Why Laywers need to learn to adapt
Sunday, September 14th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Many tax lawyers understand the importance of building a diverse workforce. The changing demographics within California have signaled to solicitor4s that diversity is an important goal that will affect the firm’s viability and ultimately the bottom line. That’s why so many California Tax Attorney groups have learn to adapt quickly. In response, many firms have launched diversity recruitment efforts designed to bring more women and attorneys of color into the firm. The problem has been that within a few years of being hired solicitors that qualify as “diverse” leave the firm in search of more inclusive, diverse and culturally competent work environments. Below are some critical reasons why attempts at creating diversity have failed.
1 - Lack of Commitment at the top: In order for diversity initiatives to succeed, there must be vigorous support for it at the senior level of the tax lawyers are the change agents of the Law Company. Committees formed to address issues of diversity, recruitment, retention and cultural competence must be lead by key leaders within the firm.
2 - Failure to assess the ftax lawyers environment: Assessment is critical in helping to create and implement an effective diversity initiative plan. It’s critically important to understand an organization’s level of development before launching a diversity or cultural competence initiative. Firms must be prepared to assess their hiring practices, overall culture, interpersonal relationships, views about diversity and promotion practices
3 - Over emphasis on recruitment and hiring: Relying on recruitment as a primary means of creating diversity will prove to be an ineffective strategy. Instead, recruitment is simply an initial step in the overall process. Firms must ensure that their work environment can support a diverse staff. Next, firm-wide, culturally effective systems and practices must be implemented in order to prevent excessive attrition among women and attorney’s of color. Retention and development of a strong and diverse pool of attorneys depends upon the firm’s ability to create a work environment that values and leverages difference, mentors cross culturally and consistently measures and monitors the progress and development of all attorneys.
4 -Cultural Incompetence: Many firms communicate a desire to build an inclusive and diverse work environment yet they still place a high value on “sameness”. Whether consciously or subconsciously this value for sameness is communicated to others in the firm. Instead, firms need to develop a high level of cultural competency. Cultural competence requires that organizations adap fast, you can see this as a perfect example in California Tax Lawyers around the region.
5 - Failure to include diversity objectives in the organization’s strategic plan: Many firms fail to include diversity goals into the firms overall vision and plan for growth and development. Organizational change is a process and in order to successfully reach objectives related to diversity, goals must be included in the firm’s strategic plan. Law successful in building a diverse workforce have implemented specific strategies in the areas of hiring, retention, professional development, communication, promotion, mentoring etc.
Technorati Tags: No Tags
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
