Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Quiz Questions

How can the hiring and recruitment process be designed to promote feelings of inclusion in candidates who do their first round of interviews using videoconferencing? a. Candidates virtually meet with a wide range of people at the organization. b. Provide all candidates with a survey asking them about diversity, equity, and inclusion. c. Candidates are provided with diversity, equality, and inclusion policies and procedures before their meetings. d. Do all initial interviews using videoconferencing instead of doing some in person.

a. Candidates virtually meet with a wide range of people at the organization. Rationale One way to promote inclusion in the hiring and recruitment process is to have candidates meet with, or in this case, see, a wide range of people on their first virtual visit to the organization.

An organization has implemented a recruitment and hiring program to increase the diversity of its workforce, but the retention rate for new hires is low. What step would offer the most help in correcting this problem? a. Implementation of employee resource groups b. Message from the CEO to all employees about the reason for pursuing diversity c. Review and revision of the employee value proposition d. Reexamination of the organization's recruitment strategy and channels

a. Implementation of employee resource groups Rationale Since the issue is with retention, rather than effectiveness in attracting diverse candidates, the best answer here may be employee resource groups, sometimes referred to as affinity groups. They can provide support to new employees during the onboarding period. Support can take the form of networking, mentoring, or advocacy.

A business providing cloud computing services intends to distribute its server centers in different time zones around the world to protect against risks of local outages and to save energy by moving the bulk of processing to centers operating at night. Which best describes the impact to the organization's human capital planning? a. There will be an increased need for diversity training. b. The budget for talent development will be reduced. c. Different technical skills will be required. d. The size of the workforce will decrease.

a. There will be an increased need for diversity training. Rationale Home-country managers who work with staff at host-country sites will need to be more aware of cultural diversity.

What best describes an employee resource group? a. Labor-management committee to promote diversity and inclusion in the organization b. Affinity group that can serve as a social and professional network for employees c. Management task force to promote diversity and inclusion in the organization d. Group that determines the best use of training funds for diversity and inclusion

b. Affinity group that can serve as a social and professional network for employees. Rationale An employee resource group (ERG) is a voluntary group in the organization to allow employees who share a particular diversity dimension to provide support to one another. An ERG does not decide on training funds, and it is not a management task force or a labor-management committee.

How should an HR professional make a strong business case for incorporating a diversity and inclusion strategy in an organization? a. By connecting individual components to specific competitive advantages b. By linking it directly to the organization's mission, vision, and business objectives c. By demonstrating its short-term and long-range cost-effectiveness d. By proving that it has the support of shareholders and other key stakeholders

b. By linking it directly to the organization's mission, vision, and business objectives Rationale Diversity and inclusion can gain commitment at an organization's highest level only if their ability to play a critical role in achieving core business goals can be demonstrated. A diversity and inclusion advocate must delve beyond general truths about the benefits of diversity to create a business case linked specifically to the organization's unique mission, vision, and business objectives.

Which factor is essential for the success of a diversity and inclusion initiative? a. Shareholder pressure b. Executive commitment c. Employee commitment d. Regulatory pressure

b. Executive commitment Rationale Strong and consistent support of top executives is essential for sustaining an organization's diversity and inclusion efforts. Employee commitment is important as well, but this will follow the leadership's launch and commitment to such an effort.

What type of diversity is likely to be the most significant between identical twins who have been raised in the same household and who have the same level of education? a. Thought diversity b. Experiential diversity c. Legacy diversity d. Multigenerational diversity

b. Experiential diversity Rationale Experiential diversity is diversity based on lived experience, and this area of the identical twin's lives will have the most room for diversity. While they may also have thought diversity, their similar household, socioeconomic backgrounds, and education makes this less of a differentiator than experiences.

Which workplace solution would help address wage and career achievement gaps while also attracting a more diverse workforce? a. Cultural taxation b. Gender-neutral paid parental leave c. Inclusive events calendars d. Quiet or prayer rooms

b. Gender-neutral paid parental leave Rationale Gender-neutral paid parental leave may help attract more diverse sets of workers, promote gender equality, and reduce gender-based wage and career achievement gaps.

An organization works on empowerment, accountability, courage, and humility as cultural fundamentals in order to instill psychological safety in its employees. What effect can such a culture help prevent? a. Cultural taxation b. Impostor syndrome c. Legacy diversity d. Unconscious bias

b. Impostor syndrome Rationale Impostor syndrome is typified by the feeling that success is due to luck, not hard work or skill. This can lead to individuals feeling unfit for their current role, and they may sell themselves short. However, in a culture that enables people to admit mistakes, a person with such feelings may have the courage to express personal misgivings and ask for help.

What practice can help end rumors that an organization's pay equity initiative is all talk and no action? a. Publish a pay equity report. b. Institute pay transparency. c. Encourage employees to ask each other about their salaries. d. Perform a pay audit.

b. Institute pay transparency. Rationale Pay transparency (such as publishing pay scales) is important in the pursuit of pay equity. It can also help reinforce to employees that the organization is serious about achieving pay equity, undercutting potential notions that the organization may be seeking to benefit from a lack of pay equity by saving on labor costs while falsely claiming they are working toward that goal. A pay audit and its output, the pay equity report, are confidential and are not distributed to the general employee base, so these may not be sufficient to end the rumors.

Which best describes how an organization's focus on diversity is a benefit to its recruitment efforts? a. It reduces the costs of recruitment activities. b. It enhances the employment brand to attract talent. c. It increases the number of potential candidates. d. It enables the organization to ignore local needs.

b. It enhances the employment brand to attract talent. Rationale Developing an inclusive and diverse workforce enhances the employer's brand and its ability to attract high-potential talent in minority groups. The organization can also more easily respond to demographic changes and local labor markets

Which of the following is considered a criterion for effective employee resource groups (ERGs) as established by DiversityInc.? a. The leader of the group is the CEO or a direct report to the CEO. b. The group has a formal charter. c. The group sets and signs off on metrics and goals. d. Group members serve as formal mentors.

b. The group has a formal charter. Rationale DiversityInc. recommends formal charters for ERGs. The other options refer to criteria for effective diversity councils, not ERGs.

Which is the primary goal of an organization's diversity and inclusion efforts? a. To respond to pressure from labor unions b. To develop diverse perspectives c. To comply with labor laws d. To brand the organization

b. To develop diverse perspectives Rationale The business case for diversity and inclusion efforts is premised on the value of diverse perspectives in an organization.

Which best describes the impact of having senior leaders directly involved in a diversity council? a. Ensuring that internal and external stakeholders each have their own view and plan relating to a diversity and inclusion strategy b. Replacing the need for a diversity strategy and using the employee resource group to be the stakeholders' voice c. Being a catalyst for change that aligns functions and responsibilities and creates greater commitment, efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity d. Mandating that each functional area and location in the organization be represented in the employee resource group

c. Being a catalyst for change that aligns functions and responsibilities and creates greater commitment, efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity Rationale Direct involvement of upper management is critical in order for an effective diversity and inclusion strategy to take hold. Leaders are able to leverage internal and external resources across the organization, throughout business units, to customers and the community, resulting in an attractive and competitive organization. There is no single council structure. Some organizations prefer a council with representation from all employee levels and functions; others opt for an executive council consisting entirely of upper management personnel. The relationship with ERGs or other advisory groups may vary as well.

While attending a training class on conscious versus unconscious bias, a straight white male employee expresses a microaggression, indicating angrily that the organization promotes those who have shown the most merit and it isn't his fault who is in the promotion pipeline. How should the instructor respond? a. Call out this microaggression for what it is and indicate that this is just the sort of thing the training is working to avoid. b. Tell the student you will get back to him; then research the rate at which various groups get promotions and provide a fact-based response on any disparities. c. Defuse this defensive behavior by indicating that all persons have such biases and there is no stigma for being in an ingroup. d. Ask the student to think about a time when he felt excluded and to consider that is what he is doing now.

c. Defuse this defensive behavior by indicating that all persons have such biases and there is no stigma for being in an ingroup. Rationale Acknowledging unconscious bias at the systematic level challenges notions of meritocracy, which undercuts belief in both personal achievement and the success of the system itself. Knowing that this is a natural reaction, it is important to defuse the situation. Also, it is important when working to address unconscious bias that individuals in ingroups do not feel that they alone are exhibiting or benefiting from unconscious bias (that is, do not alienate people for possessing ingroup traits).

What is a key aspect of diversity that spurs innovation and so should not be considered a negative? a. Ethnocentrism b. Bias c. Discomfort d. Turnover

c. Discomfort Rationale As Columbia Business School Professor of Leadership and Ethics Katherine Phillips explains, the discomfort caused by diversity in and of itself helps promote innovation.

Which statement best describes how organizations have evolved in their definition of diversity? a. From focusing on legal compliance to focusing on ethical and moral values. b. From a cultural relativism perspective to one of the universalist values. c. From a defensive, compliance-based view to that of a strategic asset. d. From considering only racial and cultural differences to also including gender-based differences.

c. From a defensive, compliance-based view to that of a strategic asset. Rationale Diversity is not just a matter of adding new categories to a growing list of identity groups: race, religion, gender, culture, ethnic background, age etc. Rather, it is a move from viewing diversity defensively, as a matter of legal or ethical compliance, to viewing it strategically, as a valuable asset to be leveraged.

Which should be included in manager training for an organization's diversity and inclusion strategic initiative? a. Overcoming any negative attitudes the managers have about minorities b. Demonstrating how to comply with diversity-based legal requirements c. Leading diverse teams effectively and fostering an inclusive work environment d. Identifying and overcoming limitations of minority members on their teams

c. Leading diverse teams effectively and fostering an inclusive work environment Rationale The key goal of management-directed training is to help executives learn to manage more effectively. Diversity awareness courses aimed at the entire organization (another key training component) will cover a better understanding of how to work in a diverse organization, focusing on all differences and not particular groups.

Which approach is most effective for promoting diversity and inclusion globally? a. Emphasizing the impact of diversity and inclusion for expatriates. b. Adhering to local laws and religious traditions. c. Using a wide range of measures of success beyond demographics. d. Creating a uniform standard for all countries.

c. Using a wide range of measures of success beyond demographics. Rationale Diversity and inclusion includes differences in perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences in addition to differences in demographic characteristics.

Which is a key aspect of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) as evidenced by its inclusion as a component of the SHRM Empathy Index? a. Retention rates b. Equality c. Ethical practice d. Conflict management

d. Conflict management Rationale The SHRM Empathy Index assesses inclusion in the workplace using different components: belonging, inclusion, openness, conflict management, and non-discriminatory practices.

Which best describes the benefit of using an employee resource group (ERG) for an organization looking to expand global market share? a. ERGs assume responsibility for defining and guiding the organization's diversity and inclusion initiatives. b. ERGs encourage members to take leadership roles on an organization's board of directors. c. ERGs identify funding sources for the development of products aimed at different markets. d. ERGs provide valuable insights into the needs of the organization's diverse markets.

d. ERGs provide valuable insights into the needs of the organization's diverse markets. Rationale ERGs can be a valuable information resource for demographic markets and employee engagement and development. They can also serve a critical support role in diversity and inclusion strategic initiatives. While the key leadership role is usually performed by the corporation's diversity council, ERGs can fill the pipeline with prospective candidates for the diversity council.

In an employee survey, the question is asked, "Do you believe all employees, even those with special needs, have a career path at the organization?" What is this question designed to measure? a. Equality b. Diversity c. Networking d. Inclusion

d. Inclusion Rationale This survey question is asking whether employees believe that inclusion in the workplace extends to career development and whether that development path has equity (rather than equality, since persons with special needs may need special accommodations to give them a fair shot at a career path). Diversity can be measured using empirical data such as with racial, gender, and other diversity metrics.

What are three key reasons why diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives require full-fledged, organization-wide efforts? a. Demographic dichotomy, hyperconnectivity, cultural sensitivity b. Organizational alignment, compliance, brand reputation c. Cultural stereotypes, diaspora, dilemma reconciliation d. Priority, complexity, resistance

d. Priority, complexity, resistance Rationale D&I initiatives are resource-intensive because of priority, complexity, and resistance. To be a strategic priority, D&I must be aligned with core business goals; otherwise, it will always have a lower priority than more immediate concerns. Because of the complexity of the D&I problem, initiatives require a strategic, organization-wide solution. Achieving D&I initiatives requires major organization-wide change that can be problematic and challenging.

Which is diversity's greatest value to an organization? a. Ability to meet regulatory requirements b. Positive publicity it brings the organization c. Improved employee and labor relations d. Range of perspectives and modes of thinking

d. Range of perspectives and modes of thinking Rationale What makes diversity valuable to an organization is, first and foremost, the expanding range of perspectives and modes of thinking that it provides, with potential rewards of greater innovation, creativity, and problem-solving capabilities.

An organization is measuring its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) by asking how well surveys were conducted, what levels of participation were seen, and what changes should be made to future DE&I metrics. What is a key area of measurement that is missing? a. Trend measures b. Process measures c. Bias measures d. Results measures

d. Results measures Rationale Gardenswartz and Rowe see measurement as addressing process and results. The question lists a number of process measures but no results measures. An example would be whether the initiative helped reduce turnover.