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The Network Newsletter, Volume 6 Number 2

DigitalCommons@ILR

Cornell University ILR School 
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Newsletters ILR Collection 
January 2000 
The Network Newsletter, Volume 6 Number 2 
Susan Woods 
Cornell University, sew13@cornell.edu 
Tammy Bormann 
The National Conference 
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The Network Newsletter, Volume 6 Number 2 
Keywords 
ILR, Cornell University, affirmative action, workplace, diversity, EEO, social justice, job, skill, CEO, inclusive 
organization 
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http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/newsletters/8 
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Vol. 7, No. 2  n January 2000 The Workplace Diversity Network 
2000©The Workplace Diversity Network 
 
 
 
A Joint Project of Cornell University ILR and The National Conference for Community and Justice 
 
Summary Report from the 1998 Netter Seminar 
Building the Framework for Organizational Inclusion 
 
At a time when notions of workplace fairness have evolved from Title VII and Affirmative Action to 
valuing differences and from managing diversity to building inclusion, workplace practitioners, 
policy-makers and scholars are faced with a perplexing question:  What will an inclusive 
workplace look like when it's achieved? 
 
 
Establishing the Context 
 
Recognition and understanding of workplace diversity as a distinct component of organizational life are built 
on the pioneering work of leading diversity consultants and scholars: Elsie Y. Cross, Roosevelt Thomas, 
Kaleel Jamison, Taylor Cox, Julie O’Mara, Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe, among many others.  In the last 
decade, the field of workplace diversity has undergone remarkable development and growth. We have seen 
the meaning of diversity within the context of the workplace expand "beyond race and gender" to encompass 
a full spectrum of differences and similarities.  Today, the roles of diversity policy makers and practitioners are 
frequently distinguished from EEO and Affirmative Action responsibilities.  While diversity awareness 
training remains an essential element of a comprehensive diversity initiative, the work of the diversity 
practitioner is expanding beyond training and awareness to encompass facilitation and leadership of 
organizational culture change.  In some organizations, diversity policy makers are included at the strategic 
level of organizational thinking. 
 
Amidst the seeming dichotomy between social justice concerns and bottom-line business justifications is a 
growing appreciation for enhancing organizational capability through diversity.  Current research documents 
the significance of workplace diversity for organizational strategy and performance. David A. Thomas and 
Robin J. Ely make this argument most effectively in their article Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm 
for Managing Diversity (HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW, September-October 1996). 
 
Consistent with these developments, current research is laying the framework for establishing recognition of 
the work of diversity practitioners as a profession.  The 1996-1997 Diversity Practitioner Study conducted 
by the American Institute for Managing Diversity offers a job function and skill analysis of practitioners who 
manage the diversity initiative within organizations.  The Workplace Diversity Network has collaborated with 
a research study by WorkWorlds' Human Resources Corporation and Huff, Carver, Villani & Associates that 
utilizes behavioral event interview techniques to identify core competencies of recognized diversity leaders.  
The function and skill analysis defines the job; the core competencies identify qualities of individuals who will 
most likely perform well in the job.  Studies like these can be used in the HR process for selection; 
compensation and rewards; training; development; succession planning; performance management; and 
career planning for diversity professionals.  As the research is unfolding, diversity leadership competency 
extends beyond the diversity practitioners to a generalized responsibility of leadership throughout the 
organization from the Board and CEO levels, and cascading down, straight through the organization
The Network Newsletter 
 Vol. 7, No. 2  n January 2000 The Workplace Diversity Network 
2000©The Workplace Diversity Network 
 
2
 
The 1998 Richard and Alice Labor-Management-Public Interest Seminar 
 
The 1998 Netter Seminar brought together organizational leaders, workplace practitioners and 
trainer/educators from public, private and non-profit organizations as well as academia to explore the question:  
What will an inclusive organization look like when it's achieved?   
 
THE 1998 NETTER SEMINAR DESIGN 
Day 1 
INCLUSION 
Day 2 
ATTRIBUTES & POLICY OPTIONS 
Day 3 
MEASUREMENT 
Explore the 
meaning of 
inclusion from 
personal and 
interpersonal 
perspectives 
Explore the meaning of inclusion from an 
organizational perspective by identifying the 
organizational Attributes of Inclusion 
 
For each Attribute, identify potential  
Policy or Practice Options 
 
Discuss the development of 
measurement strategy by 
determining appropriate 
indicators and measurements 
 
Measurement Strategies 
 Attribute ê 
Attribute ê 
Attribute ê 
Policy/Practice Options 
Policy/Practice Options        ê 
Policy/Practice Options 
Process Measures  
Outcome Measures 
Feedback Measures 
 
 
 
Drawing on personal and professional experience with diversity, seminar participants worked to articulate a 
framework for understanding inclusion in organizations.  Our inquiry began by inviting participants to 
consider their perceptions of inclusion from an experiential and subjective viewpoint.  Discussion progressed 
from an exchange of personal and interpersonal experiences to a consideration of the qualities or conditions of 
organizational life which participants perceived as inclusive.  The seminar design for building the framework 
was structured in three steps.  First, we worked to identify organizational attributes of inclusion, the term 
used to describe intended organizational outcomes.  Secondly, we identified policy and practice options to 
support achievement of those outcomes.  Thirdly, we discussed measurement strategy. 
 
Distinguishing Diversity And Inclusion 
 
Recognizing that diversity and inclusion are terms frequently used together, seminar participants worked from 
this distinction:  Diversity describes as the spectrum of human similarities and differences. It refers to the 
composition of people associated with the organization.  Inclusion, on the other hand, describes the way an 
organization configures opportunity, interaction, communication, information and decision-making to utilize 
the potential of diversity.  It refers to the organizational environment. 
 
Achieving inclusion means creating the structures, policies and practices in organizational life that recognize 
the existence of multiple perspectives and signal the importance of learning from differences.  Inclusion refers 
to the systemic nature of an organization.  Inclusion is not necessarily limited to the way an organization deals 
with employees; it may refer to interactions with customers and clients, partners, vendors, suppliers, and 
subcontractors as well. 
 
Organizations might be diverse without being inclusive.  By broadening recruitment and improving retention, 
organizations could achieve greater diversity, expanding the differences and similarities represented by those 
 Vol. 7, No. 2  n January 2000 The Workplace Diversity Network 
2000©The Workplace Diversity Network 
 
3
who comprise it.  However, the way interactions are structured could exclude acknowledgement of any but the 
predominate group's perspectives and concerns. Such organizations would  be non-inclusive. 
 
The Netter Seminar diverged from past discussions of diversity where the focus was personal and 
interpersonal. Its focus was organizational and holistic. Discussion proceeded from the hypothesis that 
organizations achieving inclusion would invite the synthesis of ideas, knowledge and perspectives.  In doing 
so, inclusive organizations would encourage collaboration, support problem solving and promote creativity, 
flexibility and responsiveness to change.  For organizations having inclusive internal policies and practices 
without being diverse, the potential of the inclusion to enhance organizational effectiveness would be limited 
by the extent of the organization's diversity.  Without diversity, vision is narrowed.  Pursuing high standards 
for workplace fairness and organizational effectiveness requires both diversity and inclusion. 
 
An Inclusive Organization Is One That . . . 
 
To establish a working understanding of inclusion, seminar participants were asked to complete the phrase: 
An inclusive organization is one that—.  Twelve qualities or attributes of inclusive organizations were 
identified.  We purposefully omit numbering to invite readers to assign their own priorities. 
 
Attributes Of Inclusive Organizations 
 Demonstrated Commitment to Diversity 
 Holistic View of the Employees and the Organization 
 Access to Opportunity  
 Accommodation for Diverse Physical & Developmental Abilities  
 Equitable Systems for Recognition, Acknowledgement & Reward 
 Shared Accountability and Responsibility  
 360° Communication and Information Sharing 
 Demonstrated Commitment to Continuous Learning 
 Participatory Work Organization and Work Process 
 Recognition of Organizational Culture and Process 
 Collaborative Conflict Resolution Processes 
 Demonstrated Commitment to Community Relationships 
 
 
 
The working paper, A Framework for Building Organizational Inclusion, is offered as a thought-starter to 
further the dialogue on organizational inclusion.  It is intended to be neither exhaustive nor prescriptive.  It 
reports the thinking of the seminar participants as shared through group discussion as well as the reflections 
of subsequent reviewers.  Our hope is that this working paper will serve as a catalyst for further discussion 
and inquiry as we continue learning about the potential of diversity to enhance organizational performance 
while creating workplace environments that reject discrimination and create unbiased opportunity for 
achievement and advancement. 
 
 Vol. 7, No. 2  n January 2000 The Workplace Diversity Network 
2000©The Workplace Diversity Network 
 
4
n  l t H  
A Word On Measurement Strategy 
 
An effective measurement strategy can be a powerful means for developing common understanding of desired 
culture change and for communicating objectives.  Measures establish baselines from which to document 
progress and motivate improvement.  Measurement can infuse intangible objectives with more concrete 
meaning.  To be effective, measurement strategy should fit the context.   
 
Susan Adler Funk, President of The Diversity Difference, in Millcreek, WA,  presented an approach to 
developing measures that begins by asking:  What do you want to know?  Why do you want to know it?  And 
who else should know this information?  Recognizing that measurement can have several purposes, strategy 
for developing inclusion measures should be based on an understanding of the role of measurement in an 
organization's culture.  What else is measured?  How is it measured?  How are measures connected to 
organizational goals?  Measurement is a choice.  Measures should be chosen strategically to yield relevant 
information to evaluate and drive the desired change effort.  Measures should be linked to what's valued in 
the organization.  Both qualitative and quantitative techniques for gathering information may be used. 
 
The key is to understand the different types of measures: process, outcome and feedback.  Process measures 
are used to confirm that a policy or practice was implemented.  Did it occur?  Was the existence and 
availability of the policy or practice communicated?  Was it used?  What percent of the employees 
participated in the practice?   
 
Outcome measures are used to determine if the policy or practice had the desired effect.  Developing 
appropriate outcome measures requires organizational change leaders to think through how the outcome of 
achieving a given attribute contributes to an organizational goal.  For example, what is the financial impact of 
reducing turnover and increasing retention among diverse employees?  
 
Finally, feedback measures provide information on how inclusion efforts are perceived.  Appropriate feedback 
measures provide information on awareness, utilization and suggestions for improvement.  Are employees 
aware of the existence of various policies and practices?  Could utilization and participation be higher?  What 
changes could be made to increase utilization of a given policy or practice?  How could employee satisfaction 
with a particular policy or practice be enhanced?   
 
Susan Funk suggests eight steps for building a measurement process. 
1) Define the objective of the diversity/inclusion effort. 
2) Select an appropriate mix of process, outcome and feedback measures. 
3) Choose both short -term and long-term measures. 
4) Evaluate the cost/benefit of proposed measures. 
5) Integrate selected measures into existing measurement systems. 
6) Create baseline measurement. 
7) Implement desired policies and practices. 
8) Review the process, outcome and feedback measures. 
These steps create a common sense approach to measurement that encourages practitioners to think broadly, 
to seek out strategic allies within the organization and to link the measurement of inclusion to organizational 
goals and strategies.  Susan Funk can be reached at The Diversity Difference, 15210 29th Drive SE 
Mill Creek, WA  98012 
         
If you would like to read more, a full version of the working paper may be requested from: Susan Woods, Cornell University ILR, 
at sew13@cornell.edu  (Tel: 716/852-4191) or Tammy Bormann, NCCJ, at tlborm@goes.com (Tel: 908/832-9781). 
 


The Network Newsletter, Volume 6 Number 1

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The Network Newsletter, Volume 6 Number 2

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