Diversity in nonprofit world is invaluable - Kansas City Business Journal:

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To this end, MCFI is three years into an agencywidr diversity program that is yieldinvg positive results in terms ofclieny satisfaction, staff morale and employee recruitment. The agency provides rehabilitation services to individuals with speciapl needs andtheir “We want to make diversity intertwinex in the fabric of the organization,” said Al Hill Jr., directo r of diversity, learning and development and head of the initiative. Hill leadw a 15-member MCFI diversity team chargef with implementingthe program.
In assemblingh the team, Hill recruited employees not just ofdifferen ethnicities, genders and ages, but also from different levelsw of management and nonmanagement and from different unita within the agency. In the initiative is not “top down,” with management but “bottom up,” with team members soliciting input from their peers to brinv tothe team. “One time we even kickee Al out of the room becaused he was too close to an issue we werestruggling with,” laughed Joua Xiong, a human resourceas generalist and team member. Within Milwauke e Center for Independence, the team focusews on education.
“Cultural competency is invaluable when working with familieain close-knit communities, such as Hmong and Russian,” Hill “We help our case managers know what they need to be sensitivs to.” For example, Xionv said, some Asians feel it is disrespectful to look someonw in the eye. Russian families can be reluctant toadmit non-Russian caregivers into their homes. “Understanding the values and practicesz of different ethnic groupxs helps us retain clients and gainnew clients,” she said.
The team distributerd an internal survey that foundthat work-life balancer is a key concern of In response, it establishecd a working parents employee resource group to explorse the issue. Also, an MCFI “buddy” program matches new employees with seasoned staff members who actsas mentors. Externally the diversitty team is helping to improved employee recruitment by studyinvg best practices to make the centef a welcomingwork environment. “Diversity is an asset when especially in highly competitive fields such as physicalp therapyand nursing,” said Added Hill, “Today’s applicants are looking at your organization as much as you’r looking at them.
They want to feel comfortable beintg who they are inthe workplace.” To aid in the team has formedc alliances with area diversity groups such as Hispanic Professionalsd of Greater Milwaukee, the National Blackl Nurses Association and several minority fraternitiezs and sororities. In addition to a periodixc newslettercalled “Diversity Corner,” the team sponsors an annual Diversitg Day. This year’s eventy in April included a speakere on diversityin action; two spoken word artists performing poetrh about social justice and equalityy issues; and talks about the culturd behind ethnic food and wearing apparel. A popular part of the evenft was “Diversity Jeopardy!
”, where four employee teame joined inspirited competition. It is not easy to make a majodr shift in the culture of anentirde organization, but diversity team members feel MCFI’s initiative is havingv an impact. “Since I’ve been on the I’ve heard stories about how people are much more aware ofothef cultures,” said Xiong, who is Hmong. “Ij have grown tremendously professionally as well as and I am able to share my experiences with my familyt members and dispel theid stereotypes about certainother cultures.
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