Introduction
Nowadays, more and more companies are focusing on being diverse by incorporating diversity and inclusion policies at all workforce levels. Making your company diverse and inclusive is much more than a matter of ethics. It is also a driving force of growth, revenue, and profit(Pathak, 2022). Diversity and Inclusion refer to the set of strategies, policies, and missions adopted by a company to create and encourage an inclusive workplace that attracts a diverse pool of talent from various cultural backgrounds(Pathak, 2022).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many U.S. companies have talked about increasing their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. It seems like there are more and more issues they have to deal with such as racial injustice, workplace labor shortages, and other forces. To ensure a more balanced representation across all levels of a company, recruitment, hiring, and promotion practices have to attract, develop, and retain a diverse group of colleagues(McKinney, 2022). In addition, to drive retention and engagement, companies must also focus on building a welcoming culture where employees feel they belong, with initiatives including supporting a wide range of colleague networks, development programs, and opportunities for dialogue and feedback(McKinney, 2022).
Different Types of Diversity
Diversity in the workplace refers to an organization’s workforce comprising people from different genders, sexual orientations, religions, races, ethnicities, ages, or other differentiators. Diversity also can be of many types such as internal, external, or organizational. Factors such as race, age, ethnicity, national origin, and cultural diversity are internal. External factors are those characteristics that can be changed or modified by a person such as education, skills, geographical location, or citizenship. And, organizational factors are work location, job function, departments.
Leveraging Diversity | American Express
American Express designs a company scorecard to measure its performance on business priorities and this scorecard includes a colleague component with goals related to diversity, talent, and culture. It reflects this strategic focus in its recruitment, hiring, and promotion practices across the company to attract, develop, and retain the best talent. Recruiting diverse talent is only one part of the experience. At American Express, once candidates have been chosen, American Express provides ongoing support to help them grow and thrive in their careers within an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and like they truly belong. American Express also partners with diverse organizations to offer colleagues a variety of meaningful learning and development opportunities such as Management Leaders of Tomorrow and Blue Circle Transformational Leadership.
Being in a service business that is operating in an increasingly intense, complex, and competitive environment, American Express developed a business model which consists of smart, dedicated, and motivated employees working together as a team to service a diverse set of customers since customer service is considered a competitive differentiator. To win in this complex marketplace, American Express employees are expected to be fully engaged in their jobs, realize their potential, and have the opportunity to grow and develop with the company. Moreover, I believe that the three things that make American Express a great workplace that is credibility, respect, and camaraderie. Giving clear directions and being accessible and approachable all the time, is what makes the organization credible. Employees at American Express feel respected by the management, based on the level of support, collaboration, and caring they see, expressed through the management's actions towards them(People Matters Editorial TeamThe editorial team at People Matters has features writers, 2019).
According to the Inclusion and Diversity vision at American Express, its differences are what shape the world and are committed to ensuring everyone is seen, heard, and feels like they truly belong. That’s why American Express actively cultivates an inclusive and diverse workplace where every voice is valued, teamwork is rewarded, and different points of view are celebrated. American Express understands that diversity of people and experiences is fuel for the creativity and innovation its needs to be and deliver our best, for its colleagues, customers, and the communities it serves. Inclusion and diversity are also at the heart of the American Express culture. Providing an environment where every colleague can be themselves, embrace differences, and truly feel included. American Express deeply understands that when its employees feel supported and thrive, it is an all-win strategy.
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Reference
Inclusion and diversity in The work place: American express. Visit American Express. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/careers/inclusion-and-diversity/index.html/
McKinney, J. (2022, January 19). How American Express is leveraging corporate DEI for Business and Career Advancement. Black Enterprise. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.blackenterprise.com/how-american-express-is-leveraging-corporate-dei-for-business-and-career-advancement/
Pathak, A. (2022, May 30). Diversity and inclusion in the workplace: A complete guide. Nurture an Engaged and Satisfied Workforce | Vantage Circle HR Blog. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://blog.vantagecircle.com/diversity-and-inclusion/
People Matters Editorial TeamThe editorial team at People Matters has features writers. (2019, March 6). #4 American Express: Diversity & Inclusion for talent optimization. People Matters. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.peoplematters.in/article/employee-engagement/4-american-express-diversity-and-inclusion-for-talent-optimization-1076
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