Workforce Diversity at Nordstrom

Nordstrom recognized that its customer base was getting diversified as a result of changing demographics in the US. The company believed that employing people from different backgrounds would help it reflect its customer base. Talking about the company's policy to employ a diverse workforce, Deanna Talley (Talley), who was Nordstrom's Corporate Diversity Affairs Director in 2006 said, "When you think about the customer, that is really a tapestry of everything. We recognized that we had to deal with, be prepared for and understand all the different issues that are going on in society because those are our customers. The people living outside our doors are the people who walk inside our doors."...

Ethnic and Racial Minorities: The diverse workforce at Nordstrom included ethnic and racial minorities like African-Americans, Asian-Indian Americans, Native Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. As of May 2007, 31.4 percent of managers and 41.9 percent of employees were people of color...

Sexual Minorities: Nordstrom provided equal employment opportunities to sexual minorities. In its employee handbook, the company had a written non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation and gender identity...