Blog: Yeimilyn Lorenzo

On Tuesday, October 20, 2009, GMSHRM hosted its annual Diversity & Inclusion Awards during its October dinner meeting. This year’s award was presented to the Early Learning Coalition of Miami Dade/Monroe (ELCMDM).

THE EVENT

Miami Dade College's Stuido Jazz Ensemble opened the evening with its performance during the networking hour. The night’s dinner program then went on to be one of the most interesting ever, as it portrayed a best practices panel, comprised of a number of past Diversity & Inclusion award winners—VITAS, Akerman Senterfitt, Burger King Corporation, Ryder Systems Inc, and Miami Dade College. The panel was presented in a rarely-seen 'talk show' format directed by a moderator. Each panel member spoke about ways their company fosters diversity and inclusion in the workplace, sparking an insightful Q&A discussion with attendees.

The program was pre-certified for 1.25 HRCI recertification credits.

THE WINNER

Founded in 2000, the Early Learning Coalition of Miami Dade/Monroe offers a variety of affordable and innovative early education and voluntary pre-kindergarten programs serving more than 50,000 children in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

The ELCMDM was elected as this year’s Diversity and Inclusion award recipient for its impressive inclusion efforts despite its limited resources. Worthy of mention are its innovative diversity training program now in place at other coalitions outside the Miami-Dade area, its recruitment of minority vendors through its RFP process, and its teen-mentoring program.

Understanding Miami-Dade County ’s unique population, can South Florida employers be diverse? I believe so. However, in soliciting nominations for the GMSHRM’s Diversity and Inclusion Awards, the Diversity & Inclusion Committee has received several inquiries from employers as to whether they qualify for such a designation. 

Previous winners of the Diversity & Inclusion Award include AkermanSenterfitt, PBS&J, Jet Stream Credit Union, Ryder Systems, Miami Dade College, VITAS, Miami Dade County, and last year, Burger King.

Although some of these employers are ‘large, or public’ institutions,smaller employers shouldn't be discouraged from recognizing their own efforts. Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace can be found in many different ways – hiring a multi-generational and/or multi-cultural workforce, or hiring employees with disabilities and/or veterans is just the start!

• Does your organization support female and/or minority vendors and suppliers?
• Is there a training and development plan geared to the development of women, minorities and other diverse groups?
• Is a mentoring program in place?
• How is your organization active in the community?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then your organization IS a candidate for this prestigious award! Don’t miss an opportunity to bolster employee morale, earn FREE publicity for your organization, and keep a designation that will last forever!

Nominations will be accepted online at www.gmshrmdiversityawards.com through Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Awards will be presented at the GMSHRM Diversity & Inclusion Dinner Meeting on October 20th , 2009. This year’s D & I Dinner Meeting will feature a Best Practices panel of workplace leaders eager to share their own Best Practices.

Burger King. Miami Dade County. Miami Dade College. Ryder. Akerman Senterfitt. PBS&J. VITAS. Jet Stream.

Why have I listed these organizations, you ask? They have all been recognized by the Greater Miami Society for HR Management as recipients of the GMSHRM Diversity & Inclusion Award.

The Diversity & Inclusion Committee of the Greater Miami Society for Human Resource Management seeks to award organizations and/or companies that foster an inclusive work environment in which all employees are inspired and encouraged to contribute, strengthened by their different perspectives, backgrounds and life experiences. 

Will your organization be next?

Submit your nomination today @ www.gmshrmdiversityawards.com!

Nominations will be accepted through September 25, 2009.

Awards will be presented at the GMSHRM Diversity & Inclusion Dinner Meeting on October 20, 2009.

On May 28, 2009 GMSHRM facilitated a Diversity and Inclusion Workshop at Miami Dade College on Transitioning Returning Veterans into the Workplace.  Offering 2.5 HRCI recertification credit hours, the informative event explored the Business argument for Hiring Returning Veterans, Compliance with The Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Reasonable Accommodation, available Resources to Employers and the training and employment of Veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Several agencies and organizations were present at the event to speak and network with the HR professionals attending that day.  This gathering of experts  included:

• Patrick Murphy, M.S., Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Vet Center Team Leader, Miami Vet Center
• Lisa Chowning Garcia, Compliance Officer, US DOL Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
• Veronica James, M.S., Registered Mental Health Counselor, OEF/OIF Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Miami VA Medical Center
• Raymond Moreau, Jr., Employment Coordinator, Veterans Benefits Administration
• Arden D. Dickey, State of Florida Ombudsmen Director, ESGR  (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve)
• Nelson Santiago, Phd., Public Affairs Director, FL ESGR
• Walfredo Leiva, Employer Outreach, ESGR
• Dr. Ken Marquard, Director, ACCESS Services/MDC MEED Academy

If you are interested in contacting any of the above representatives, contact GMSHRM Diversity & Inclusion Director Cindy Lau-Evans at diversity@gmshrm.org

By Cindy Lau-Evans, GMSHRM Diversity & Inclusion Director

SHRM offers a wide variety of D&I webcasts. One great thing about them is that if your schedule causes you to miss them “live” you can find many of them in the SHRM archives online at a time and date that are more convenient for you.

I was able to catch their live webcast on How to Recruit, Hire and Build Inclusive Workplaces for Transitioning Combat Exposed Veterans and People with Disabilities, presented by Ed Crenshaw, President & CEO of DESTIN Enterprises, LLC.

The session covered much material:  Veterans statistics; Challenges for the returning Veterans;  Overall US depression and disability facts;   Employer challenges;  The moral imperative, as well as the business case, for a friendlier workplace for Veterans and individuals with disabilities; etiquette, respect, sensitivity and inclusion; and, more…….

If you would like to check out this webcast for yourself, here is some guidance on how to look for this presentation (as well as other archived Diversity  webcasts):

Go to the www.shrm.org  website
Click on the Education tab towards the top of the web page
Select Webcasts (Member Benefit)  from the drop-down menu
Scroll down to click on See all available Webcasts
In the SHRM Webcast Archive, click on the Diversity section
There,  look for “Recruiting and Assisting Combat-exposed Veterans and People with Disabilities.”   Presenter Edward Crenshaw, Jr., of DESTIN Enterprises

By Cindy J. Lau-Evans, Diversity Director, Greater Miami chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management

In this article posted on July 9, 2009, SHRM online manager/editor Alicia Wright writes of some of the findings contained within a Bendixen & Associates poll of 1,102 women from a number of Latin American, Asian, African and Arab countries.   The poll was released by New America Media in May 2009.

In the latter part of the 20th century women immigrated to America in ever-growing numbers and are now on the move as much as men.  

Female immigrants indicated great obstacles after coming to the United States with many finding it difficult to find comparable professional jobs to those they held in their home countries; when they did find such employment, they reported wages that were less than what they earned previously.

Despite these challenges, many stated that they were more empowered here than they’d been in their home countries.  The poll reveals that many female immigrants experience changes in their roles since living here with almost one third reporting that  they were now the heads of their households or that they were sharing equally with their spouses in various family matters.   Furthermore, many of the polled women felt that they were more assertive now, within and outside of their households.

Here I am again, plugging this wonderful opportunity for HR Professionals to support the President's pledge to make Veterans a priority!

I'm attending this Thursday's GMSHRM Diversity and Inclusion workshop, "Transitioning our Veterans into the Workplace." I look forward to learning of ways to make a difference within my own organization- in being able to address a national concern with targeted recruiting and employment practices. Information will be plentiful, with speakers from the Miami Vet Center, the OFCCP, Miami VA Medical Center, Veterans Benefits Administration, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, and Miami Dade College.

Workshop participants will also have the opportunity to tour a state-of-the-art Navy warship station at the Coast Guard Station in Miami Beach on Sunday May 31, 2009.  

Interested? Check out the workshop on the Events page or by clicking here.

If asked whether your organization is military-friendly, how would you respond? Would it mean you take part in support campaigns to raise funds for troops and their families? Or, that your workplace has a program to transition veterans upon their return from service? Most of us, can agree on the need for the latter. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Greater Miami Society for Human Resource Management is hosting its first workshop of the year “Transitioning Our Veterans into the Workplace”. 

As an HR Professional, I am very excited for such an event. Especially with President's plan to return troops, there will be a huge influx of veterans in the workplace in 2009 and 2010, and I know I need coaching on how to prepare! Do you?

For more information or to register visit: www.gmshrm.org/events.html

For the first time in US history, four generations are working in the workplace at the same time.   With birthdates covering a general span of over eighty years, our workplaces are populated with workers who are classified as Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials with each generational group defined by its shared historical and cultural events, collective memories, expectations and values.

While the article cautions against stereotyping people from different generations, it covers key aspects of the US multigenerational workforce and asserts that leaders can create a competitive advantage by “capitalizing on the strengths and values of different generations.”

Be sure to read this report for practical suggestions and data as they relate to the generational groups: workforce demographics; leadership style preference; differences in ethics; attraction, employee engagement, retention strategies, and more!

As the SHRM Research Quarterly notes, “Demographic and social trends will have a significant impact on the workforce in the coming years.  Thus, in today’s struggling global economy, it is more important than ever that organizations leverage the knowledge, skills and abilities of all workers –from all generations.”

By Cindy J. Lau-Evans, Diversity Director, Greater Miami chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management

The Greater Miami Society for Human Resource Management (GMSHRM)  will celebrate “Diversity in South Florida” at their Dinner Meeting on October 21, 2008 at Jungle Island (1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami 33132).
 
Part of the celebration will be the recognition of  the 2008 winner of the prestigious GMSHRM Diversity Award.    Winners of the award are organizations that the GMSHRM’s Diversity Committee selects* as leaders in the demonstrated support of diversity and inclusion in the S. Florida workplace.   
 
The location, as well as a high school steel drum band  and a tropical dinner menu will all follow the theme of enjoying the diversity in our  South Florida paradise.
 
Finally, Dr. Phyllis Baker will speak on “Diversity in S. Florida;” the seminar will cover how humans develop concepts of self/others, reasons for prejudice and discrimination, common misconceptions, and ways to foster positive Cross-Cultural experiences.
 
Networking starts at 5:00 PM; Dinner and the program follow at 6:00 PM.
 
*Nominations for the selection process may be made online at www.gmshrmdiversityawards.com through September 26, 2008.

SHRM's 2008 Diversity Conference and Exposition  is scheduled to be held October 27-29, 2008, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

This year’s list of keynote speakers includes the Monday opening speaker, Lisa Ling, host of the National Geographic Channel and special correspondent for the Oprah Winfrey Show.   Three Chief Diversity Officers will be present at Tuesday morning's general session for what is described by Dr. Shirley A. Davis (SHRM Director of Diversity and Inclusion) as “candid conversations on global diversity and inclusion issues in the 21st century.”   The scheduled guest CDOs are:  Steve Bucherati from Coca-Cola; Deborah Dagit from Merck & Co.; and,   Dr. Rohini Anand from Sodexho USA.     Also slated to appear are:  Frans Johansson, author of The Medici Effect  and Bill Strickland, president and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation.

    
In addition, conference attendees will be able to choose from a range of pre-conference workshops and concurrent sessions regarding  some of the business challenges that we face in the workplace, our communities, and in the marketplace.   These sessions have been pre-approved by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) for 8.25 credits toward PHR, SPHR or GPHR recertification.

Dr. Davis also notes that there will be many opportunities for networking and sharing ideas, including a:   Meet to Eat which provides participants with an opportunity to dine at local restaurants with colleagues from similar industries and business sectors and a Diversity Dialogue Networking breakfast that will allow you to select and discuss certain diversity-related table topics with your colleagues.

By: Cindy Lau-Evans, summarizing information in e-mail communication to SHRM chapter Diversity Directors from Dr. Shirley Davis, SHRM Director of Diversity and Inclusion

Summary of "Diversity in the C-Suite" By Scott Flander published in Human Resource Executive on June 16, 2008

One of the most important ways to change the make up of the C-suite is for chief executives to lead by example and begin adding different voices to their leadership teams.

In addition mentoring programs, diversity programs and the company’s values can help break through the glass ceiling that restrict the growth of minorities. The issue of succession planning also needs to be addressed. By putting these measures in place it can increase awareness in the rest of the company and hopefully change the paradigm. Decision makers and Human Resources leaders need to think outside of the box and their comfort zone, and take the risk of employing a more diverse team of leaders. One of the rewards of a diverse team is the diversity of skills and experience across the C-suite that can enhance the executive team and build a stronger company . As our economy becomes more global, HR professionals need to work harder towards breaking the glass ceiling and find ways to help minorities move up the ladder to the top. This will help companies to develop leaders who can navigate risk, expand into new markets and operate with an international perspective.

Summary By Salisha Baksh, GMSHRM Diversity Committee Member