How to determine if a company is diversity friendly

Employees want to be comfortable in their own skin wherever they are working, but many Hispanic, Black, Asian American, Native American, female, disabled, gay, and religious employees can sometimes feel very much out of place at work. Many diversity employees will face some form of discrimination in the workplace during their careers, and diversity employees will also face a unique set of challenges on a daily basis at work.

The key for the diversity employee is to make sure that the workplace he chooses is a welcoming place for people of all diverse backgrounds and cultures.

To determine if a company is diversity friendly you should first visit their website and examine their diversity policies. Most large companies will have a specific page dedicated to explaining their commitment to workplace diversity. If a company does not post their diversity policies online, find the email or telephone number of the human resources department point person and request a copy of the company’s workplace diversity policies.

You may find that some companies do not publish (either online or in print) their diversity policies, in which case you should ask probing questions to find out more. Ask the HR point person whether the company sponsors employee diversity affinity groups and find out about if the company allows time off to observe non-traditional religious holidays, offers flex time for working parents, and supports local diversity causes.

Another good way to find out the extent of a company’s commitment to diversity is by asking them if they offer maternity and paternity leave. If they offer paternity leave, it clearly indicates that they understand the diverse nature of the modern American family and are willing to assist where possible.

You should also investigate a company’s diversity training programs. If a company has none, they probably are not giving workplace diversity the value that it deserves. If they do have diversity training programs, find out how frequently the company holds diversity training sessions.

If diversity training sessions are held just biannually or annually, you should probably lobby for more frequent diversity training if you are hired. The importance of understanding and supporting workplace diversity is something that needs to be revisited on a quarterly or semiannual basis to ensure that all employees understand its importance and are on board with the company’s diversity policies.

Finally, try to meet with as many of the company’s current and former diversity employees as possible so that you can get a good cross sample of opinions as to the company’s diversity policies. Remember that just because a company looks diverse (i.e., has people of color or celebrates Kwanzaa) does not mean it has a vested interest in the progression and advancement of its diversity employees.

You can learn a lot about your prospective company’s commitment to diversity by finding out from its current and former employees if the company actively recruits and develops diversity employees and if it sponsors local diversity events.

You may find that some companies do not have a lot of information on their diversity policies, have few current and former diversity employees, and do not have any formal diversity training programs in place. However, this does not necessarily mean that the company is not diversity friendly.

Remember, there are still several companies out there that are actively trying to build diversity into their workplaces, and are in the process of developing diversity policies, recruiting diversity employees, and implementing diversity training programs. Use your best judgment— it may be worth your while to become a diversity pioneer.