Google's Diversity Crisis: What We Can Learn As HR Professionals

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014, Google published a report online that breaks down its workforce based on gender and ethnicity (see top left image). The report shows that just 2 percent of the workforce are black, 3 percent are Hispanic, and 30 percent are women - leaving approximately 70% of the workforce comprised of white males.

Upon publishing the report, Google Inc. senior vice-president Laszlo Bock wrote in a blog post:

"We've always been reluctant to publish numbers about the diversity of our workforce at Google. We realize we were wrong, and that it's time to be candid about the issues. Put simply, Google is not where we want to be when it comes to diversity, and it's hard to address these kinds of challenges if you're not prepared to discuss them openly, and with the facts." 

This type of disclosure and transparency for an organization is not common - especially when the data exposes a problem. However, making this acknowledgement is an important step towards change. In response to the release of this report, many other large organizations in the tech industry have said that they are headed toward disclosure as well - this includes companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Apple (Source: CBC). 

In his blog post, Bock continues to explain some of the reasons why tech companies like Google struggle to recruit and retain women and minorities in the workforce:

"For example, women earn roughly 18 percent of all computer science degrees in the United States. Blacks and Hispanics each make up under 10 percent of U.S. college grads and each collect fewer than 10 percent of degrees in CS majors. So we’ve invested a lot of time and energy in education."

Why does diversity matter?

​HR Council suggests that enhanced diversity and inclusion in an organization will:

• Supporting recruitment challenges and skills shortages
• Improving employee satisfaction and retention
• Providing better client service
• Broadening community engagement
• Fostering innovation and problem-solving skills
• Promoting organizational values more fully

There is also evidence that managing a diverse work force can contribute to increased staff retention and productivity. Not only can it enhance an organization's responsiveness to an increasingly diverse world of customers and improve relations with the surrounding community, it also has the potential to increase the organization's ability to cope with change and expand the creativity of the organization (Source: Berkeley HR) 

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HR Council suggests that enhanced diversity and inclusion in an organization will:

• Supporting recruitment challenges and skills shortages
• Improving employee satisfaction and retention
• Providing better client service
• Broadening community engagement
• Fostering innovation and problem-solving skills
• Promoting organizational values more fully

There is also evidence that managing a diverse work force can contribute to increased staff retention and productivity. Not only can it enhance an organization's responsiveness to an increasingly diverse world of customers and improve relations with the surrounding community, it also has the potential to increase the organization's ability to cope with change and expand the creativity of the organization (Source: Berkeley HR) 

How can you take steps towards diversity?

​As mentioned in Bock's blog, Google is already taking steps towards creating a more diverse workforce. In addition to investing time and energy in education, Google has given more than $40 million to organizations working to bring computer science education to women and girls. They have also been working with historically black colleges and universities to elevate coursework and attendance in computer science.

But what can smaller organizations due to foster and embrace workforce diversity? To ensure the selection of diverse talent, HR policies should be reviewed carefully to identify barriers and opportunities for improvement. Reviewing these policies and practices with a diversity lens highlights good recruitment and selection practices that help organizations focus on building a diverse workplace (Source: HR Council).

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Do you need help creating a workplace diversity policy or adjusting your hiring practices? Clear Path offers two HR workshops that deal with these topics directly: Developing an Employee Policy Manual and Hiring and Firing Effectively. To learn more, please visit the respective webpages or contact us directly at 519-624-0800!

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