Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR
2016 KEY INSIGHTS
PREVIEW
INTRODUCTION
SUMMARY
WHAT IS MAKE IT.
MSP.?
Make It. MSP. is a networkbased initiative of partners
working across organizations
and sectors to attract and
retain talent to the MSP region
PURPOSE OF THIS
SUMMARY
THE TEAM
PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR
2016 STRATEGY TEAM
Given the complexity of the challenges and opportunities to better retain and
attract talent, Make It. MSP. was designed to be a network-based initiative,
rather than a single organization. During 2016, many people and
organizations came together to use Make It. MSP. as a platform to improve
regional retention of professionals of color through a shared comprehensive
strategy.
Creating shared strategies required establishing a strong foundation. The
team spent 2016 gathering deep, original insights from more than 1,200
professionals of color and bridging existing networks through social and
professional events. Laying this foundation will allow partners to develop
strategies from common ground, as well as engage and leverage thousands of
people across these existing networks.
The team was composed of the individuals at left, with 2016 backbone staffing
provided by GREATER MSP and the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce.
Research was led by Tamika Curry Smith, TCS Group, and Dr. Janine Sanders
Jones, University of St. Thomas.
2016 INSIGHTS
RESEARCH PROCESS
The team selected Tamika Curry Smith, former Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Target and then-
65 FOCUS
GROUP
PARTICIPANTS
consultant and head of TCS Group, to design a series of six focus groups with 65 professionals of color
recruited by the team and balanced across race and ethnicity, age, and other demographic differences.
Focus groups were organized by specific communities that included African-Americans, Hispanic & Latinos,
Asian-Americans, American Indians and recent immigrants.
Following extensive analysis of the focus group results, the team turned to Dr. Janine Sanders Jones
at the University of St. Thomas to design and analyze a comprehensive survey that would engage a
much larger sample of professionals of color on the issues raised during the focus groups. The
1,228
SURVEY
PARTICIPANTS
Connect MSP survey was publicly shared and prominently featured in the Star Tribune.
The following slides present a high-level summary of statistics, themes, and quotes that emerged from the focus
groups and Connect MSP survey. Team members will share and interpret findings with existing and prospective
partners before reconvening in early 2017 to develop strategies and metrics that can drive improvement.
6
PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS
FOCUS GROUP
DEMOGRAPHICS
65 participants
1228 participants
52% Female
47% married
33% have children
31% from MSP
18% moved here from outside U.S.
61% Female
55% married
45% have children
42% from MSP
18% moved here from outside U.S.
RACE/ETHNICITY
AGE
3%
5%
20-29
29%
21%
American Indian
28%
29%
30-39
Asian/Pacific Islander
40-49
50+
Black/African-American
45%
40%
Hispanic/Latino
RACE/ETHNICITY
AGE
SECTOR
3%
3%
10%
15%
13%
26%
27%
35%
15%
32%
41%
14%
27%
19%
American Indian
Asian/Pacific Islander
Black/African-American
Hispanic/Latino
African
Multi-racial/multi-ethnic
29 or less
30-39
40-49
50+
For-Profit
Non--Profit
Education
Government
REGIONAL MOVEMENT
Why do professionals of color choose to stay or leave?
Top Reason to Stay: Family ties
Top Reason to Leave: Lack of diversity and cultural awareness
Demographic Differences:
People under 40 and people without children are more likely to leave
People over 40, people with children, and people who own a home are more likely to stay
Black respondents are more likely to leave the region as compared to others
KEY THEMES
Culturally-Specific Amenities & Disparities
Positive perceptions of broad regional amenities in contrast to concerns over disparities and options for culturally specific
amenities
Connection
Challenges connecting to others emerged as a major theme, particularly when one does not live or work in a diverse environment
Representation
Findings revealed multiple dimensions regarding the ways people of color are represented throughout institutions and community
Professional Advancement
Job and career opportunities are perceived to be plentiful, but respondents say more intentional efforts are needed to create
pathways for people of color to advance
56%
While many believed that weather was a primary reason that
people would leave the region, only 11 % of survey respondents
said it was a concern. Instead, over half of respondents shared
that they are dissatisfied with the quality and quantity of culturally
relevant events and activities/amenities (food, clothing, hair salons)
CONNECTION
Building relationships beyond the surface
50%
Half of survey respondents find it difficult to connect with new
people outside of co-workers
REPRESENTATION
Diversity is too dimly reflected in key areas
35%
Only one-third of survey respondents agree that diversity is reflected
in their leadership team in their organization
25-34 year old respondents were even less likely to say diversity is
reflected on their leadership team
PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Pathways to promotion should be demystified
50%
Only half of survey respondents agree that they see a path for
diverse people to advance in their organization
60%
Well over half of survey respondents say they occasionally or
frequently experience bias or discrimination based on race
CONVERSATIONS TO TAKE TO
YOUR ORGANIZATIONS
43%
Nearly half of survey respondents say there is a lack of cultural
competence in the workplace, weakening the current diversity
and inclusion efforts
OTHER KEY FINDINGS
Intentional efforts can drop off after the recruiting process ends
UNPACKING
THE RESULTS
NAME _______________________ORG______________________________EMAIL________________________
January October
2016
February 2017
beyond
November 2016
February 2017
Focus Groups
Connect MSP Survey
MSP Mingle Series
Events Newsletter
Build organizational
partnerships
Regional strategy
development
Partners implement
STAY INFORMED
LEARN MORE ABOUT
MAKE IT. MSP.
CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION
Go to
makeitmsp.org/aboutmake-it-msp
APPENDIX
SUMMARY OVERVIEW
What is this document?
This document provides a high-level summary of insights gathered from professionals of color in the
Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) region. Through original research conducted by the Make It. MSP.
partnership in 2016, this document outlines key themes that reveal the experiences professionals of color
have had living and working the region.
collectively as a region to make MSP a better place for people of all backgrounds to live, work and thrive.
Given the Greater MSP region is facing a projected workforce shortage of roughly 100,000 people by
2020, improving our performance is not only a social imperative but an economic necessity.
24
the demographics of the current population within the MSP region. While outreach methods were informal,
intentional efforts were employed to ensure all segments of the population were represented.
It is important to note that while significant outreach occurred to American Indian and immigrant communities, actual
participation levels were lower than desired. The team and staff have noted the unique and complex experiences these
communities have, and are looking at how they can connect and learn more in 2017.