ation as well as from many different countries. This means that managers and executives will be under increasing pressure to establish diversity programs which recognize that the American work force is no longer a homogeneous group of white males, but rather a diverse combination of gender and ethnicities. Employees who find companies which foster diversity are more likely to remain in those organizations than in companies which do not recognize the importance that diversity plays in the work place. Similarly, as word spreads that a particular organization has a strong diversity program, it is likely to find it easier to attract and retain high quality workers with diverse backgrounds. In other words, diversity programs can give companies a competitive edge in the marketplace (Lockwood, 2005).
Because of this, it is up to the human resource department to find ways to attract and retain high quality workers. This can be done through traditional human resource responsibilities such as salary surveys and benefits programs, but can also involve creating a work environment which answers some of the different needs that today's workers have. For example, some human resources departments have worked within their organizations to create flex-time, which allows workers to come in at times which better suit their personal situation. In other instances, companies have created work environments where child care is provided on-site, or where employees are able to work from home on occasion (telecommute) so that they are not burdened with traffic and are able to spend more time with their families. These so-called "soft" benefits can have a significant effect on the ability of companies to retain employees and can help companies gain and maintain an edge over competitors who are not as proactive in this area, and who may not recognize the importance of meeting all of an employee's needs (Velasquez, 2001).
While the business community as...