BOSTON -- Minority employees are less likely to regard their organization´s selection and promotion criteria as fair, according to a survey of 3,100 senior human resources executives by Novations Group, a global consulting organization based in Boston.
While nearly two-thirds of all employees believe their company´s policies are equitable, only 47.4% of minority workers thinks so. Women employees also have somewhat less trust in such criteria.
All employees: Yes 63.2%, No 18.4%, Not sure 18.4%
Women employees: Yes 56.9%, No 16.8%, Not sure 26.3%
Minority employees: Yes 47.4%, No 26.3%, Not sure 26.3%
Apparent unfairness in selection and promotion is one of the biggest causes of employee cynicism, believes Novations Group Vice President Tim Vigue. "We weren´t surprised to find that as many as one-fifth of all employees in the study distrusts the way in which people are hired or picked for advancement. This simmering resentment undermines team work and trust in top management."
According to Vigue, selection policies at many organizations are informal and chaotic, which help prompt the disaffection among employees. "Companies recruit from the same pools all the time. HR turns to the same networks, or relies on referrals from current employees. The upshot is that organizations keep bringing in the similar kinds of people, which doesn´t encourage outreach or inclusion."
An equally serious problem for management, observed Vigue, is new hires that fail to work out. "It´s astonishing how many people leave a new job within 18 months, sometimes as many as half of a company´s new hires. What went wrong? And what can be done to improve the selection process?"
Lack of employee trust and excessive new hire turnover should be addressed by establishing hiring practices that are structured, open and inclusive," Vigue said. "Employers need to define the criteria for positions at all levels, and the criteria shouldn´t be just about technical skills, but soft skills as well."
Vigue noted that many employers refuse to concede their hiring or promotion process is flawed. "Most claim to have an objective and inclusive system...but then they focus recruiting efforts on bonuses for employees who bring in more employees just like themselves. What we repeatedly find is that hiring and promotion criteria aren´t transparent, openings aren´t communicated effectively, and procedures aren´t consistent or unbiased. Too often people aren´t getting an equal shot at open positions or opportunities for advancement."
The Novations Group Internet survey of 3,100 senior HR and development executives was conducted by Equation Research.
Founded in 1977 and based in Boston, Novations Group is one of the country´s largest performance improvement organizations and serves clients on four continents. For information visit www.Novations.com.
Contact: Pat FitzGerald, Novations, 617-787-2163, pfitzgerald[at]novations.com, or Phil Ryan, Ryan Public Relations, 845-339-7858.