Delivering Innovation Through Diversity

July 9, 2019
Revolutionizing our region’s transportation system will take a workforce that brings unique perspectives to projects and challenges.

Transportation leaders often talk about innovation because we know it is essential to transforming our industry. It energizes our vision, allowing us to eliminate barriers and imagine possibilities outside the industry’s conventional approaches.

However, innovation occurs very slowly – or doesn’t happen at all – if we all think alike. Revolutionizing the transportation industry requires the very best ideas as we envision, plan, engineer and build for the future. Our most powerful asset will be smart, motivated and diverse professionals who can draw on their disparate backgrounds to add unique perspectives to projects and challenges.

Research shows the more diverse a team is, the more creative and innovative it is. Diversity in our industry doesn’t necessarily happen organically, however. If we want revolutionary thinking that leads to a future we haven’t even imagined yet, we must intentionally expand diversity in our organizations, both in recruiting and in our cultures by:

Making diversity visible. Attracting diverse professionals is easier when talented candidates can see a path for themselves demonstrated by the presence of similar individuals in the organization. Showcase diverse leaders who already are in your employ and engage them in recruiting efforts. According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, research shows that just a few talented women or racial minorities making hiring decisions will affect the group’s future makeup. Diversity begets diversity.

Recruiting purposefully. Transportation industry organizations often recruit from the biggest engineering schools. But the most diverse candidates may be elsewhere. To hire differently, you may need to deliberately focus attention on schools where a larger percentage of the graduates are female, of varied ethnicities and from differing socioeconomic and urban/rural backgrounds. Involvement in industry organizations and programs that advance diversity in transportation and engineering also can provide a rich source of diverse candidates. HNTB, for instance, participates in the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials’ Internship program, which provides minority college students with opportunities to gain professional and practical experience in the transportation industry.

Recruiting is only part of the equation though, increasing the number of women and minorities who study engineering and the sciences needs to be a focus as well.  HNTB works to advance engineering and other STEM careers as a supporter and industry partner of Transportation You, a mentoring program through Women Transportation Seminar and the U.S. Department of Transportation that offers girls a chance to learn more about careers in transportation.

Be deliberate. When you’re recruiting for leadership positions, mine your industry connections for professionals who can deliver not only valuable knowledge and expertise, but also diversity of thought based on ethnicity, gender and experience.

Creating and supporting a diverse work culture. Support for diverse workers will be as unique to each organization as are the employees themselves. Senior leaders must be willing to advise and mentor, and diverse individuals at all levels of your organization must have a voice in developing the programs and activities that will provide the support they need.

Managing diversity well. Bringing in a diverse group of voices challenges leaders to effectively manage people who may not look, sound like or have the same values as others in the organization. To get the most value from these more diverse teams, every voice must be heard, and every person must have opportunities to take on increasingly demanding and prestigious projects over time. This doesn’t happen by accident but requires planning and a commitment to action.

There’s a lot we don’t know about the future of transportation. What we do know is that innovation is the secret to solving the complex issues that confront us. For HNTB, our investment in recruiting and hiring diverse professionals benefits both our firm and our clients. Inviting a broader spectrum of people to the table is how we will fuel that innovation and shape the transportation infrastructure of tomorrow.

Michelle Dippel is Vice President, Central and South Texas Office Leader for HNTB. She oversees approximately 140 infrastructure professionals and is responsible for HNTB’s operations in Austin, Round Rock, San Antonio, El Paso, and Corpus Christi.  She provides leadership in strategic planning, developing client relationships, creating community and supporting major project pursuits and delivery.  Reach her at: linkedin.com/in/michelle-dippel-41b72215