Korn Ferry, December 2020
Welcome to 2021. Advocates of more diverse and inclusive organizations do not want history to repeat itself. George Floyd’s killing last spring and the resulting protests spurred many firms to make commitments to become more diverse and inclusive. If companies are going to make serious headway, experts say corporate leaders will have to change how they tackle the issue. “Stop doing what you’re doing, because it hasn’t worked,” says Pamela Newkirk, a professor at New York University and the author of Diversity, Inc., a book that highlights the failures of previous diversity efforts. Companies that don’t make serious efforts are more likely to get punished, whether by losing key employees, missing out on capital from investors, being publicly shamed, or losing business. Inclusive Viewpoint: Post-George Floyd 'Commitment Statements' by companies won't magically make the problems related to racism and racial disparity go away, change organizations or our society. Taking these issues 'serious' looks different for each organization. What does 'serious' look like for yours?