PAPER DETAILS:

1. 1)  Read the hypothetical below and prepare a memorandum (memo) in response addressing the issues presented.
2. 2)  The memo must not exceed four (4) pages, single-spaced, and must include in-text citations for all cited and quoted material. For guidance on how to construct a memo and for an example, please see:https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writin… emos/sample_memo.html and/or reach out to me with questions.
3. 3)  I will use the attached rubric to grade the memos.
4. 4)  As you prepare your memo, reflect on, and incorporate relevant topics discussed duringthe semester as listed below, to include supporting information from related resources (assigned books, articles, videos, and other materials).
   1. Dimensions of Diversity: Social Identity & Intersectionality;
   2. Unearned Privilege;
   3. Psychological Processes: Unconscious Bias, Stereotypes, Prejudices;
   4. Workplace Discrimination;
   5. Inclusion & Belonging;
   6. Organizational Culture and Managing Diversity; and
   7. Race, Gender/Gender Identity, LGBTQ+, Ability, Age, Religion, Culture

PROMPT: You were recently hired as the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at a publicly traded social media company, Spectrum, a popular professional networking platform aimed mainly at the Millennial and Generation X generations, respectively. Spectrum is headquartered in Washington, D.C., has 10,000 employees all located in the United States, and earns approximately $50M in total annual revenue. Spectrum is also considered a federal contractor (Affirmative Action), and thus is required take affirmative steps to develop programs, policies, and procedures for proactively recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans to ensure that all individuals have equal opportunities in employment.

Within your first month on the job, you launch a Diversity & Inclusion Organizational Assessment (the “Assessment”). The Assessment is aimed at collecting and reviewing data across Spectrum, such as workplace policies/procedures and trainings, and evaluating employees’ [anonymous] experiences and perception on a variety of diversity & inclusion-related topics. The outcome of the Assessment is a critical component to help build out a long-term strategy (which you were hired to do). The employee-input portion of the Assessment allows for employees to share information in open-ended survey fields (“Information Collected from Open-Ended Survey Questions”). Upon reviewing this data, along with other data already collected before your arrival (“Information Already Collected”), you are faced with the reality that there are many gaps and opportunities that need to be addressed sooner rather than later.

After reviewing all the data below available to you, draft a memo to Spectrum’s CEO, Nancy Zuckerberg, 1) defining the issues presented and 2) providing observations and recommendations to address the issues moving forward.

I. Information Already Collected

a. Of Spectrum’s 10,000 employees:

70% identify as White

4,500 Male, 2,500 Female

15% identify as Asian

900 Male, 600 Female

7% identify as Black/African American

200 Male, 500 Female

5% identify as Hispanic/Latino(a)

400 Male, 100 Female

2% identify as “More than one Race”

70 Male, 130 Female

1% identify as “Other”

25 Male, 75 Female

1. Only information for the race and gender categories described above are collected by Spectrum (i.e., Spectrum does not broaden its terms for these categories, and data on other categories, such as disability, sexual orientation, etc. are not collected).
2. There are no formal diversity & inclusion-related trainings that employees must take upon joining Spectrum, or at any other point of their employment.
3. While Spectrum’s target market is “young professionals” in the Millennial and Generation X generations, the company has employees spanning across several generations. However, very few leaders have experience managing across different generations in the workplace.
4. The Law Department made you aware of:
   1. Three (3) pending Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)Charges of Discrimination by current/former employees over the age of40;
   2. Two (2) EEOC Charges of Discrimination by current/former employeesalleging they were terminated due to their respective disabilities.
   3. Two (2) EEOC Charges of Discrimination by current/former employeesalleging race discrimination (1 Hispanic and 1 Black).
5. While there are a decent number of women in mid-management levels atSpectrum, the numbers drop sharply as the roles become more senior level

II. Information Collected from Open-Ended Survey Questions

1. Many women – particularly Black women – have complained that they do not adequately feel supported in the workplace, and they are taking on the bulk of responsibility with educating others in the workplace on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. There are “Male only” and “Female only” restrooms in all company building locations. An employee (who identifies as transgender in the Assessment) expressed fear of termination/retaliation if they suggest the addition of unisex/gender neutral restrooms.
3. Several employees expressed concern about a Spectrum Vice President who constantly comments on employee attire and offers various job-related benefits in exchange for meeting for happy hour or coming to his house after work.
4. An employee shares that several employees have asked to touch her hair due to its “unique” texture and it makes her uncomfortable.
5. Someone in the recruiting function at Spectrum noted that there have been attempts to reach more minority and underrepresented candidates to make their workforce more diverse, but the pipeline of candidates “just isn’t there.”
6. A manager with frequent open positions on her team expressed frustration that, every time she tries to fill a role within her organization, her boss (a White male), reviews the resumes and eliminates them for no explained reason, even when the applicants appear qualified. He also gives her the resumes of his friends and acquaintances as they are “a good culture fit” for Spectrum.
7. Several employees suggested to HR that Spectrum form employee resource groups that would allow them to engage based on shared characteristics, experiences and/or goals, as well as to network, work on professional development, and raise awareness of relevant issues. HR stated that they were reluctant to approve such groups as they did not want to “open a can of worms” if they allowed some groups to form and not others.
8. Employees are frustrated that Spectrum only puts out a statement in support of its Asian and/or Black employees when there is a national tragedy, but otherwise does not create a sense of belonging for these populations within the workplace.
9. An employee expressed their belief that employees who fall into a “minority culture” are given special treatment over other employees. As an example, the employee shared that a “Middle Eastern colleague was recently granted time and access to a special room to say prayers several times a day during a Muslim holiday.” The employee further states that some women wear a “head covering” and it makes them uncomfortable.
10. A manager stated their belief that all Millennials have a sense of entitlement, are lazy and job hop too much. The same manager stated that they would rather work with employees in their own generation because “they have shared values and expectations.”