Why Accountability Is Front and Center
Scott doesn't waver when discussing the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) at Johnson & Johnson: "We know that diverse teams are more creative, more innovative and more effective, and we firmly believe that our workforce must be representative of marketplace and the customers and patients we serve."
He added, "There isn't anything more fundamental to Our Credo than having a strong diversity, equity and inclusion agenda."
Shaping that agenda has brought Scott into conversation with leaders around the world, helped him uncover surprising insights and defined a clear course of action.
Scott framed the challenge succinctly. "People want to do the right thing,” he said, “but good intentions aren't enough to move the needle."
We've been hearing the same words for a long time. Every company says they have plans for diversity, equity and inclusion, but how do they actually deliver?
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To change that story, Scott thinks it all boils down to accountability.
"At the end of the day," he said, "what differentiates Johnson & Johnson is accountability and action. Otherwise, you start talking anecdotally or theoretically or hypothetically. It becomes too easy to lose sight of what's really happening with outcomes in the overall hiring process."
And speaking of outcomes, what does Scott's enhanced focus on DE&I hiring look like in practice?
Connecting Data to Outcomes
Basic structural changes, for starters. Beginning this year, all managers at Johnson & Johnson will have diversity, equity and inclusion goals built into the annual performance plans by which they're assessed, for example.
From there, Scott and his team plan to leverage workforce data in a host of different ways with a common goal in mind: greater accountability.
"In the past, we would post jobs, then kind of wait and see where we came out on the other side, because we didn't have complete visibility into how we'd gotten there," Scott explained. "Now, armed with data that shows us what's happening at each moment in the hiring process, we're able to approach our DE&I strategy not only holistically, but also very, very tactically. We can see how DE&I is pulling through at each step, from the application stage all the way through to offer acceptance."
And that means Scott and his team can continually fine-tune things, too. "These data-driven capabilities are showing us where we need to make really granular changes—what you might call 'micro-steps' in the process—in order to achieve the goals we have."
In fact, that's part of the reason Scott refers to data as "the great equalizer." But only part. More fundamentally, he's noticed that data seems to change, or in any case refocus, the conversation about DE&I. "Data helps remove emotion from the equation,” Scott observed.
I'm really excited about the future. I think we're unlocking limitless possibilities in terms of what we can achieve and the innovation and impact we can deliver.
Ready to Join Us?
For anyone considering a career at Johnson & Johnson, Scott had this to say: "Take the time to learn a little bit about our company. If you do, I have no doubt you'll be excited about the people who work here, about the leadership we have in place and about our ability to impact lives on an individual level around the globe every day."
To Scott's point, our most recent Health for Humanity Report as well as our You Belong: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Impact Review would both be good places to start.
Alternately, if you're ready to join a team where you belong today, check out all of the roles we're hiring for right now.