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STRESS MANAGEMENT How To Break Through Fear in Turbulent Times Solving Problems in a High-Stress Environment Break Through Self-Doubt & Fear Make 2004 your Year of Organization Manage Stress by Stopping Obsessive or Unwanted Thoughts Stress; Control It, Change It or Let It Go! Tips for Managing Holiday Madness Modern Day Stressors: What Stress Looks Like in the 21st Century The Life Juggle: How to Find Lifework Balance
CHANGE The Questions Leaders Should Ask Themselves about Change The Top Ten Ways to Manage People through Change
RUNNING A BUSINESS Be Heard. Be Strong. Be Effective. How to Deliver Impressive Presentations Getting Started in the Speaking Business: Answers to Burning Questions What Entrepreneurs Need to Know to be Successful How to Create and Maintain Culture as You Grow Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Candidates
DIVERSITY Traits of a Diverse Organization Simma's Holiday Diversity Q and A How to Go from Eggshell Walking to Multicultural Festivity Making Are You Wasting Your Money on Diversity Training? Interview Bias: Overcoming the Silent Forces Working Against You How to Help LGBT Employees Help Your Organization Grow How to Integrate Diversity Into Your Business Strategy Diversity Benefits Organizations and Communities 10 PC Tips for Communicating with a Diverse Audience Interviewing Employees Who Stay Wage and Position Disparity Across Gender What Every Consultant Needs to Know About Diversity Consulting and Training Diversity Competency Assessment Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Candidates Understanding Diversity Dialogues Dialogue as a Communication Tool Amongst Diverse Groups of People Communicating across Generations in the Workplace Simma & Kate's Strategies for Cross-Generational Relationship Building Valuing Diversity during the Holidays
COMMUNICATION Understanding Dialogue: A Q&A on the benefits of dialogue Dialogue as a Communication Tool 10 PC Tips for Communicating with a Diverse Audience Tips for Better Communication Between Men and Women in the Workplace Understanding Diversity Dialogues Dialogue as a Communication Tool Amongst Diverse Groups of People Simma & Kate's Strategies for Cross-Generational Relationship Building
GENDER COMMUNICATION Differences in Male and Female Communication Styles Gender Communications Differences and Strategies Wage and Position Disparity across Gender Tips for Better Communication between Men and Women in the Workplace
WORK/LIFE BALANCE Life/Work Balance in the Real World New Year's Resolutions: A New Approach? Working with Loved Ones: Leverage Potential and Avoid Pitfalls Modern Day Stressors: What Stress Looks Like in the 21st Century The Life Juggle: How to Find Lifework Balance
RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY
Are You Truly Successful?
FEAR & SELF-DOUBT |
How to Integrate Diversity Into the Business Strategy of Your Restaurants As the population of the United States continues to become more diverse so do the people who eat in its restaurants. In the past few years we have seen restaurants and businesses involved in the industry hit with law suits, and charges of discrimination from customers and employees. Lawsuits are not only expensive but the resulting publicity leads to loss of business and a working environment that is uncomfortable for people of color, women and any one else who feels devalued because of their differences. For companies in this industry to be successful and move ahead of their competition they need to know how to create environments where all people can be accepted, respected and utilized for the differences they bring to the workplace. Knowing how to do that can enhance productivity and increase profit. While some organizations may understand the need to have its employees be representative of its customer base in order to stay competitive, they donāt know how to integrate diversity into the overall business strategy. They may hire more people of color and women, but donāt address systems and processes for recruitment, and retention, promotion, mentoring and leadership. Itās not enough to talk about diversity, or have a few training sessions without creating a change in the culture of the organization from the top down. Diversity initiatives need to begin with an assessment of the organization, no matter how big or small, to identify how employees perceive things. Its more than just race, and gender, but includes differences like age, ethnic background, work function, education, sexual orientation and religion. You have to address the diversity of the customer base and how well you are meeting their needs. If you have a restaurant in and where there is a large Spanish speaking population, it only makes good business sense to have some employees that speak Spanish. Simma Lieberman can help your organization or company through her diversity training seminars. If you are interested in hiring Simma for a diversity seminar, click here for more information. Organizations like Womensā Foodservice Forum, and the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance are good resources for networking and best practices from people who are involved in promoting diversity in their organizations and the industry. I spoke to three people who have been working with the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance. They all said that while progress have been made in terms of people of color and women in the restaurant industry, there is still a lot of work to be done. Joe Machicote, Director of Relations Development for Compass states, "We still donāt have enough minorities at high levels in this industry. Where have to change our environment, where as we grow, our people grow too. Our organization sees diversity as a strategic part of the business, so we have created diversity councils that include senior managers, other leaders and decision makers and key influencers at different levels at Compass. We believe that diversity is not only race and gender, but creating an environment where everyone is included, that can only have a positive effect on our business. Sugi Randall, board member of MFHA (Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance), and Vice President of Human Resource and Training at Champps said, "While the industry is fairly diverse at the entry level, there has not been enough of a concerted effort to get these people to stay in the industry as a career. One of the biggest challenges is for organizations to consciously create opportunities for people of color to show their talent. Everyone has to have the same chance to succeed or fail." Randall went on to say that the issue of diversity has to start early on in the home and in the schools before people even get to the workplace. Megaly Petersen-Penn, director of the minority supplier program at Burger King and chairperson of MFHA reflected on the last two years since the first MFHA conference. "Iāve seen more awareness for the issues, but more corporate CEOās need to understand how diversity can be a resource. There is also a need for minorities to understand the Foodservice industry as a career and not just a temporary place to work. At Burger King, we now have 15% minority owned franchises. Weāve gone from spending 33 million dollars with diversity suppliers to over 100 million last year. We would like to see more minority suppliers have the resources to supply us nationwide." As industries compete for qualified employees at all levels, in a shrinking labor pool at all levels, no one should be disqualified because of their differences.Ź In order to develop a diversity initiative that can improve productivity and profit, people at all levels need to be educated. It means a commitment to change, not only how the company looks but how people treat each other personally and professionally.
Simma Lieberman works with people and organizations to create environments where people can do their best work. She specializes in diversity, gender communications, life-work balance and stress, and acquiring and retaining new customers. You may reprint these articles free of charge, on a non-exclusive basis, provided that Simma Lieberman's name and contact information are included. She would love to know that you plan to use her article(s); please contact her to let her know.
Call Simma at 510.527.0700 or Email simma@simmalieberman.com |