Ronald Harris, director of workforce diversity at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, displays a report detailing more than 3,000 foreign-owned businesses within the state. Harris addressed more than 100 industrial professionals at the 2013 Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce Industry Appreciation Luncheon, urging them to embrace “cross-cultural communication.”CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Companies will need to embrace the changing makeup of their employee and customer populations if they want to succeed, a Chattanooga workplace diversity expert said Thursday.
“You’re either going to be intentionally inclusive, or unintentionally exclusive,” said Ronald Harris, director of workforce diversity for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, in a presentation to more than 100 industrial professionals at a recent Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce industry appreciation luncheon.
“If you are [unintentionally exclusive], your business is going to suffer,” Harris said. “You’ve got to ask what voice isn’t at the table and who isn’t at the table.”
Harris said Tennessee businesses need to engage in cross-cultural communication that encompasses diversity driven by racial, ethnic and generational perspectives.
As an example, Harris showed his audience a 157-page report published by the Tennessee Department of Economics that lists more than 3,000 foreign-owned businesses in the state. Three years ago, he said, there were only 1,500 foreign-owned businesses in Tennessee.