Building an Employee Brand with Workforce Analytics
BACKGROUND
Disney is universally recognized as one of the strongest consumer brands in the world. Two of the company’s largest segments of consumers are women (moms) and people of multicultural backgrounds. However, within the company’s management ranks, both of these segments were significantly under-represented. Disney leadership was acutely aware that a lack of representation from these two vital consumer segments could erode their standing in the marketplace. Per a company statement: “As a company built on the magic of storytelling that entertains, enlightens and inspires families around the world, Disney recognizes that diversity and inclusion are fundamental to its success”.
THE CHALLENGE
How can Disney build an employee brand that is as strong and diverse as its consumer brand?
WHAT WE DID
Working on a mandate from the Board of Directors, we analyzed the workforces across Disney’s business units and benchmarked diversity levels to best-in-class companies. Diversity rates at companies are notoriously hard to “move the needle”. For example, even with a largescale investment in diversity and inclusion programs, it can take years (if not decades) to make incremental gains in the level of diverse populations. The hallmark finding of our study was that female and multicultural managers have above-average rates of diversity on their staffs. Therefore, if Disney can develop initiatives to advance females and minorities into more management positions, they will supercharge an organization with diversity and create an even bigger bench for diverse talent.
WHAT WE ACHIEVED
We delivered our business case to Disney’s Board and identified the levers leadership needed to pull to “move the needle” on diversity. Over the next two years the accolades started to roll in as Disney received its first ever placement on the Fortune Best Places to Work and DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity. Additionally, the company registered multiple years of perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index. Today Disney employs the most diverse workforce in its storied history.