SPOTLIGHT ON CONSULTING ISSUES: 
   The Price Of Ignoring Diversity: Jennifer Boyce Talks With Ian Hardgrove, 
   The President of 3M Canada 
   Jennifer Boyce, Ph.D.


What is the price of ignoring diversity in 2006? According to 3M Canada President Ian Hardgrove, in the short-term - small. However, a significant investment now could pay huge dividends in as little as 5 years in the future. Hardgrove touts “diversity” as the strategy of the future that “builds momentum and supports forward movement.” The amiable Australian is at first glance an unlikely champion for this multicultural mingling. He credits the years from 2000 to 2002 as a pivotal paradigm shift in his outlook. Hardgrove spent that time period as a senior executive at 3M in post-Apartheid South Africa. “It’s a miracle Black and White workers living in harmony. It opened my eyes to what change can occur in a short period of time…especially in a country with so many past atrocities.” He says this with the awestruck humility that only someone who had met Nelson Mandela could say. 

But this is not an article of moral piety or humanistic overtones. As “decent” an objective as diversity has been, it has ascended to the ranks of a cutting-edge, competitive business strategy. As the current talent pool dissolves into retirement and elsewhere and demographics categories shift, businesses are realizing that talent comes in all shapes and sizes. The competition is on. And consulting psychologists are aptly positioned to help companies in their efforts to attract diverse candidates and create an environment in which they choose to stay. Division 13 President Debra Robinson, Ph.D. has included diversity as one of her key initiatives for this year and she invites your participation in a brief survey. (Please see end of article.) I sat down with Mr. Hardgrove to get his perspective on the collision of diversity and the 3M landscape. 


1. What types of new issues challenge management with the changing demographics of 3M Canada?

A) Aging baby-boomers and the shift to people taking early retirement 
B) Finding a skilled workforce to fill the gaps as well as training the current workforce. In France, the government is encouraging people to have a third child to increase options. There is a competition for immigrants because home countries (such as China and India) have increased their standard of living. Canada is known as a welcoming community that welcomes immigrants. 

2. How does diversity impact the way teams function at 3M Canada? 

It adds to our ability to solve problems and add diverse (perspectives). From a global perspective, we are one of 65 subsidiaries. On a macro level, we were one of the first companies to send people overseas. We have taken some of the best people and put them in management positions. At our core is product development and innovation. We need different approaches and outcomes when solving customer problems. 

From a local perspective, people think differently. We need a workforce that is reflective of our customer base which is very diverse. Our customers expect our vendors to be diverse. In addition, one in four Canadians is born overseas. Immigrants have links overseas (which widens that breadth of our market reach). We have much more opportunity than talent.

3. What diversity initiatives have been implemented at 3M Canada since you have been president and why?

At 3M Canada, we look at every single time you hire as a diversity opportunity. For example, we recruit from the Aboriginal group and the women’s group.

We measure how we embed diversity into our company culture on a quarterly basis. For example, an operating team member opens and closes sessions “endorsing company diversity policies.” This opens them up to fears and concerns. People go away with information and hopefully empathy. 

We hired an external consultant to inform our workforce why people are different and why (diversity) is good from a business perspective. Consultants (such as consulting psychologists) provide insightful ways of understanding diversity.

We have instituted the Employee Resource Group and the Diversity Network as organizations within 3M Canada where diverse memberships can see how others solve problems and offer support and feedback to management.

Diversity has oft been limited to different ethnic/cultural groups and women. However, diversity is just that – diverse, which includes diversity in age, gender, ethnicity, and some would argue thought. Differences abound and the consulting psychologist can aid organizations in facilitating communication and understanding. Ian Hardgrove “does not want to set (3M Canada) up as experts,” but he offers the following advice to businesses managing a diverse set of customers and employees. “Firstly, your workforce needs to match your customer base. Secondly, you need to encourage understanding among the workforce. Lastly, the more inclusive your workforce becomes, the more competitive you become as a company.” Thank you Ian Hardgrove for your perspective on navigating the diverse worlds of psychology and business. 

Division 13 President Debra Robinson, Ph.D. has included diversity as one of her key initiatives for this year. She recently circulated an email as per Greg Pennington, Ph.D. who is spearheading an effort to aid Division 13 in defining what diversity means for the Society of Consulting Psychology. He writes, “It is important that we view it through the lens of consulting psychology as a profession and as an organization. We are inviting your to provide your input” in a brief survey. Please take about 10 minutes to complete the Division 13 Diversity survey. Your responses will remain confidential. We will make a brief presentation during a Division 13 meeting at APA in New Orleans and post the results on the website. Thank you for you time and input. 

Please complete our on-line survey by clicking this link 

Jennifer Boyce earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Arizona State University. She has provided career counseling/coaching, assessments, team building and workshops on various topics related to organizational effectiveness. Her work has been informed by her extensive international travel. Jennifer is an active member of APA Division 13 (Society of Consulting Psychology) and the current editor of The Consulting Psychology e-newsletter.