본 연구는 소수집단의 고용차별 해소와 평등고용을 목적으로 도입된 미국과 한국의 적극적 조치(AA)를 법률적 기초와 문화적 배경, 핵심 초점, 내용 및 시행방법 등의 측면에서 비교하고, 미국의 AA 정책이 기업의 고용과 생산성에 미친 효과와 한계점을 검토하였다. 그리고 이를 바탕으로 한국 기업의 인적자원관리에 대한 시사점을 다양성 관리 측면에서 제시하고자 하였다.
두 국가의 AA 정책의 큰 차이점은, 특히 미국은 인종간의 차별을 철폐하고 평등고용기회를 제공하기 위해 인종 다양성(racial diversity) 확대에 초점을 두고 시작하여, 이후 여성의 대표성 증대로 이어지는 성 다양성(gender diversity)으로 확대되었으나, 한국은 여성 인력의 활용을 목적으로 남녀간의 고용차별 제거와 평등고용을 촉진하려는 성 다양성에만 초점을 맞추고 있다는 점, 또 미국은 연방 정부와 계약을 맺는 일정 규모 이상의 기업들에게 사전적 인센티브와 함께 AA 정책 미 준수시 강한 제재를 가함으로써 소수집단의 경력 발전(채용과 승진)과 경제적 지위 향상에 크게 기여하였으나, 한국은 공공기관과 대기업에 사전적 의무 부과와 함께 미이행 기업에 대한 제재가 매우 약하여 실효성에 한계가 있다.
한편, 미국 기업들은 1980년대 이후 소극적인 AA 정책 준수에서 벗어나, 글로벌 시장에서 경쟁적 우위 확보 차원에서 다양한 문화적 배경의 노동력을 전략적으로 활용하려는 다양성 관리로 인적자원관리 전략을 전환하고 있어, 국내 기업들도 AA 정책을 적극적으로 활용하여 다양한 인적 자원을 확보함으로써 경쟁력을 강화하는 다양성 관리로 조속히 전환할 필요가 있다.
In a global economy, changing demographics in the workplace due to the increase of workers with different cultural backgrounds has been the major factors to the workforce diversity.
This means that it is the opportunities for career advancement and success to minorities(women, immigrants, persons with disabilities etc.). On the other hand, it is the causes of employment discrimination in organizations. Therefore it needs to implement equal employment management and furthermore it requires new integrative human resource management(HRM) strategy to fully utilize the potentials of diverse workforce for gaining sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace.
This paper aimed to compare the AA policies between the United States and Korea and derive implications to take into consideration in applying to Korean enterprises. As a result, I found some differences in comparison between the two countries.
First, it should be taken into considered the differences in legal basis and cultural backgrounds in AA policy.
In America, the main purposes were elimination of racial discrimination and equal employment opportunity for social justice through increasing the representation of minorities including people of color and women in the multi racial and multicultural society.
In Korea, the primary objective was to get rid of employment discrimination between men and women for utilization of women workforce in the age of low birth rate and aging society.
Second, key focus in AA policy is different between the two countries.
In the United States, it was emphasized on racial diversity and gender diversity for expanding representation of minorities in the workplace on a broader and inclusive approach.
In Korea, it was focused on exclusively gender diversity for elimination of sexual discrimination. This neglects the issues of racial diversity that expected to increase the immigrants of workforce and children of rural multicultural families etc,(KDI, 2008).
Third, we should take into consideration the differences in enforcement between the two countries.
In the United States, during the 1960s and 1970s, AA policy enforced mandatory to federal contractors, and the non-compliance firms were strictly sanctioned. But it was relaxed in 1980s later.
Whereas, in Korea, AA policy enforced involuntary to public organization and large private companies, and non-compliance firms were weakly sanctioned in the beginning. So it is necessary to enforce more strictly for enhancing the effectiveness in early stage.
Fourth, it’s the difference in perspective on the impacts upon the enterprises of AA policy.
While American global companies have enough positive evidences on employment and productivity effect of AA policy, and now transforming into managing diversity, Korean firms feel cost burden of AA policy which to participate in active.
So, it is necessary to utilize the AA policy for organization innovation and competitive advantage through diverse talents.
Fifth, American firms shifted to strategic managing diversity beyond AA policy compliance, whereas Korean organizations are now implementing AA policy in the beginning stage.
It needs to progress immediately toward managing diversity, as well as AA policy compliance.
In conclusion, after due consideration the differences between the two countries in legal basis, cultural backgrounds, key focus and enforcement of AA policy, Korean firms should benchmark the American AA policy, and need to shift to strategic managing diversity beyond AA policy compliance immediately.