According to the Social and Demographic Trends from Pew Research Center, millennials are the most racially diverse generation in American history. Results of a most recent study sponsored by the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations and the Institute for Public Relations, suggest that more than 70 percent of surveyed millennial public relations professionals value diversity of people at work. In addition, more than 60 percent of them indicated they are very supportive of social causes and socially responsible companies. Results also suggest when companies are more engaged in developing socially responsible strategies and programs, their millennial PR professionals tend to be more engaged in their job and their organization. To address millennial PR professionals’ needs and expectations for generating a positive impact on the community and society, this panel offers discussion and implications on how to create a dedicated corporate environment focusing on a more caring, inclusive and diverse culture to attract millennial top talent. Such a corporate environment could be critical in at least five ways: as a source of diversity and inclusion, as a driver of accountability, as a resource for shared power and continued development, as a stimulus for engagement and as a key to long-term success. Practical solutions will be discussed. By the end of this session, participants will be able to: - Examine cutting-edge survey data for insights about how diversity and inclusion initiatives help to recruit and retain millennial workers in PR. These insights are essential knowledge for managers as they supervise an increasingly diverse workforce. - Interpret surveys about diversity and inclusion tactics that illustrate simple ways to engage millennial employees. - Share case studies of best practices in diversity and inclusion as developed by global PR agency Burson-Marsteller and others.

1. Championing Diversity and
Inclusion to Recruit and
Retain Top Talent
Presented at 2017 PRSA Conference

2. Meet the
Panelists
Dr. Juan Meng
University of Georgia
Dr. Bryan Reber
University of Georgia
Patrick Ford
Burson-Marsteller;
University of Florida

3. Objectives
• Share insights about how diversity and inclusion initiatives help to
recruit and retain Millennial workers in public relations
• Link research findings to diversity and inclusion tactics that
can be used to engage Millennial employees
• Share case studies of best practices in diversity and inclusion as
developed by college education programs and by
global-PR agencies, such as Burson-Marsteller

4. Millennial Communication Professionals
(MCPs) in the workplace
Confident.
Connected.
Open to Change.

5. Who are the Millennial
Communication
Professionals (MCPs)?

6. MCPs:
Adult Millennials born 1981-1996, including 1981 and 1996, who
currently hold a full-time position in the
profession of communication.
They are the….
Largest generation in the workforce (35%)
Leaders in the workplace for the next 2-3 decades

7. Our Approach: Two
Surveys
The first survey focused on the self-perceptions of MCPs in the
workplace, whereas the second collected the perceptions of the
managers who supervise the MCPs in their organizations.

8. Online Survey #1
Demographics of a national panel of 420 MCPs
DEMOGRAPHIC MCPs
AGE 21-36
GENDER F (63.1), M (35.0), TG (1.9)
ETHNICITY
Cau. (75.2), AA (11.0), Asian (5.7),
Hisp/Lat (4.0), Other (4.1)
ORG TYPE
Corp (57.2), Agency (20.5),
NP/GOV/ED (17.4), Other (4.9)
TOP RESPONSIBILITIES
Gen Comms (61.4), Social Media (41.2), Digital
Comms (37.9), Mktg Comm (33.8)

9. Online Survey: Key Questions
Workplace
values &
attributes
Engagement
Leadership
capabilities
Leadership
development
Recruitment
and retention
drivers
Careerism

10. Online Survey #2
National panel of 420 MGRs
DEMOGRAPHIC MGRs
AGE 37-60
GENDER F (50.0), M (48.8), Other (1.2)
ETHNICITY
Cau. (85.0), AA (6.2), Asian (2.1), Hisp/Lat (4.3), Other
(2.3)
ORG TYPE
Corp (58.1), Agency (12.0), NP/GOV/ED (19.5), Other
(10.4)
TOP RESPONSIBILITIES
Gen Comms (56.9), Mktg Comm (36.4), EMP Comms
(33.8), Acct Mgmt (33.1), PR (32.1)
#MCPs MANAGED 1-5 (40.5), 6-10 (24.5), 11-15 (17.4), 16+ (17.6)

11. We all agreed that we value
diversity and inclusion!
% agree with
statement
MCPs MGRs
Value diversity of people at work 87.5% 81.2%
Value work-life quality more than
income
71.4% 60.3%
Very supportive of social causes
and socially responsible
companies
84.1% 82.8%
Prefer working in teams 57.8% 67.1%

12. MCPs vs. MGRs on Diversity & Inclusion
5.97
5.21
5.73
4.67
5.65
4.69
5.56
4.98
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
I value diversity of people at
work.
I value work-life quality more
than income.
I am very supportive of social
causes and socially responsible
companies.
I prefer working in teams,
rather than working alone.
MCPs MGRs

13. Female & Male MCPs have Different
Perceptions
6.11
5.21
5.86
4.6
5.71
5.2
5.47
4.82
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
Value diversity of people at
work
Value work-life quality more
than income
Very supportive of social
causes and socially
responsible companies
Prefer working in teams
Females Males

14. The Role of Diversity in Recruitment
% agree with statements MCPs MGRs
It seemed to be a very socially-
responsible organization.
74.6% 69.9%
It seemed to offer a balanced
work-life approach.
82.4% 75.4
It appeared to have a very open
and positive culture.
85.2% 79.9%

15. Organizations did a good job in
addressing diversity when recruiting.
5.42
5.58
5.76
5.22
5.31
5.58
It seemed to be a very
socially-responsible
organization.
It seemed to offer a
balanced work-life
approach.
It appeared to have a
very open and positive
culture.
MCPs MGRs

17. Organizations’ retention efforts in
diversity as perceived by MCPs and
MGRs
% agree with statements MCPs MGRs
My organization has made efforts to
support a balanced work-life
approach.
79.1% 80.7%
My organization has made efforts to
embody an open and positive
organizational culture that values
diversity.
82.1% 86.7%
My organization has made efforts to
engage in socially-responsible
strategies and programs.
77.1% 77.8%

18. Efforts have been made.
Improvements are expected.
5.52
5.61
5.4
5.46
5.68
5.38
Supports a balanced work-life approach Embodies an open and positive
organizational culture that values
diversity
Engages in socially-responsible
strategies and programs
MCPs MGRs

20. The Challenge for Emerging Leaders
Program
“During the Challenge for
Emerging Leaders, students
will have an opportunity to
learn from some of the best
professionals and academics
in the industry. The
relationships that they build
are bound to last a lifetime.”

21. Bringing Diverse
Students and the
Profession Together

22. AdPR Academy
• Created by the AdPR program at the University of Georgia
• A week-long, career orientation and opportunity boot camp
• Aids in the advancement of diversity and minority leadership in
advertising and public relations
• Hands-on professional development experience
• Open to upper undergraduate and first-year graduate students
• The Academy will host its second class of 30 participants during
Spring Break 2018 from March 12-17

23. AdPR Academy
• Competitive application process
• No cost to students
• Hoping to get hotel industry sponsor this year

24. Orlando Pimentel: AdPR Academy
First year Academy participant
First generation American
Entry level position at Porter Novelli, DC

25. Recruitment
2017 AdPR Academy

26. ‘Together Being More’ Initiatives
• Employee Resource Groups:
• African-American, Latino, LGBTQ, Women
• U.S. Diversity Council:
• ERG leaders and U.S. leadership team execs
• Raise Your Voice Program:
• Mentorship program
• Mandatory unconscious bias training for Directors and above
• Nearly 150 leaders have participated
• Together Being More Intranet Page

27. Black History Month:
Black PR Pioneer Exhibits

28. Heritage Month Videos
• Black History Month:
• Emma Bowen: http://bit.ly/BMblackprpioneers
• Pride Month
• Hispanic Heritage Month

29. Pride Month: Burson Pride Events

30. D&I Discussion Forums
• “Hitting the Mark in the Digital Age”: reaching U.S. Hispanics
• “Young, Connected and Black” African-American millennials
driving social change
• “LGBTQ Rights in the Current Political Climate” led by the CEO
of the Family Equality Council
• “They Can’t Kill Us All” Washington Post reporter Wesley Lowery
discussed his bestselling book by the same name

31. D&I Best Practice Case Study
• Partnerships:
• Arthur W. Page Society
• Emma Bowen Foundation
• INROADS
• The LAGRANT Foundation
• PRSA Foundation

32. Questions.

33. Thank you.
Plankcenter.ua.edu
@PlankCenterPR