Promotion Exercise
Learning Points
1. What arguments did/can Charlotte make to convince Harry to hire Sam?
Sam brings management experience to the job, Sam & Edgar have similar technical experience
Represents the importance of using diversity in promotion decisions -- Sets a positive precedent in meeting diversity objectives
Represents the continuation of the corrective action with respect to previous wrongs done to visible minorities at the company (i.e., hiring minorities bec. of human rights commission directive). Hiring is not enough, promotion is important for retention
Hiring Sam would serve our minority customers,
Hiring Sam can open up market for future minority customers/ future employees
Sam can file a suit against company for not promoting him and he may win, given the previous history of company’s relations w/visible minorities)
Those who remain after Edgar leaves may be demoralized
Sam brings new and innovative ideas to the company (bec. he was at another company)
Can encourage Sam to recruit & hire other minority technicians but beware of isolating Sam to be supervising (or hiring) only minority technicians or that he is over-scrutinized bec. he is supervising minority technicians. (e.g., Dear White Boss article)
2. What arguments did/can Harry make for Edgar’s promotion?
Edgar has taken courses to update his management skills. He has more tenure w/the org’n and enjoys the loyalty of his coworkers. He also sacrificed a lot for his job – e.g., vacation for the job. He knows a lot about the organization.
Represents the importance of using tenure in promotion decisions—
Edgar’s leaving will have a bigger impact on turnover
Edgar represents the loyal workforce (i.e., people who stay long and move up the ladder in the org’n).
Hiring Sam is reactionary rather than preventative, can hire more minority technicians
Just bec. Sam is minority does not mean that he can serve/know about minority customers
Hiring Sam can cause animosity among the White workers
Edgar can sue based on reverse discrimination (if he is told that the hiring criterion was diversity)
Edgar knows the company very well
3. Why will other technicians resist Sam’s promotion?
From Cox, Stephan & Stephan readings
Misunderstand the benefits of diversity
Improved Problem solving, Increased Creativity & innovation, Increased Organizational flexibility, Improved Quality of Human Resources, Improved Marketing strategies,Higher Annualized returns, Improved Interpersonal skills
Not understand the need for diversity
Perceive visible minorities as a threat (loss of power, control, resources); Feel anxious around visible minorities, resent them for ‘gaining’ privilege, have feelings of hostility toward minorities (i.e., new racism theories)
Mandatory nature of diversity initiatives is seen as negative
Other barriers to Sam’s promotion
- Traditional hierarchical structures (e.g., tenure is more imp than experience/skill set in promotion decisions)
- Standardized procedures, conformity norms (e.g., we usually promote based on tenure)
- Selection & promotion based on ‘fit’ (e.g., Sam does not fit into the culture)
- Informal networks of communication (e.g., is the promotion slot advertised across the company or is it just word-of-mouth)
- Token representation of minorities (hiring but not promoting minorities, not making diversity performance accountable)
- Perception of demographic change in org composition as zero-sum game (e.g., all the minorities are taking over, if we hire minorities, whites will lose out)
4. How can Harry overcome their resistance?
Articulate criteria for promotion clearly: rank/tenure, experience, skills
Provide clear reasons to team for why Sam was hired over Edgar—i.e., use of management skills over tenure in making promotion decisions
Clearly articulate NEW organizational objectives/mission: e.g., to promote diversity
Get leadership focused on the new org’n objectives/mission
Promote shared leadership with union in change of mission
Diversity training for remaining employees who will be supervised by Sam
Reward longer tenure employees with other options (e.g., vacation, benefits, other than promotion)
Offer employees management training to those who do not have management skills but only have tenure (e.g., Edgar)
Replace the employees who leave w/those who are more receptive to the new mission/objective of the organization (diversity tolerant employees)
Make the business case for Sam’s presence as a manager:
Improved Problem solving, Increased Creativity & innovation, Increased Organizational flexibility, Improved Quality of Human Resources, Improved Marketing strategies, Higher Annualized returns, Improved Interpersonal skills
Sam brings increases new and creative ideas to the company
Make diversity management skills important for future performance evaluation and promotion. Admit that you promoted hired Sam for his management experience and his diversity management skills and articulate that all future hiring and promotion decisions will be based on these two skills.
Train Sam on how to supervise White technicians
Remember, according to Cox, Stephan & Stephan, Diversity Management plan should be
Comprehensive,
Be in collaboration with labor
Have clear objectives
Measure progress toward objectives
Specify which programs address which issues
Fit with organizational climate
Other options before making hiring decision
Bring in another minority who is more qualified than Sam/Edgar who will then be hired into the job
Job share between Edgar & Sam
Investigate further differences in their interpersonal skills, performance evaluation history
Talk informally with other team members’ about whether they would leave if Edgar leaves