Breaking Barriers in Organizations for the Purpose of Inclusiveness

he subjects of workforce diversity and inclusiveness emerged as important topics for human resource managers after the release of influential publications, such as the U.S. Department of Labor’s A Report on the Glass Ceiling Initiative (1991) and the Towers Perrin/Hudson Institute’s Workforce 2000 book (1987). The Glass Ceiling report defined, validated, and provided a metaphor for the notion that women and minorities confront artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organizational bias that prevent them from advancing upward into management-level positions. Workforce 2000 was an impetus for organizational leaders to acknowledge the aging of the workforce and the entrance of more women, minorities, and immigrants to the workforce. Both of these seminal reports called for action and the creation of inclusive work environments. For instance, Joyce Miller, executive director of the Glass Ceiling Commission, after the release of the Glass Ceiling report contended corporate leaders and policymakers had to be agents of change and develop solutions: “We know the sob stories. Now we want constructive suggestions” (Salween, 1994). Others, after reading and analyzing the Hudson Institute book, encouraged organizations to embrace diversity as a strategy for vitality, profitability, and competitive advantage (Cox & Blake, 1991; Hubbard, 2003). To address the glass ceiling issues and changing workforce demographics, human resource management research and practice began to conceptualize diversity management as an umbrella term for valuing and utilizing the collective talents and contributions of all individuals regardless of differences or similarities in a way that adds a measurable difference to organizational performance (Miller & Katz, 2002). Furthermore, organizations began to implement an inclusive workplace model for managing diversity that encompasses a broader set of strategies for removing barriers that prevent employees from reaching their highest potential and using their full range of skills and competencies (Harvey, 1999; Robertson, 2006). The implementation of diversity management policies and the creation of inclusive workplaces resulted in programs to address issues, such as cultural awareness, the glass ceiling, sexual harassment, and accommodations for disabled workers. GUEST EDITOR’S NOTE: