Reflections from SIOP 2009
While heading to the conference hotel, I had a conversation with one of my professors about some themes emerging from this year’s conference. He pointed out that a lot of sessions were about talent development and performance management. Why? The current economy and job market. Organizations are interested in developing who they've got and increasing organizational productivity by increasing employee performance. Organizations are hiring, but they are hiring less. Therefore a key to success in the current market is ensuring the right people are on the bus (Collins, 2001) and nurturing their growth within the organization. A quick skim through the SIOP 2009 conference book revealed a number of sessions in Strategic HR, Testing/Assessment, and Leadership.
Given the conversation I had with my professor on the ride to the conference hotel, I decided to take another look at the conference book. Before the conference, I had already highlighted the sessions I wanted to attend, but I was interested in seeing if any themes emerged from my selections. Not surprisingly, my social justice interests motivated my conference interests; however, interestingly, the sessions I selected were all closely related to current events.
As a Ph.D. student, I’ve learned that I can use current events to inspire research ideas but it was never as clear as it was until reflecting on my conference experience. While I knew that attending the SIOP conference would afford me an opportunity to be exposed to current trends in research, I now have a better understanding of how closely related our profession is to the broader social events of this country. This epiphany could not have happened in a better city than New Orleans. I-O professionals gathered to share and discuss both academic research and practical application of research during a time when the face of the nation is changing and becoming more diverse, the economy is struggling, and organizations are tackling historically difficult issues, e.g. the firefighter affirmative action suit heading to the Supreme Court, and celebrating historic achievements of underrepresented groups (e.g. Xerox recently appointed Ursula Burns, the first black CEO of a Fortune 500 company).
I was rearing to go to the first day of the conference. Oddly, or perhaps not, it seemed as though fewer students attended this conference than in previous years. Regardless, the sessions I attended, whether posters, panels, or round-tables, were packed with professionals, academics, and students eager to learn.
I attended a panel discussion about the current methodology used to study race and ethnicity. The panelists discussed the categorical approach used, its limitations, and critical next steps for moving forward given that the non-white population in this country is a growing population no longer comprised of just African-Americans. Since the 2000 census, the categories that individuals use to self-identify have expanded, and the EEOC has followed suit given that individuals are now able to identify as having 2 or more races. It is clear that we need a better understanding of these different populations, beyond just simply categorizing individuals. The panelists proposed a variety of alternatives moving forward, including taking an interdisciplinary approach to the research, not grouping minorities in one lump sum category, and measuring not just identity but salience of racial and ethnic identity and how people think they are perceived.
In another session I attended, discussants presented methods of evaluating diversity programs. Organizations such as Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Johnson & Johnson have implemented diversity initiatives as they recognize the changing demographics of the nation and the needs of the people they serve and employ. Developing and rolling out diversity programs is frequently spoken about but evaluating these programs is often overlooked. The discussants during this session provided insight about behavioral indicators of diversity training effectiveness. Unfortunately, they also cited that 30,000 racial discrimination claims were filed with the EEOC in 2007 and that number rose in 2008. Perhaps future research will begin investigating the utility of diversity training, measuring behavioral indicators and outcomes over time.
I was empowered by a session on career transitions of women in I-O. After speaking with several colleagues, I discovered they too found the panel discussion to be incredibly valuable. During the session, panelists shared their career experiences, providing the audience with perspectives about transitioning from working in academia to working in industry or vice versa, transitioning from one industry to another, and transitioning from working for an organization to starting up their own businesses. Each of these women's stories inspired hope for women in the audience trying to map out their careers. This same hope is reflected by the appointment of the Ursula Burns as Xerox’s new Chief Executive Officer. This panel discussion was representation of the strides that women in I-O have made and continue to make; they are recognized for their contributions and success in the profession. At the end of the session, the panelists gave great advice about building networks, setting and revising goals, being proactive, and having self-insight.
Affirmative Action remains a hot button issue and this is very evident with the Ricci case being taken to the Supreme Court. Seventeen white and one Hispanic New Haven firefighters were denied promotion because no blacks and few Hispanics were eligible for promotion. The city decided that because the test was unfair and had an adverse impact on non-white fire-fighters, those whites who passed the test could not advance. The fire fighters, clearly upset and enraged by the actions of the city, filed a suit against the city, citing that they were discriminated against because they were white. The issue of test fairness was discussed in a round table session I attended. Both the research/academic and the legal perspective were presented in an effort to make a case for the use of certain selection decisions; oftentimes the views diverged. The discussants talked about validity generalization, test fairness, adverse impact, cut scores, and the need for hiring a good workforce using reliable and valid measures taking precedent over concern for the adverse impact tests have on different subgroups. It was a heated topic that aroused the passionate responses of some audience members in the room; the tension around the issue was visible. This session was a clear reflection of the contention surrounding the ethics of fair selection and promotion decisions, an issue that has made its way to the Supreme Court.
While the economy is impacting our profession and has impacted the topics discussed at the conference, my thirst for all issues social justice was quenched. In the midst of an economic downturn, I-O professionals are still seeking to ensure that organizations establish and maintain inclusive environments that encourage treating all employees with dignity and respect and offering all employees the opportunity to succeed. It was quite interesting to see that a common thread underlying my choice of posters, panels, and round-tables to attend correlated with the current events in our nation.
Written by: Tiffany Ivory