Green, Cecilia

There is a talent deficit in the engineering workforce overall, says Cecilia Green, Executive Vice President with PBS J and Chair of PBS J s Corporate Diversity Advisory Council. To be successful in our business. 

We have a number of options for providing flexibility in the work schedule, and if a valued employee needs a special arrangement, we ll work it out to keep the person, says Cecilia Green. When we do, the employee is usually very grateful and more loyal to the company. ... 

A diversity calendar can be created with international events to celebrate different cultures, holidays, religions, and political events. Ethnic potluck lunches or gatherings can be enjoyed by everyone. There was a lot of discussion about this and some controversy at my Arm, says Cecilia Green. Some people didn t think it was appropriate to acknowledge holidays from around the world. But management stressed that awareness and communication are the key issues. ... 

We use a program that doesn t insult white males and doesn t point fingers, says Cecilia Green. Rather, it s about being sensitive to other people and recognizing them as individuals. There s an especially tough exercise on stereotypes—that s probably the part most people remember. ... 

Our board of directors handed us a challenge to increase diversity in the leadership of the firm, says Cecilia Green. We formed a council that included five Board of Director members (including the chairman/CEO, human resources director, and president), representatives from multiple races, geographical areas, and genders, and an outside consultant, for a total of fifteen people. The council reports directly to the Board of Directors. That sent a message to our own employees and to the industry that the firm was serious about diversity. ... 

Cecilia Green, Executive Vice President, PBS J, www.pbsj.com... 

---