The term “workforce diversity” refers to the appropriate representation of people from minority ethnic groups, of different ages, religions, cultures and sexual orientation, as well as women and people with disabilities, who work together in the same organization, at every hierarchical level. Diversity management is the process through which an organization develops policy and tools that create a supportive environment for the recruitment and promotion of employees from these groups. Minority groups are characterized by barriers that lead to low participation rates in the workforce or underemployment. In Israel, these are predominantly ultra-Orthodox men, Arab women, Ethiopian Israelis, people with disabilities and people aged 45+. It is in the national interest to strengthen integration of these groups into quality employment, and a large number of programs have been developed to this end. Employers are above all motivated to employ minority groups because they need the staff, but they also do so in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR), i.e., the involvement of a business in the achievement of social objectives. The goal of this study was to learn what has been done abroad and to review efforts to promote diversity in Israel.
The literature review reveals that workforce diversity is structured by: Defining special roles and creating policymaking and discussion forums in the workplace; developing programs for long-standing employees to mentor newcomers from minority groups; educating diversity managers about the characteristics of minority groups and culturally sensitive tools; gathering data to monitor staff recruitment and assess their performance – complaints, promotion and quitting – in order to address barriers to employment and the promotion of minorities. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of the various strategies. One found the appointment of a diversity officer to be the most successful strategy for promoting diversity. Mentoring was also found effective.
The situation in Israel was examined mainly in in-depth interviews with organizations working to promote workforce diversity and with employers who have experience in the area. Among the findings:
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Several agencies are leading the field in Israel: The Israel Forum for Diversity Hiring, Zionism 2000, Maala, the Equal Opportunities in the Workplace Commission at the Ministry of Economy, the Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities Commission at the Ministry of Justice, and the Administration for the Integration of People with Disabilities in the Workforce at the Ministry of Economy.
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These organizations are working to make large employers aware of the importance of workforce diversity, are training diversity officers and are promoting counseling and guidance.
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The entire process in Israel is in its infancy. The number of employers implementing each of the strategies is small, the structuring of diversity positions is less developed than abroad, and diversity is seen mainly in entry level jobs rather than higher positions.
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However, a large number of employers are interested in workforce diversity and knowledge on the subject is growing.
The study findings have been presented to the study steering committee and at the first training course for diversity managers implemented by Tevet and the Israeli Forum for Diversity Hiring, and are being used to further develop workforce diversity.
The study was initiated and funded by JDC’s Tevet Employment Initiative.
Citing suggestion: Slater, Y., & King, J. (2014). Promoting Workforce Diversity in Israel. RR-659-14. Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute. (Hebrew)