Q1. "Requires a concise answer, only an HR strategy statement. This could be a sentence that narrates the HR strategy on a chosen topic. At most, two sentences.”
To uphold Live2Give’s values of social justice and bravery, policies and practices should be strengthened to inhibit sexual harassment, ensure fair and transparent recruitment, and utilise training and awareness on diversity and inclusion.
This will be further harmonised by empowering underrepresented groups of Live2Give’s workforce by increasing their representation in the senior leadership team and creating a robust talent pipeline and succession plan to promote a culture of accountability and feedback attentive to diverse perspectives and experiences.
Q2. "Why should we care about the instrumental value of diversity? What, if anything, does it add to the moral case for inclusion and equality?"
Live2Give, an international non-governmental organisation, operates in over one hundred countries to improve specific quality-of-life indicators impacted by poverty and humanitarian catastrophes (Parry, 2023). This work and the organisation risk structural, operational, and reputational costs unless five fundamental issues are deliberated.
Recently, a newspaper journalist published evidence that sexual harassment claimants have been internally side-lined and inequitable recruitment practices are giving vacancy preference to referrals or personal contacts (Parry, 2023). These issues seriously and immediately threaten the organisation’s reputation, staff well-being, and legal compliance. Latterly, these issues may undermine the authenticity of Live2Give’s stated values (i.e., social justice, empowerment, transparent accountability) and challenge the credibility of the organisation’s threshold for ethics and professionalism (Latzke et al., 2021).
Another issue concerns the inadequate provision of training and oversight for field-based humanitarian staff (Parry, 2023). Long-term, the effects of this may have implications for Live2Give’s core operational goals and service quality. Staff responding to international humanitarian crises are often at elevated risk, and a lack of guidance on stated objectives undermines staff safety and competency.
Relatedly, inequitable pay and benefits among expatriate and local workers may affect staff retention, motivation, and performance factors (Parry, 2023). This is a notable concern because the workforce implements Live2Give’s strategic goals. Inequitable factors such as exclusive subsidised apartments for ex-pat workers and lower pay for local workers may create a two-tiered workforce (Latzke et al., 2021). This extends to the lack of diversity within the senior leadership team (Parry, 2023). It is a concern because leadership influences the direction and stakeholder relations. Should underrepresented groups be absent from these teams, identification and remedies of bias or discriminative practices may go unrecognised (Bahrami et al., 2021).
And finally, the concerns raised about the medical technology used in Rwanda present challenges equal to the opportunities (Parry, 2023). It will require vigorous management and collaboration to ensure the technology is utilised without compromising patient safety.
References
- Bahrami, B., Deory, O., & Sulik, J. (2021). The Diversity Gap: When Diversity Matters for Knowledge. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(3), 757-767. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916211006070
- Latzke, M., Mayrhofer, W., & Pernkopf. (2021). Effects of mixed signals on employer attractiveness: A mixed-method study based on signalling and convention theory. Human Resource Management Journal, 31(2), 392-413. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12313
