Question:
Do you think white men are biased in regards to hiring white females to fill positions and meet minority hiring goals in corporations? Personally, I have witnessed a trend in this direction (even though that white female is not as qualified). There are some white males that would prefer to hire “white females” in their quest to meet minority hiring goals. I think this is another form of hidden racism. Yes, white females are considered minorities, BUT, why should they be hired at the expense of another minority female?

Answer:
DiversityInc Top 50 data shows that white women have been the chief beneficiaries of diversity programs. You may want to see the very lively discussion about white women led by Dr. Ella Bell in our Women of Color roundtable.

In my opinion, this is a logical progression. U.S. corporations are run primarily by white men. Access to education has diversified the talent pool, so companies are compelled to diversify their selections. Most white men have never trusted a person of color in their lives, but many have trusted white women. You get further from the typical white man’s “comfort zone” when you add in race, culture, orientation and disability.

No comfort, no selection.

That’s why you should very carefully consider where you work and who you do business with. The companies in the DiversityInc Top 50 have demonstrated superior (unbiased) talent development.

The post Should Hiring White Women Advance Diversity Goals? appeared first on DiversityInc.

Question:
Why do you push “incentive-backed diversity goals”? Isn’t “incentive-backed diversity goals” simply another way to describe paying, or even bribing, execs to promote more women and minorities? And if you’re going to pay more to those who promote more women and minorities, why not also pay more, directly, to women and minorities, and bypass the “middlepersons”?

Answer:
Regardless of the strategic business subject(s) at hand, bonuses and/or superior job performance are incentives to focus on what top management feels is most important. The folks receiving incentives are not “middlepersons.” They prioritize their efforts to be aligned with the goals of the company and (in a well-run company) are rewarded according to their success.

The post Why Do You Push Incentive-Backed Diversity Goals? appeared first on DiversityInc.