Research Park News

July 7, 2016

Symposium to help companies grow with diverse talent strategies

INDIANAPOLIS – An upcoming symposium hosted by the Society for Diversity will seek to aid tech companies in driving growth and profit by capitalizing on the benefits associated with recruiting and retaining diverse talent.

"Diversity in Tech: Recruitment, Retention, and Growth" will bring together professionals from across the Midwest for a one-day symposium at the Purdue Technology Center in the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis.

The all-day event includes speakers, a panel discussion and networking opportunities, including a casual portion in the afternoon to enable participants to connect and form action plans. The symposium is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 19 at the Purdue Technology Center in Indianapolis, 5225 Exploration Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana.

"Diversity has traditionally been viewed as a challenge; it needs to be understood as an opportunity, an opportunity to drive innovative ideas and perspectives, an opportunity to connect with new markets, an opportunity to find and retain the best talent," said Nick Jaworski, Society for Diversity’s marketing coordinator. "The ideal attendees are human resources, diversity and inclusion and senior company executives who have decision-making authority at the organizational level. For diversity to be an asset, strategic integration must start at the top."

A 2015 report by McKinsey and Co. shows gender-diverse companies are 15 percent more likely to outperform competitors, and racially diverse companies are 30 percent more likely to do so.

There are numerous reasons why tech companies tend to be largely homogeneous, Jaworski said.

"Without training, most managers tend to unconsciously hire employees with similar educations and backgrounds as their own rather than the best candidate for the job," he said. "Additionally, many organizations haven’t broadened their search strategies or just don’t have the visibility that attracts a wide array of candidates, so they’re often stuck with who they know, rather than the best.

"It also can be difficult for employees of different backgrounds to feel comfortable at tech companies. Often there’s no one else like them there, and that can make it difficult for them to perform their best."

Symposium highlights include:

* Radical Ideas About Listening – Lalita Amos, TEDx speaker and president of Total Team Solutions, will speak about using active listening to engage employees, leading to higher retention.

* Allying for Diversity – Dominic Liddell, founder of Tech While Black, will speak about ways to foster diversity and inclusive spaces in a way that empowers communities without being obtrusive or distracting from the mission.

* Panelists Una Hartzell-Baird of LUNA Language Services, Trena Roudebush of Bohlsen Group, Lorraine Ball of Roundpeg and others will talk about challenges and successes of recruiting innovative candidates from a variety of experiences and backgrounds.

* Various workshops on topics proposed and chosen by participants include dealing with unconscious bias, tips for widening the candidate pool, actions for building inclusive cultures will be presented.

Cost is $99 for Society for Diversity members, $129 for non-members. To register call 317-777-7630.

"Our goal is to help tech companies attract knowledgeable diverse employees from different backgrounds," Jaworski said. "This in turn will help the companies accumulate different points of view and expand into new markets."

About the Society for Diversity
Headquartered at the Purdue Technology Center in Indianapolis, the Society for Diversity is the largest organization for diversity and inclusion in the United States. With members in 43 states, the Society for Diversity represents a highly specialized association of Fortune 500, nonprofit, government and education professionals throughout the nation. The organization was founded in 2009 for the purposes of equipping diversity and inclusion professionals with the education and resources needed to design and execute effective diversity and inclusion strategies. The Society for Diversity is also the parent company of the Institute for Diversity Certification, which designates qualification credentials to diversity experts through their professional diversity certification program. More information is available at www.societyfordiversity.org

About Purdue Technology Center in Indianapolis

Opened in early 2009, the 55,000-square-foot technology incubator anchors the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis, which is a 78-acre, Indianapolis-based park being jointly developed by Purdue Research Foundation and Holladay Properties Inc. The park is located along the I-70 corridor and near the midfield terminal of the Indianapolis International Airport. It is the centerpiece of the latest 400-acre phase of AmeriPlex-Indianapolis, a nearly 1,500-acre development. Click here for more information. 

Writer: Curt Slyder, 765-588-3342, caslyder@prf.org

Source: Nick Jaworski, 317-777-7630, nickjaworski@societyfordiversity.org


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