DON'T BE PUT OFF BY WORKPLACE TOKENISM

On a personal level, I have no time for people and/or companies that resort to this - may take on it is if you're going to do it, then do it properly and for the right reasons.

Trying to 'cheat' the system, may be great in the short term, but believe me, in the long term it will do more harm to your business than anything else.

Stop and think about what you are doing to your name, your reputation and your credibility before you act in haste and repent at leisure.

Don't be put off by workplace tokenism
Staff Reporter

08 March 2007 at 11h00

In the past, tokenism in business was often associated with resistant corporates who wished to be seen as publicly compliant on "all matters BEE" when, in fact, they were simply manipulating the system by appointing EE (employment equity) candidates to senior positions while giving them little actual responsibility. Nowadays, many companies who were initially hesitant are genuinely embracing transformation and tokenism is becoming increasingly rare. However, tokenism does still creep in from time to time, according to Madge Gibson, a senior associate at Jack Hammer Executive Headhunters. "The mere whiff of an appointment being associated with tokenism is enough to put off most senior EE candidates," she said.

"We are encountering this scepticism on a regular basis, where diversity candidates want to be appointed for their expertise - not the colour of their skin - and often inquire as to whether the role is open to all or discriminatory in favour of race". Companies who are known to be "slow to change" and who are seen to be guilty of "window dressing" are also actively avoided, no matter how attractive the package, as EE candidates recognise a move to these companies could be career-limiting, Gibson reveals. "The good news is that the majority of our clients still invest huge effort in the sourcing of quality diversity executives.

In some areas, however, this is changing faster than people realise. We are increasingly seeing companies embrace organic growth, succession planning and empowerment of their workforce through internal and external skills enhancement. "Those EE candidates who are open to tokenism tend to job-hop every one or two years as they become dissatisfied with the lack of challenge or are constantly chasing a bigger pay-cheque. This was a short-term gain for long-term disaster, as professional headhunters and executive search firms will recognise the traits and avoid these candidates, as they don't provide the sustainability and long-term solutions their clients seek," she said.