The importance of “emotional connection” in marketing and recruitment cannot be understated. Latino consumer emotional connections go beyond a brand’s logical characteristics. For many Latinos, an emotional connection is created psychologically- often unconsciously. The same can be said about prospective Latino employees. Today’s Latino job seekers search for an organization that has an increased sense of purpose and commitment to the Latino community. Hence, the same characteristics that help position brands to Latinos can also help promote an organization as an employer of choice.
This emotional connection is especially true of Latino talent. My doctorate work focused on the emotional intelligence attributes of Latino professionals and showed that Latinos are highly influenced by emotional intelligence when making decisions. As a result, when Latino job seekers make decisions about which organizations to join, they will often follow their emotional instincts.
I came across this great study by the consulting firm Garcia Trujillo and Newslink (video below) which highlights the emotional connection organizations have with Latinos, or lack thereof. Unfortunately, many organizations still fail in doing so. According to the results:
About one-in-three Hispanics (35%) believe they get a fair shake in the workplace, but nearly two-thirds (65%) report that Hispanic workers face serious obstacles to advancement….
60% [of Latinos] believe U.S. companies are committed to their Hispanic employees; however, when asked to estimate how many Hispanics are currently in management or in leadership roles in companies in the U.S., most Hispanics thought it was 10% or less. Still, more than nine of ten respondents said that it is “very important” (63%) or “important” (34%) for U.S. companies to hire Hispanics in management positions.
My research and this study clearly show that it takes more than branding to recruit and retain Latino talent. Organizations need to “emotionally connect” with Latino talent to effectively recruit them. Organizations not only have to present a compelling reason to attract Latino talent, but provide a better reason to keep them.
I was incredibly busy yesterday managing our relocation to Madison, home sale stuff, packing, teaching, kids – but was literally stopped in my tracks listening to this segment (A Penny a Pound) via The Story on NPR.
Hard to believe that farmworkers still struggle to gain the most basic worker’s rights. The Florida farmworkers in this piece are making progress, but it’s quite shocking what they need to do. Shameful what some of these growers and grocery stores are not willing to do.
Latinos today are the fastest growing group in the nation. From 1970 to 2008 the Latino population grew by 417% compared to 49.6% for the general population. With a median age of 27.4 years Latinos are also the youngest in our population. 15 states account for 86.5% of the total Latino population. In 2010, over one-third of the total Latino population was under the age of 18. There are 22.4 million Latinos in the labor force (including employed and unemployed workers). By 2050, Latinos will constitute nearly 30% of the total US population and one third of all working-age Americans. As people age, Latinos are providing an important source of renewal for communities in decline.
According to a study by the Economic Policy Institute, Maryland has the lowest Latino unemployment rate – hovering around 8.8%. Still high but much lower than the 12+% national average.
Great article today in the Washington Post about Juan Gomez, a Georgetown senior with an offer to work on Wall Street. However, Juan also faces deportation back to Columbia - a place Juan hasn’t seen since he was 2 years old.
The return of the annual Summer intern season for many college students also means the return of the debate over paid and unpaid internships. Ross Perlin, a researcher at the Himalayan Languages Project, offers this perspective in a New York Times Op Ed. Guess which side he falls on?
Check out an interesting discussion (podcast) on the role of white males in advocating for organizational diversity. This is a unique perspective and discussion from the CEO of DiversityInc. What’s fascinating is the role non-minority indivuals can play in advocating for a more inclusive workplace. It’s unusual to have these discussions from a “majority” perspective – and one that often lead to misunderstandings if not approached objectively. Enjoy!
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is holding its annual National Capitol Forum on Hispanic Education in Washington D.C. today and tomorrow. There is a great line up of speakers and discussions. I’ve been following tweets from @HACUNews and via #HACU. Browse through some of the excellent thoughts regarding Hispanics, higher education, workforce, and other issues from those in attendance.
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