Building a Strong Corporate Culture
With Diversity and Inclusion at Its Core
“You have to bring in leaders from all backgrounds, every gender, every race, who all believe in it holistically. They have to walk the talk.”
– Chuck Robbins, CEO, Cisco
Times Have Changed – And Viable Candidates Are Now Interviewing You
Nowadays, success is all about building a strong corporate culture. It’s all about valuing diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and companies who are keenly aware of this are rising to the top.
It used to be that job seekers eagerly searched job boards, scoured websites, and knocked on doors looking for gainful employment. The focus for them was demonstrating how well they were suited for a given job posting. Employers, for the most part, were in the driver’s seat, simply placing an ad in the local newspaper describing the skill set they required, then sitting back, waiting for the applications and inquiries to follow. But in today’s high-tech, internet-savvy world, typical job seekers have changed their job-seeking behavior – and forward-thinking companies have been paying attention.
With a plethora of online sites that list company reviews, job seekers have developed a strong appetite for researching a company’s reputation before they even apply. They pay close attention to your social media activities, thoroughly read employer-review sites, and spend considerable time on the pages of your website – in other words, viable candidates are doing their homework. They are well informed and are now interviewing you.
It is no longer sufficient to craft an ad for a job that only describes the skills the successful candidate must have – you must also sell your company. What do you have to offer? Outside of salary and benefits, what do current and past employees have to say about your company’s working environment? What are your company’s core values? In a 2019 Mission & Culture Survey conducted online by The Harris Poll, Glassdoor “found that over three-quarters (77 percent) of adults across four countries (the United States, UK, France, Germany) would consider a company’s culture before applying for a job there.”1
As the study so eloquently puts it, “[c]ompany culture can be a key differentiator in securing top talent and can also be a significant cause of losing it.”1
Diversity and Inclusion – Corporate Culture’s Building Blocks
Although the terms “diversity” and “inclusion” might be very commonplace these days, many still confuse the two and still underestimate the level of importance that each of these values offers when building a strong corporate culture.
“Diversity” refers to building and maintaining a staff whose religious beliefs, culture, gender, sexual orientation, race, physical ability, age, and socio-economic status are well represented within the fabric of the company. But diversity only truly works when a company also develops and encourages a culture of inclusion in which everyone feels welcome. An inclusive environment ensures that all employees are respected, valued, and trusted. Diversity and inclusion together, inspire innovation, generate collaboration, and can significantly lower employee turnover. When a company places diversity and inclusion at its core, it is sure to reap the benefits.
The “Bersin by Deloitte 2015 High-impact Talent Management” study looked at the business performance of 450 global companies. In its conclusion, the study revealed that companies who focus on diversity and inclusion consistently outrank (or have the potential to outrank) their competition, and “statistically outperform their peers.”2
Data Source: Josh Bersin
Common Challenges Faced by CEOs
Not only are CEOs charged with creating, planning, and implementing the strategic direction of their organization, but they must oversee the smooth flow of each of the business’s divisions and departments. They must stay fully aware of their competitive landscape, look for growth opportunities, and ensure they are effectively leading their company into the coming years. But perhaps the greatest challenges of all are talent acquisition and the building of a business culture that embraces diversity and inclusion.
In fact, in its 2019 Annual CEO Benchmarking Report, The Predictive Index (PI) surveyed 156 chiefs, presidents, and chairpersons who cited “talent optimization and strategy development as their top-ranking challenges.”3 And for industries that have been traditionally regarded as culturally and racially homogeneous, these challenges become intensified. In the United States, for example, high-tech is one such industry, but many more sectors fall into this same category.
Females in the United States are also grossly underrepresented, not only in certain industries but also in leadership positions across the board. “According to progressive public policy research and advocacy organization Center for American Progress, just 14.6% of executive officers in the United States are women, and women hold only 21.2% of board seats on companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500.”4 So, just how are CEOs closing this gender and culture gap and ensuring their business culture embraces diversity and inclusion?
In order to create and maintain a more diverse and inclusive workforce, CEOs are turning to staffing agencies who excel in finding and vetting highly sought-after professionals around the globe.
Akorbi’s Global Staffing Solutions
From startups to Fortune 500 companies, Akorbi’s global staffing solutions save you time, resources, and money. Whether you are looking for a liaison engineer to work with your international teams or an IT support specialist for your home-based offices, Akorbi’s global recruiting network offers a robust pool of professionals that fit the mold. But we offer something more – our unrelenting commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Built on a corporate culture of inclusive values, we extend these services to our clients. As a woman-owned business, Akorbi specializes in providing enterprise solutions that empower companies to achieve success in the global economy. Good employees are hard to find and exceptional employees seem almost impossible to locate. Akorbi will not only help you find your perfect candidates, we’ll help you build and strengthen your company’s diverse and inclusive foundation.
If you’re having trouble finding qualified applicants and it’s beginning to feel like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack, it’s time to bring in the experts. Give Akorbi a call today.
REFERENCES
1 Mission & Culture Survey 2019. Glassdoor, June 2019, www.glassdoor.com/about-us/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/07/Mission-Culture-Survey-Supplement.pdf.
2 Joshbersin. “Why Diversity and Inclusion Has Become a Business Priority.” JOSH BERSIN, 16 Mar. 2019, joshbersin.com/2015/12/why-diversity-and-inclusion-will-be-a-top-priority-for-2016/.
3 “The Annual CEO Benchmarking Report 2019.” PI Resources, resources.predictiveindex.com/ebook/ceo-benchmarking-report-2019/
4 Harrington, John. “Closer Look: Why Are Women Underrepresented in Some Industries More Than Others.” 247wallst.Com, 12 Jan. 2020, 247wallst.com/special-report/2017/11/21/closer-look-why-are-women-underrepresented-in-some-industries-more-than-others/.
In Addition To:
Palmer, Annie. “Cisco’s Chuck Robbins Says Tech’s Diversity Problem ‘Should Be a Nonissue’.” TheStreet, 21 Aug. 2017, www.thestreet.com/investing/stocks/cisco-s-chuck-robbins-says-tech-s-diversity-problem-should-be-a-nonissue-14277237.
Alton, Larry. “Why Corporate Culture Is Becoming Even More Important.” Forbes, 17 Feb. 2017, https://www.forbes.com/sites/gradsoflife/2020/01/14/what-is-the-missing-link-between-jobs-and-people/#781bf0c554e2.
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