Workplace diversity is too often portrayed as merely a warm-and-fuzzy accomplishment that does not directly affect profitability. But focused efforts to build a diverse workforce play an important role in building a strong and profitable firm.
The good news is that Nevada is home to a diverse population — Clark County already is majority minority — and companies in many industry sectors are realizing that failing to build a diverse workforce means stunting their own growth.
A diverse workforce brings together a variety of viewpoints, allowing for more creative solutions to solving problems. For us, having a diverse workforce allows us to market to and provide legal services to a broader range of clients.
For those working at building a more diverse and inclusive workforce, here are some steps to take:
• Create a diversity committee, and give it real power. Efforts must be consistent, must be personally supported by employees at every level of the organization, and must be accompanied by specific expectations for each worker.
Give the committee a chairperson. Specific and individual accountability for diversity in recruitment and employment for open positions is a powerful tool.
• Start a diversity fellowship program. Be an active participant in such programs as the State Bar of Nevada and Boyd School of Law Diversity Fellowship Program, which allows law students to spend a paid semester working at a firm to develop their skills.
Young attorneys are paired with mentors, and the firm requires that leaders of its offices and practice groups keep in regular contact with associate attorneys.
• Focus on inclusiveness and not just diversity. In other words, diversity is akin to being asked to the party, whereas inclusiveness is being asked to dance.
In the case of a law firm, individual partners and associates — not just managing attorneys — should be held responsible for ensuring that the firm continues to make progress toward its goals of diversity and inclusiveness. Performance evaluations for associates and compensation decisions for partners consider each attorney’s efforts to hire, retain and promote a diverse workforce.
A company that succeeds in creating a diverse and inclusive environment can find itself garnering attention from its peers in the form of awards and other recognition. But that should not be the primary motivation for the efforts. This is not about plaques to hang in the lobby. It’s about creating a culture that helps everyone thrive.
Bryce Kunimoto is a partner at Holland and Hart LLP and the chairman of its diversity committee. He primarily focuses on advising clients on a wide range of commercial litigation matters.