Now reaching 120,000 readers in the U.S., U.K, Caribbean, and Africa. By Roger Witherspoon Cecy Kuruvilla, who has made a career working to bring more minorities into the corporate and academic ranks, has a ready explanation for two of the most frequently confused issues in her field. Affirmative action opens the door in terms of giving people of all backgrounds the access to opportunity. It does not deal with what happens when you are on the job, except from a compliance perspective.
Affirmative action is the result of laws requiring equal opportunity.
To me, it is about complying with the legalities, whereas diversity is about seeing the value in different perspectives and skills and abilities so that an institution can actually maximize the potential of all of its members, not just a few. Diversity is about ensuring that those who are in an organization have an opportunity to enhance their skills, feel that they are included in the determination of their destiny, so they can feel they are buying into the success of the organization. As a result of diversity, they are more productive workers. If a company truly fosters a diverse environment, Kuruvilla says, employees feel included in the firm's goals and believe their skills and contributions are valued. As a result, retention is higher than it would be if workers felt they were outsiders or their contributions were only marginally valued.