In this week’s ‘D&I Movers & Shakers’ interview, Kenneth Johnson, President of East Coast Executives in New York, talks about how he is battling for equality and opportunity in executive recruitment, as well as how he is creating positive change in the diversity and inclusion (D&I) space. Not only does he explain his passion for ‘disrupting the status-quo’ in the recruitment industry, but he’s also upfront about the challenges and frustrations of being a diversity recruiter in the US today.
FAIRPLAYTALKS: Why did you specialise in diversity recruitment? What are your D&I aspirations in this role?
KENNETH JOHNSON: The role of Diversity Recruiter actually found me during college upon me seeking out the assistance of a Staffing Firm for employment. Once I learned how the process operated, immediately I declared it my life’s mission to assist individuals from underrepresented groups with finding employment.
Initially, I assumed this goal would be accomplished by owning and operating my own temporary staffing firm. I proceeded to work several years in the industry prior to being introduced to Direct-Hire Diversity Search, when I realised that the most effective way to have real-impact was to help organisations do what they claimed they were unable to do – identify minority candidates – and East Coast Executives was born.
FAIRPLAYTALKS: In your opinion, how vital is the D&I role within organisations today?
KENNETH JOHNSON: I truly believe the role is vital in its origin but I’m concerned that an absence of buy-in from the top of the organisational chart may leave individuals in these roles powerless to wield the internal influence necessary for real change. You can strategise and create initiatives, but if there is limited or no organisational accountability, what measurable value is added? In a microcosm that is the story of Diversity Recruitment. Yearly, we hear how company after company has made diversity a business imperative and they display these exceptional all encompassing Diversity Mission Statements on the company website, but we continue to see numbers that aren’t reflective of any real commitment for change. It’s frustrating for me as a Business Partner and provider of Diversity Recruitment services, so I can only imagine how deflating that must feel for internal stakeholders of the D&I function.
FAIRPLAYTALKS: What’s the most rewarding part of your role?
KENNETH JOHNSON: I honestly believe that when we’re successful, the entire global workplace changes for the better. To paraphrase – we’re like the “pebble in the ocean” metaphor… we’re changing the shoreline. Although East Coast Executives is a small Harlem, NY-based Diversity Recruitment Firm, each and every successful placement adds value to the workplace in the form of Diversity. That ability to initiate positive change and disrupt the status-quo is what keeps me focused on being a leader in the space.
FAIRPLAYTALKS: What are the top challenges you face as a Diversity Recruiter?
KENNETH JOHNSON: Our number one challenge is simply business. We operate on the fringe of a very competitive industry and we’re often excluded from consideration and overlooked by larger organisations considering third party recruitment partners and/or vendors. The commitment to diversity is just not there, and we realise that it’s our job to continue to prove not only the business case, but that we are indeed worthy of consideration as a resource. We are extremely grateful for the exceptional relationships that we have fostered over the years (as we have some great clients) but our ambition drives us to compete at the highest levels. We strive to be the ‘Diversity Recruitment Leader’ and often that designation lies with the company you keep.
The second challenge is one that excites me. We are experiencing a change in the recruiting industry that is sure to disrupt work as we’ve known it. Automation and AI have begun to influence the industry and in some areas it’s levelling the playing field. As new technology enters the recruitment space it will be imperative for East Coast Executives to meet the challenge of leveraging these tools and resources to identify, attract and deliver top talent to the marketplace by expanding talent pools and providing access to often over-looked segments
FAIRPLAYTALKS: Which diversity spectrums is your organisation focusing on the most and why?
KENNETH JOHNSON: Race and gender remain our focus areas. Sadly, we as members of the global workforce still need to make massive strides in both of these areas. I started my firm in 2001 and 17 years later the gains in these two areas are modest at best and in some instances they are regressing. Only 3 African American CEOs lead Fortune 500 companies and less than 5% of the Fortune 500 CEOs are Women. Clearly there is no shortage of D&I work to be done at the highest levels. These facts put us in a position where we have to stay focused on the task at hand and continue the battle for equality and in most cases opportunity.
FAIRPLAYTALKS: Are organisations doing enough to become more inclusive? In your opinion, what more could they be doing?
KENNETH JOHNSON: Offering a blanket statement on the work being done by all organisations would be an injustice to those that are moving the needle forward. There are many organisations that are working diligently to improve by making their corporate culture more inclusive. We actually see the changes that have taken place at some of our client companies. Some have elevated the expectations of their Talent Acquisition Teams to have diverse candidates presented for all open requisitions company-wide. These types of changes are rooted in strategy, action and compassion. The companies that are becoming more inclusive are the ones that have provided their employees with the resources and top-down directives necessary to improve the culture.
FAIRPLAYTALKS: What advice do you have for others aspiring to work in the D&I field?
KENNETH JOHNSON: Do it! The most compelling reason may be that D & I offers the opportunity to chart a new path each and every day. When you’re in a position where listening to the culture is one of the requirements for success, you have a responsibility to advance the conversation daily to change the narrative.
FAIRPLAYTALKS: What do you most enjoy about your role?
KENNETH JOHNSON: Over the past 3 months I’ve had the pleasure of organising and hosting TEDxHarlem. I was featured in the NY Post for the work I do as a Career & Job Search Facilitator at the Grow With Google Learning Center NYC in Partnership with the New York Urban League, and served as Host for the UL Jobs Network Digital Career Success Series ‘Dialogue On Diversity’ where I interviewed Deb Sinta, VP of Talent & Culture at Tyson Foods. I love my job!
For more information on East Coast Executives, check out: www.eastcoastexecutives.com
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