Evaluating Diversity In Hewitt

Executive Summary

Diversity audits by definition are “assessment of company’s diversity efforts”. Authors’ selection of the object of the study was influenced by the fact that both authors were intrigued by Hewitt’s mission statement: “Providing diverse services for diverse population”. The purpose of the study was to evaluate Hewitt’s diversity efforts. The main objective of the study was determined to see if the gap exists between what organization states is being done about diversity and what programs and initiatives are actually taking place within organization. In order to obtain date for further analysis authors performed both primary and secondary researches within Hewitt. In the initial phase the info about history of an organization was studied. Next, through the researches authors gathered both qualitative and quantitative diversity data. Then organization was evaluated based on the diversity criteria selected by authors of the study for the purpose of the assignment. Also, the authors stayed committed to investigation of Hewitt’s diversity initiatives and evaluated those to see if what Hewitt’s efforts in terms of diversity management are. In the final stage of the study authors examine effectiveness of diversity programs and made final comments and recommendations. Base of the gathered and analyzed date authors prepared comprehensive diversity report that provide information about status of diversity within Hewitt. Furthermore, above mentioned study, apart from being exceptional learning experience provided both authors with excellent opportunity to experience how the diversity management works in practice.

Organizational Background

Hewitt Associates is a global HR outsourcing and consulting firm headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Has 11 000associates, reside in 79 offices in 37 countries. Hewitt is in top 100 Fortune employees sine 1984. The firm provides outsourcing business such as administration services, new payroll administration and workforce management solutions. The consulting side of the business provides health management, retirement and financial management services. It is the largest HR outsourcing firm in the world and has been in existence for a little over sixty years. Companies choose Hewitt to provide these services so that they may focus their attention on the main strategies and goals.

Founded in 1940 in Lake Forest, Illinois, the company was originally intended to be an insurance brokerage firm. As the company began to get more business, the founders, Ted Hewitt and Charles L. Kluss realized that their clients needed and desired well-designed benefit packages for employees.

A little over 60 years later, the firm is now headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois with 19,000 employees. The company is fast growing and as of late has aggressively been hiring new staff to accommodate its new business. Hewitt is globally positioned with offices in 35 countries throughout the world. Therefore diversity must play an important role in this company’s business strategy. Hewitt maintains a large client roster of reputable Fortune 500 companies such as Verizon Wireless, Kmart, Dell Computer and Daimler Chrysler to name a few.

The staff at the Lincolnshire location is composed mainly of younger employees in the twenty вЂ" thirty age brackets. The ethnic backgrounds include, African American, Asian, Indian and Hispanic. Many of the African American employees are in customer service and clerical positions.

The benefits at Hewitt help to make the culture unique compared to many other organizations. The Hewitt offers its employees free lunch and breakfast. The strategy behind this benefit is to keep the associates on the campus where they can contribute more time to work productivity. But this fringe benefit is appreciated by the employees and helps with employee retention. The organization also offers three weeks of paid during the first year, which is provided on an accrual basis.

I supported three teams that were composed of two components; customer service associates and planned management. Usually, the customer service employees would eat together and the planned management employees would eat together. When I began working as a temporary administrative assistant at Hewitt, I was made to feel very welcomed by the other administrative assistants. I was invited to have lunch with the other administrative assistants on a regular basis. Like many other companies, the employee contact at Hewitt Associates appeared to be “cliquish”.

Audit methods/selected criteria

Hewitt Associates was the first choice for the project not only due to the reasons presented in Executive summary but also because of the fact that one of the authors of the study was a former employee what guaranteed relatively easy access to the organizational data.

Initially authors conducted in-depth secondary research base on the Hewitt’s web site as well as internal sources like annual report, employee handbook, and other information provided by the organization. To insure both accuracy and quality of the data considering diversity, also external secondary research was performed based on the information gathered from organizations and web sites promoting diversity (see references).From the information gathered about Hewitt, the authors were not only able to draw a sketch of Hewitt’s image created by company, but also confront this image with statements made by outside parties.

The authors evaluated the organization based on the following criteria’s:

1. The level of intensity and quality of commitment to open dialogue with employees.

2. To what extent the company is friendly to gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transvestites

3. The respect towards minorities Latinos, Black Americans

4. Hewitt’s Affiliation to diversity organizations

5. The commitment to women in the workforce

6. The variety of actions taken to support and enhance diversity within organization

Since the diversity is a wide concept that can be analyzed