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‘Johnson Controls has stated its intention to move from a $30 billion to a $50 billion company by 2012,” says Cassandra Alston, executive director of workforce diversity. “To do that we’ll need to increase our employee base by more than 40 percent, to 200,000 people. We expect our larger workforce to be even more diverse than it is today, given changing global demographics.”
Johnson Controls is a Fortune 100 company that creates “smart” environments for vehicles, homes and workplaces. Its aim is “to produce a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world,” Alston says. She notes that the company is constantly bringing in more engineers and IT people.
Alston herself has a BSME from Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) and an MBA from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL). Beginning as a project manager, she worked her way up the technical ladder to VP of ops for the company’s global workplace solutions business. She’s a graduate of the company’s leadership development program.
A couple of years ago, Alston says, Johnson Controls decided to gather its diversity and inclusion efforts under a single umbrella. The diversity and public affairs department was launched in January 2006, with VP Chuck Harvey as chief diversity officer, reporting directly to chair and CEO John Barth.
To achieve balance, Harvey’s group is separate from HR functions. Alson’s current role was designed to give the company “a workforce diversity and inclusion leader with a global view.” Alston took it on with enthusiasm. “Though my background is operations I’ve always been passionate and active in diversity, so this role is a wonderful opportunity.
“The initial focus of our department includes workforce diversity, supplier diversity, community relations, employee recognition and sustainability,” Alston says.
The company, she notes, has a ten-year plan to shape its employee base and leader development efforts so that they “mirror our global markets and populations. Part of this is our initiative to create alternative search methods for adding diverse candidates to our pool.”
This is a global challenge, but “We feel we’re on track to accomplish it, especially as we share best practices across our global company.”
Affinity groups are an important part of creating an inclusive workplace, says Alston. She points to initiatives like the African American Affinity Network, which she led in 2004, and the Women’s Resource Network (WRN). Both groups are chartered and funded by the company but organized by employees at locations in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Last year WRN became the first affinity group to attract more than 100 participants to every meeting, Alson reports.
Locally, “Our groups reach out to students in the high schools and more, building interest in math and science.” Some employees take time to be with the students on Saturdays, “doing technical projects all day.”
The affinity networks also help with recruiting, and Johnson Controls works with NSBE, SWE, SHPE and other engineering societies to attract experienced pros and new grads.
As part of its commitment to diversifying its leadership, Johnson Controls forms a yearly executive leadership class of forty rising company stars from around the world. They’re assigned to one of four teams, and each team has seven months to solve a real-life business problem.
The program gets into topics ranging from integrated profit planning and merger and acquisition integration, to world-class service, employee excellence and, of course, diversity and inclusion.
The present diversity and inclusion structure and priorities were originally proposed by one of these executive leadership development teams. Alston herself graduated from the program three years ago.
Johnson Controls has three business units, which offer products and services that optimize energy use and improve comfort and security in buildings; systems that make driving more comfortable, safe and enjoyable; and batteries for automobiles and hybrid electric vehicles, along with systems engineering and service expertise. There are technical and managerial opportunities for current and new employees throughout the company, which has 1,000 locations in 125 countries.
“Our new slogan says it best,” Alston declares. “Ingenuity welcome!”
D/C
Johnson Controls, Inc
www.johnsoncontrols.com
| Headquarters: |
Milwaukee, WI |
| Employees: |
140,000 in 1,000 locations
in 125 countries |
| Revenues: |
$32 billion in 2006 |
| Business: |
Systems for comfort and efficiency in buildings; systems for safety and comfort in vehicles; batteries for automobiles and hybrid electric vehicles |
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