A Legacy of Diversity Management: The Pitney Bowel Case (Essay Sample)

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Article Review; A Legacy of Diversity Management: The Pitney Bowel Case
Introduction
Carlo P. Harvey has explored the development and application of diversity program in Pitney Bowes Company. She starts her article by bringing out the attributes of the company with an aim of making an argument on the feasibility of the program. The company is the leading in provision of integrated mail and service solutions. The company operates in 130 countries with a work force of over one hundred and thirty thousand. The company enjoys annual revenue of over 4.5 billion dollars. All this success is built upon a management policy of inclusiveness developed several decades ago by the founding figures of the company. The company embraces the policy of cultural integration and innovation.
The company owes its major success story to innovation and the culture of embracing change. Over the years the company has taken advantage of its technological prowess which has enabled it to remain at the top of its competitors in keeping up with customer satisfaction and profit motive. This program of diversity was initiated Walter H Wheeler who became the company’s president in 1937. Wheeler had been exposed to democratic systems through his schooling. Wheeler attended Worcester Academy a school which embraced diversity and integration among its students. This was a rare occurrence during this period of time when racial discrimination was at its highest level. Black people never integrated with white people in social setting. Each category had its own systems, used different roads and attended different schools. Wheeler contribution to the development of diversity inclusiveness program is outstanding given the time of conceptualization. During this time there was no legislation to protect the workers against discrimination and arbitrary dismissal from worker. The prospects of a worker’s growth and development in their career were entirely at the mercy of their employer. The employer could promote, hire or dismiss a worker on the basis of their color or ethnicity.
Wheeler perceived, internalized, believed and the practiced his diversification ideas at a personal level at the corporate level. Several occasions Weeler manifested his firm believe in diversity; when he became the president of the Pitney Bowes Company he ordered the hiring of Hebrews and colored workers in proportion with their total population in Stamford area. Weeler did not only the diversification program but also developed a system of integration with the company. This program ensured that workers interact freely as a family regardless of their color. Weeler put this program to test for the first time when he hired the first African-American into the company. Weeler prepared the other employees psychologically to receive and incorporate her into the company.
George Harvey took over the leadership of the company as the Chief Executive Officer from Weeler in 1980s. He carried with him the program of inclusiveness from Weeler. He noticed that the marginalized performed better when presented with the chance. This motivated him to hire more women to managerial positions. Harvey believed that each worker regardless of their color or ethnicity should have the chance to grow in their careers and proceed to managerial positions. This view has been embraced by the current chairman of Pitney Bowes Company, Michael j. Critelli. Since the inception of increasing the number of women and the marginalized groups into employment, women currently accounts for more than 20% of managerial positions and over 40% of sales positions. Equally the number of colored employees is nearly equal the total workforce of the company. Employees are the backbone of every company. Maintaining a pool of employees ensures constant supply of different talents which gives a company a competitive edge in the market. This ensures a company remains productive, innovative and adaptable to change. This pool of talent has enabled Pitney Bowes Company to remain competitive in the market that has experienced great technological changes. The internet and mobile phones has taken over as the media for sending mails and messages yet Pitney Bowes company has remained in the market and making profit courtesy of the genius of its rich pool of employees. Harvey vividly brings out the historical development of this program from its inception.
Conclusion
Harvey has managed to bring out clearly the advantages of the diversity program to the company. However she remains silent over the limitations of the program. Some of the advantages that stand out from this article; When proper mechanisms are in place to ensure conducive working environment and reward for employee productivity, there is over increase in the company’s productivity. Such incentive schemes create a sense of appreciation and belongingness. This makes an employee to work without reservation. The Human Capital Approach strategy employed by the company ensures investment in employees since the work force is the major drive of the company’s objectives. This ensures innovation which gives the company a competitive advantage in the market. In addition the company has embraced a form of a family communication through its voice mail services. The company management is able to get in touch with every employee at any time. This improves monitoring and accountability.
Pitney Bowes Company employs an all inclusive and extensive recruitment process in hiring its employees. Th...