|
 With
all of the buzzwords surrounding corporations today, one
word resonates above all the others: diversity. Creating
successful diversity initiatives remains the focus of many
corporations, including those profiled in last issue’s
LATINA Style 50 Special Report. Recruiting a diverse
workforce is key, but retaining that diversity and
cultivating the talent associated with it often proves to be
a challenge.
Factors such as benefits packages and advancement
opportunities strongly contribute to a company’s appeal, but
in an increasingly demanding market companies must implement
a broader spectrum of programs to attract and retain
talented Hispanic women.
One such program, becoming increasingly popular within the
past decade, is the employee network group. Also referred to
as affinity groups, these networks foster a supportive
infrastructure for diverse employees to gather and share
ideas. The inclusion of these networks in a corporation’s
diversity strategy assures potential employees that the
needs of their demographic are met, and that their voices
are represented within the company. The groups typically
organize themselves around a gender, ethnic, religious, or
lifestyle commonality.
Generally, the affinity groups are organized and led by
employees. The networks engage in both formal and informal
programming. Some of the LATINA Style 50 companies’
Hispanic affinity groups offer employees established
programs such as Latina-to-Latina mentoring programs which
help advocate both professional and personal growth among
Hispanic women within the company. Employee networks also
serve as a powerful recruitment tools, allowing current
employees to pool their resources to attract the best and
brightest of their communities.
By Gabrielle Lake
[This article has been edited for
www.latinastyle.com
For the full version, check out the 2005 November/December
issue of LATINA Style.]
|
