Championing Diversity and Inclusion to Recruit and

Retain Top Talent

Presented at 2017 PRSA Conference

Meet the Panelists

Dr. Juan Meng

University of Georgia

Dr. Bryan Reber

University of Georgia

Patrick Ford

Burson-Marsteller;

University of Florida

Objectives

• Share insights about how diversity and inclusion initiatives help to recruit and retain Millennial workers in public relations

• Link research findings to diversity and inclusion tactics that can be used to engage Millennial employees

• Share case studies of best practices in diversity and inclusion as developed by college education programs and by global-PR agencies, such as Burson-Marsteller

Millennial Communication Professionals (MCPs) in the workplace

Confident.

Connected.

Open to Change.

Who are the Millennial Communication Professionals (MCPs)?

MCPs:

Adult Millennials born 1981-1996, including 1981 and 1996, who currently hold a full-time position in the

profession of communication.

They are the….

Largest generation in the workforce (35%)

Leaders in the workplace for the next 2-3 decades

Our Approach: Two SurveysThe first survey focused on the self-perceptions of MCPs in the workplace, whereas the second collected the perceptions of the managers who supervise the MCPs in their organizations.

Online Survey #1Demographics of a national panel of 420 MCPs

DEMOGRAPHIC MCPs

AGE 21-36

GENDER F (63.1), M (35.0), TG (1.9)

ETHNICITYCau. (75.2), AA (11.0), Asian (5.7),

Hisp/Lat (4.0), Other (4.1)

ORG TYPECorp (57.2), Agency (20.5),

NP/GOV/ED (17.4), Other (4.9)

TOP RESPONSIBILITIESGen Comms (61.4), Social Media (41.2), Digital

Comms (37.9), Mktg Comm (33.8)

Online Survey: Key Questions

Workplace values &

attributesEngagement

Leadership capabilities

Leadership development

Recruitment and retention

driversCareerism

Online Survey #2National panel of 420 MGRs

DEMOGRAPHIC MGRs

AGE 37-60

GENDER F (50.0), M (48.8), Other (1.2)

ETHNICITYCau. (85.0), AA (6.2), Asian (2.1), Hisp/Lat (4.3), Other

(2.3)

ORG TYPECorp (58.1), Agency (12.0), NP/GOV/ED (19.5), Other

(10.4)

TOP RESPONSIBILITIESGen Comms (56.9), Mktg Comm (36.4), EMP Comms

(33.8), Acct Mgmt (33.1), PR (32.1)

#MCPs MANAGED 1-5 (40.5), 6-10 (24.5), 11-15 (17.4), 16+ (17.6)

We all agreed that we value diversity and inclusion!

% agree with statement

MCPs MGRs

Value diversity of people at work 87.5% 81.2%

Value work-life quality more than income

71.4% 60.3%

Very supportive of social causes and socially responsible

companies84.1% 82.8%

Prefer working in teams 57.8% 67.1%

MCPs vs. MGRs on Diversity & Inclusion

5.97

5.21

5.73

4.67

5.65

4.69

5.56

4.98

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

I value diversity of people atwork.

I value work-life quality morethan income.

I am very supportive of socialcauses and socially responsible

companies.

I prefer working in teams,rather than working alone.

MCPs MGRs

Female & Male MCPs have Different Perceptions

6.11

5.21

5.86

4.6

5.71

5.2

5.47

4.82

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

Value diversity of people atwork

Value work-life quality morethan income

Very supportive of socialcauses and socially

responsible companies

Prefer working in teams

Females Males

The Role of Diversity in Recruitment

% agree with statements MCPs MGRs

It seemed to be a very socially-responsible organization.

74.6% 69.9%

It seemed to offer a balanced work-life approach.

82.4% 75.4

It appeared to have a very open and positive culture.

85.2% 79.9%

Organizations did a good job in addressing diversity when recruiting.

5.425.58

5.76

5.225.31

5.58

It seemed to be a verysocially-responsible

organization.

It seemed to offer abalanced work-life

approach.

It appeared to have avery open and positive

culture.

MCPs MGRs

Organizations’ retention efforts in diversity as perceived by MCPs and

MGRs% agree with statements MCPs MGRs

My organization has made efforts to support a balanced work-life approach.

79.1% 80.7%

My organization has made efforts to embody an open and positive organizational culture that values diversity.

82.1% 86.7%

My organization has made efforts to engage in socially-responsible strategies and programs.

77.1% 77.8%

Efforts have been made. Improvements are expected.

5.52

5.61

5.4

5.46

5.68

5.38

Supports a balanced work-life approach Embodies an open and positiveorganizational culture that values

diversity

Engages in socially-responsiblestrategies and programs

MCPs MGRs

The Challenge for Emerging Leaders Program

“During the Challenge for Emerging Leaders, students will have an opportunity to

learn from some of the best professionals and academics

in the industry. The relationships that they build are bound to last a lifetime.”

Bringing Diverse Students and the Profession Together

AdPR Academy

• Created by the AdPR program at the University of Georgia

• A week-long, career orientation and opportunity boot camp

• Aids in the advancement of diversity and minority leadership in advertising and public relations

• Hands-on professional development experience

• Open to upper undergraduate and first-year graduate students

• The Academy will host its second class of 30 participants during Spring Break 2018 from March 12-17

AdPR Academy

• Competitive application process

• No cost to students

• Hoping to get hotel industry sponsor this year

Orlando Pimentel: AdPR Academy

First year Academy participant

First generation American

Entry level position at Porter Novelli, DC

Recruitment2017 AdPR Academy

‘Together Being More’ Initiatives

• Employee Resource Groups: • African-American, Latino, LGBTQ, Women

• U.S. Diversity Council: • ERG leaders and U.S. leadership team execs

• Raise Your Voice Program: • Mentorship program

• Mandatory unconscious bias training for Directors and above • Nearly 150 leaders have participated

• Together Being More Intranet Page

Black History Month: Black PR Pioneer Exhibits

Heritage Month Videos

• Black History Month:

• Emma Bowen: http://bit.ly/BMblackprpioneers

• Pride Month

• Hispanic Heritage Month

Pride Month: Burson Pride Events

D&I Discussion Forums

• “Hitting the Mark in the Digital Age”: reaching U.S. Hispanics

• “Young, Connected and Black” African-American millennials

driving social change

• “LGBTQ Rights in the Current Political Climate” led by the CEO

of the Family Equality Council

• “They Can’t Kill Us All” Washington Post reporter Wesley Lowery

discussed his bestselling book by the same name

D&I Best Practice Case Study

• Partnerships:• Arthur W. Page Society

• Emma Bowen Foundation

• INROADS

• The LAGRANT Foundation

• PRSA Foundation

Questions.

Thank you.

Plankcenter.ua.edu

@PlankCenterPR