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Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) does not only mean employing people from different ethnic backgrounds, it also involves gender. According to a report from the Professional Diversity Network, women make up 41.5 percent of the entire national workforce and flourish in accounting and bookkeeping, legal services, education and health. Are there enough women in other sectors like technology and engineering?
Intel recently published its Annual Diversity and Inclusion Report for 2015 stating their achievements for the past year. Of these, their rate of diverse hiring, increase in the number of female employees and achievement of 100 percent pay parity between men and women are most commendable. They now have 20 women Senior Principal Engineers, up from 11 in 2014 and 80 female Vice Presidents, up from 70 at the end of 2015. Not only did the tech giant surpass its 40 percent diverse hiring goal to reach 43.1 percent, it also achieved diverse employee retention goals, placing minorities on par with the remaining employee groups.
In the Intel U.S. workforce, women account for 28 percent entry-level, 23.5 percent mid-level, 16.5 percent senior and 17.63 percent leadership roles. All these numbers have increased since 2014. A similar positive trend is seen in their employment of African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans.
While hiring diverse employees is essential, it is also important to have a good retention plan to keep this talented group within the company. The company plans to do exactly that, improve its employee retention initiatives in 2016 to support their booming hiring ventures. Their attractive maternity leave program, applicable to both men and women, a rewarding sabbatical and other perks play a key role in their retention plan. Apart from hiring minority employees, Intel has set aside $400 million to spend on diverse suppliers, in 2016.
With companies like Intel coming forward with D&I initiatives and proven achievements, it should beckon other companies and industries follow suit. The recognition of D&I as a necessary core business practice will promote the building of a diverse workforce on national and international grounds.
Read Intel’s report here.