Power management company Eaton created a Center of Excellence for Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) in 2012 with the purpose of establishing a long-term strategy and education on this critically important topic. I&D strategy and initiatives are determined through the Global Inclusion Council (GIC), which is chaired by Eaton’s CEO, and Regional Inclusion Councils (RICs), which are chaired by regional or group presidents. Additionally, multiple focus groups in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), APAC (Asia-Pacific), and the Americas have been leveraged so employees can contribute ideas and prioritization of initiatives.
Program Details
A primary mechanism used to support I&D program objectives is the use of the global network of Communities of Practice. These online communities at Eaton are called Eaton Resource Groups (ERGs). They provide a new mechanism for people to connect globally and regionally to access shared resources, collaborate online via blogs, and partner and learn together via formal in-person and virtual events.
Eaton currently has three ERGs dedicated to supporting its Inclusion and Diversity strategy. They are: Women Adding Value at Eaton (WAVE), Next Generation (ENGAGE), and Veterans. Membership has grown 60 percent since 2014; more than 5,300 members currently are enrolled in these ERGs. The ERGs are further organized around 13 regional chapters to create a true global perspective and support unique culture perspectives. Each ERG leverages a robust training calendar to drive these learning events. Topics include:
- Succession Planning
- Career Management
- Emotional Intelligence
- Building Your Personal Brand
I&D ERGs also have proven to be a powerful platform for Eaton programs owners by providing a new deployment channel. For example, the program owner for Career Management wanted to deploy a related program called “The Brand Called You.” Typically, this program would only be deployed using e-learning or a virtual instructor-led class on its own through the learning management system. Instead, the program owner was able to partner with the I&D ERGs to host several sessions and reach more than 500 people in just a week. Additionally, many of the I&D events are videotaped, providing further access options. This is especially useful when dealing with different time zones or vacation schedules.
Results
After the success of the initial three I&D ERGs, Eaton is in the process of deploying four additional ones: Black, African-American, and People of Color (iConnect), Strengthening Our Asian Resources (SOAR), Hispanic and Latino (#Vamos), and LGBT and Allies (Eaton Pride).
From a business impact standpoint, female voluntary turnover decreased between 2014 and 2015 for senior leaders and mid-level managers (7.6 percent to 4.9 percent and 7.9 percent to 6.9 percent, respectively). Minority voluntary turnover for senior leaders and mid-level managers decreased for that same time period (9.2 percent to 8.3 percent and 11.5 percent to 9.6 percent, respectively). Female diversity of senior leadership improved from 2014 to 2015 from 17.3 percent to 18.5 percent.
Eaton also was ranked as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBT by the Corporate Equality Index and a Best for Vets Employer 2016 (ranked #33 overall, #1 in Manufacturing).
