Target those diversity messages

HR Magazine, Oct, 2008

Diversity sells. So say many recruiters who often tout an employer's commitment to diversity when attempting to woo talent. But different groups are attracted to the idea of diversity for different reasons, new research shows.

In the summer 2008 issue of Human Resource Management, researchers Ian Williamson of the University of North Carolina, Hooly Slay of the University of Maryland, Debra Shapiro of Northwestern University and Sheryl Shivers-Blackwell of Purdue University argue that to be effective, employer marketing messages must match specific recruits' experiences. Their findings are based on the responses of 528 job-seeking business students who were asked to critique recruitment materials from a fictitious company. The materials were adapted from recruitment materials used at real companies.

According to the findings, business-case justifications for diversity were "less threatening" to whites and Asians and caused students to focus on the strategic benefits of diversity. But ideological justifications were viewed positively by black applicants "because it suggested that they would be less likely to face racial discrimination in the recruiting organization."

The researchers say their findings suggest the need for employers "to consider the discrimination experiences of prospective job applicants from all racial groups." They also recommend that recruiters consider the types of messages they use to attract members of different racial minority groups.

"The use of generic messages in media outlets targeted broadly toward people of color may not produce optimal recruitment outcomes," the researchers warn.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]