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Recruiting in a Multicultural
Environment
The National Restaurant Association Show
May 17, 2008
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Agenda
• MFHA approach
• CSP Business Case
• Factors in engagement of minority
communities
• Finding & Developing Talent
• Getting Started
• What to avoid - How to succeed
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Courage is the most
important virtue.
- Maya Angelou, American Poet, Writer &
Historian
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“Diversity of thought,
perspectives & experiences is
the goal. Diverse points of view
produce the best solutions.”
MFHA Approach
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The Dinner Table of Opportunity
Workforce Customers
Community Suppliers
Positive outcomes for each seat.
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CSP Business Case
• Diversity is a business growth opportunity.
– Demographic changes: major employer of
minorities.
– Market opportunity: urban markets offer
growth.
– Innovation: diverse talent drives creativity &
new solutions.
– Globalization: having a global mindset for
managing difference is how you win.
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Rationale
• Workforce Development- engaged employees
are productive and long lasting.
• Competitive Advantage- being culturally
intelligent builds a competitive barrier vs. the
competition.
• Combat Discrimination- race, sex, ethnicity,
religion, disability, age, sexual orientation.
• Legislation- settlements are costly.
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Framing the Issue
• The #1 challenge for service industry
employers is sourcing talent.
– We rely heavily on high school graduates
– Young workers are harder to manage
– Fewer students work during school year
– More minorities in the workforce
– Immigrant labor is critical
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Framing the Issue
• Customers want more service and they
want it now!
– Service is training is need more than ever.
– Due to popular culture, service jobs are not
seen as being “cool”.
– Common courtesy standards have slipped
across all segments of business.
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Engaging Minority Communities
• Difficult/Challenging—Why?
– History with employment & service
– Hard work
– Image
– Hours
– Exploring the unknown, misunderstandings
– Different needs, different tools
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Engaging Minority Communities
Difficult—BUT—It Can Be Done!
– Effective outreach
– Development of innovative strategies &
tactics
– Honesty regarding knowledge of the
community and its issues
– Acknowledgement of risks and willingness to
make mistakes
– Seeking help/support, i.e. MFHA
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Solution Strategy
• Make your business relevant to the
minority community.
– Educate them that profit is not a dirty word.
– Support issues that impact them.
– Show them the way.
– Use values based training built on respect,
patience and authenticity.
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Finding Talent
NEW BUSINESS MODELS NEEDED:
– The traditional workplace model, where all
workers follow the same non-spoken rules
and most workers come from similar
backgrounds is no longer working in today’s
business environment.
– What are the new workplace models that
bring about productive and competitive work
teams?
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Developing Talent
MORE TRAINING IS NECESSARY:
– Unfortunately for many US businesses, training is still seen as an expense instead of an investment.
– The reality of a more diverse population is that employers must make the decision to train employees better to avoid higher turnover costs and reduced sales.
– The question is how do we get senior management to see the value of training?
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How Do You Get Started?
Only 3 of the 4 seats at the table will be used initially—
– Workforce• Escalator to the Middle Class
• Still an industry where you can go from the dishroom to the Boardroom w/o a college degree
– Customer• Understand who the emerging customer is and their needs
and wants
– Community• Tell the story of who we are and what we do
• Profit is not a “4-Letter Word”
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Outcomes That Grow The Industry
Workforce Customers
Community Suppliers
•
•
•
•
• Better Experience
• Better Customer Service
• Improved Image
• Increased Business
• Increased MBE Volume
• Wider Participation
• Reduced Costs
• Product Innovation
• Improved Image
• Value Added Relationships
• Strategic Partnerships
• Cultural Understanding
Positive outcomes for each seat.
Increased Productivity
Recruiting / Retention Success
Improved Communication
People Development
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The Process
• Define success.
• Educate yourself on the issues (“g”lobal and Local).
• “Really” define the issues-not just the symptoms, go to the core.
• Prioritize the options.
• Set boundaries/Rules of engagement—geographic, values, standards of
operation, outcomes, mindset
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The Process
• Identify allies, partners—MFHA, local
organizations, local influencers.
• Commit to an action plan.
• Set timelines.
• Execute.
• Reassess-Evaluate-Continuous
Improvement.
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Potential Landmines
• “Aha’s” to Be Aware of--
– Talking about race, ethnicity is not
something we are taught to do
– There is bound to be some level of
discomfort
– We usually only talk among ourselves, when
we do talk race, ethnicity
– We often talk in stereotypes and with
“unbalanced views of each other”
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Factors for Success
• Do This—
– Withhold judgment
– Focus on the facts
– Avoid emotion as much as possible
– Stay in the present, avoid a re-hash of the past
– Avoid dealing, playing or reacting to race, gender, difference cards
– Understand, accept and acknowledge the industry’s role in discrimination
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Summary
• Diversity is a business growth opportunity.
• The business case is crystal clear.
• Engage diverse & minority communities to
make your business relevant to them.
• Sourcing & developing talent requires
investment for the long term.
• Expect bumps in the road.
• MUST DO WORK!
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"You can't build a
reputation on what you
are going to do."
--Henry Ford, American Auto Manufacturer
(1863-1947)
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Gerry Fernandez, President & FounderMFHA- The Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance ®
1144 Narragansett Boulevard Providence, RI 02905
401.461.6343 / 9004- [email protected]
THANK YOU
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