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February 06, 2007
Minorities Are More Skeptical of Merit Promotion
BOSTON, February 6, 2007 — Black and
Hispanic employees are more skeptical than their white
colleagues that performance on the job will lead to career
advancement, according to a national telephone survey by
Novations Group, a global consulting organization based in
Boston.
Nearly two-thirds of white employees, 65.2%, cited job
performance as most important for advancement in their
workplace compared with just 56.6% and 58.2% for Hispanics
and blacks respectively.
What do you think is the most important reason for
advancement in your workplace?
| |
Hispanic |
Black
|
White
|
| Job performance |
56.6% |
58.2% |
65.2% |
| Who you know |
20.1% |
13.3% |
19.2% |
| Seniority |
12.2% |
14.7% |
9.0% |
| Luck |
1.7% |
1.7% |
1.6% |
"Asked the main reason for promotion where they work,
Hispanics and blacks were somewhat more likely than whites
to cite other factors such as who-you-know or
seniority," said Novations CEO and President Mike
Hyter. "But the statistical gaps with respect to job
performance are significant and point to a widespread
perception that organizations needs to address."
What should concern senior management, Hyter warned, is the
overall lukewarm endorsement of merit promotion. "Just
61.4% of all employees said it’s job performance,
which means there’s a large minority that
doesn’t believe the system is working fairly or as
it’s supposed to."
"On the other hand, for the merit system to work
fairly organizations have to make available to all
employees the challenging opportunities," said Hyter.
"And at the same time, individual employees themselves
must become engaged in managing their own growth and
development, and demonstrate a willingness to take up those
risks and challenges. While job performance and merit are
certainly key, so is initiative."
The telephone phone survey of 668 employed Americans was
conducted for Novations Group September 27 – October
3, 2006 by International Communications Research, Media,
PA. Hispanics were double-sampled with 106 in the survey
sample.
Novations Group is a leading provider of consulting and
training services on four continents. Novations has
acknowledged strength in diversity & inclusion,
selection, development, communications, sales &
service, and project management.
Contact: Pat FitzGerald, Novations,
617-787-2163, pfitzgerald@novations.com,
or Phil Ryan, Ryan Public Relations, 845-339-7858.
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