What Does a Human Resources & Diversity Executive Do?
Human Resources & Diversity Executives must understand the importance of a diverse workforce. They must understand how diversity impacts the corporate purpose and brand and how it impacts performance. If businesses don’t embrace diversity, they’re missing out. According to Jennie Oliver, HR associate at The Hoxby Collective, and Anna Holloway, communications specialist at HRbyHoxby, compelling statistics prove that diversity matters to the bottom line.
Qualifications
The Human Resources & Diversity Executive role is a senior management position and requires a wide range of skills and experience. It involves implementing human resource policies and procedures and overseeing the employee life cycle from recruitment to exit. The role is highly interactive and requires excellent communication skills and top-notch knowledge of human resources management and business administration. The HR executive is also expected to provide guidance and support to the management and other employees.
Usually, HR executives hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. A business administration degree with a concentration in human resources is beneficial because the coursework covers workplace law and the integration of business management. In addition, it provides a foundation for critical thinking and employee relations. However, some companies don’t have specific degree requirements, so candidates with relevant experience can apply. It is important to remember that the degree doesn’t matter as much as the skills that are acquired.
The successful candidate will demonstrate the behaviours and characteristics that make Sandia a great place to work. A leader will motivate and inspire their team to perform at the highest level. In addition, they must have excellent communication skills and be able to build and maintain strong relationships. Finally, they must be adept at managing personnel issues and resolving conflicts. Furthermore, a diversity manager must have a thorough understanding of Sandia’s mission.
Duties
As part of the HR team, the duties of the Human Resources & Diversity Executive include developing and administering the company’s policies and practices regarding diversity and inclusion. They also work with other departments, such as payroll administration and corporate compliance, and with outside counsel to ensure that these policies are implemented and enforced. Additionally, they help build a culture of inclusion within the organization.
The Human Resources department provides organization-wide services for more than 1,500 employees and manages the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment to exit. The Human Resource Department works closely with all other departments in the organization. They are responsible for promoting an inclusive workplace and attracting students and employees.
Diversity and inclusion are a core part of HR, but it isn’t enough to focus on diversity in isolation. Diversity in the workplace must be represented in the organisation’s values, strategic priorities, and structure. The HR & DI executive must become an advocate for diversity and inclusion by being a role model for diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Expected challenges
In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing workplace, one of the biggest challenges for HR professionals is keeping employees. Not only does retention require hiring the best people, but it requires providing an environment that fosters a positive employee experience above that of competitors. Whether it is providing access to a gym or flexible working hours, fostering a culture of listening to employees or offering training and development opportunities, HR executives must ensure their employees feel valued and appreciated.
HR challenges can be as broad and varied as the nature of the organization. For example, a team without a strong leader can become ineffective, causing morale to suffer and business goals to become hazy. HR professionals can play a critical role in keeping a team together and finding a replacement for a departing leader. They may also have to step into an unfamiliar team and try to encourage positivity and reassure employees who feel insecure about their future.
Developing a diverse team is one of the top challenges of HR professionals. In addition to hiring the best employees, they must also develop a culture of respect for different cultures. As a result, diversity training and recruiting programs can be a great way to make an organization a more welcoming place for everyone.
Millennials’ view of workplace diversity
The millennial generation values diversity in the workplace. According to a recent Deloitte study, 83 percent of millennial employees feel engaged in their jobs when their employers embrace diversity. By contrast, only 60 percent of millennials feel engaged in their jobs when their employers do not promote diversity. This suggests that organizations that fail to embrace diversity are risking losing the best work effort from their employees and top talent.
This disconnect between millennials and the traditional definition of diversity is already causing hardship for businesses. In addition, 71% of millennials are not always willing to follow social media policy guidelines in their organizations. This can lead to conflicts with upper-level managers. Organizations that fail to address these issues will find themselves in trouble.
While millennials may be more open to differences than previous generations, they are still prone to misidentify their identities. As a result, they overlook basic differences among diverse groups and overestimate the strengths of groups. As such, it is crucial for employers to make sure that their workforce reflects the demographics they want. One way to do this is by asking current employees for referrals.
