and has more than 3,900 associates, including more than 1,200 research analysts and consultants, in more than 75 countries worldwide. For more information,
visit www.gartner.com.
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