A Guide to Diversity and Inclusion Efforts in the Workplace

Diversity and inclusion efforts within organisations are soaring. However, so are reports from individuals of perceived discriminatory incidents. It’s not enough for an organisation to claim they  have cultural (and sexual, gender, etc)  representation.The public trusts and expects corporations to drive social change. It is now paramount for corporations to have a strategic vision for creating and promoting a company culture that respects, celebrates, and values all employees. 

One piece of the diversity puzzle is adding equality and diversity training to workplace efforts. Read on to learn how hiring managers can appreciably impact team and organisational performance. As you’ll determine though, it takes more than hiring a rainbow to create an organisational utopia.

We’re in it Together: Prioritising EDI

Individuals are tired of hiding. They’re yearning to bring their authentic selves to work. Female, LGBTQ, of African or Asian descent, older, millennial, green-haired, or differently-abled… they are all clamouring for their equal right– a moral right– to opportunity. Corporate HR and hiring managers have an important role to play in leading society’s equalisation and inclusion efforts.

It’s taken the recent, very public and graphic events in the United States to spark conversations around the world. Nevertheless, local and global organisations, public figures, and civic leaders alike have made statements and challenges to take up responsibility around diversity efforts. The significance is extraordinarily clear–  diversity & inclusion training in the workplace is no longer optional. 

Everyone stands to benefit when we respect and capitalise on the diversity around us… and everyone feels the effects when we don’t.  Non-inclusive behaviour, often formed over generations from what was once considered acceptable behaviour, stands in the way of healing and thriving. Moreover, it inhibits the development of an inclusive culture. 

What are Microaggressions?

The word “microaggressions” seems to be part of the new vernacular surrounding diversity... but what are they? 

According to a Business Insider article, microaggressions are “indirect, often unintentional expressions of racism, sexism, ageism, or ableism. They are a form of racism that comes out in seemingly innocuous comments by people who might be well-intentioned.” Microaggressions are the micro invalidations of a person’s worth.The chipping away of their confidence and value.

To put it somewhat more simply, microaggressions are the generally small "throw away”–comments of bias that’ve been taken for granted in society. 

A microinvalidation can include mispronunciation of a person’s name. It may be surprising to you but miscommunicating a person’s name can be another form of unconscious bias. Whether the misstatement is intentional or not.

When repeated with frequency, the little “mistake” rises to the level of microaggression. Consider when individuals do not make the effort to properly learn, respond with quips or make jokes (or even songs!). The receiver is immediately humiliated and invalidated.

Myles Durkee, an assistant professor of psychology specialising in race, identity and cultural code-switching at the University of Michigan in the United States confirms, “[T]he ripple effects from [the chronic pattern of doing this consistent mispronunciation] are much more adverse, signalling to the individual that they're less important, that they're less valued.” 

“I feel like I'm a spoil sport if I say, ‘actually, I don't think that's funny’,” says Canadian radio host, Nana aba Duncan (pronounced Nuh-NAA-buh). “I hate that I don't put myself first in those moments, but sometimes I think we do this to keep the peace because there are so many other things that we have to deal with and we just let those things go.” 

The pain of microaggressions has a broad impact. Both the receiver and those overhearing the painful remark can become distressed. Left unchecked, unconscious bias in the workplace infects the working environment. 

It’s a Win-win: Diversity and Inclusion are Good for People and for Business

Diversity drives strategic thinking and innovation in the workplace.  Workplace diversity includes the comprehensive differences in people that make someone unique. The more perspectives that can be brought to the table, the more ways a problem can be analyzed or ideas created. 

Diversity is not simply an employee’s outward appearance. It includes their beliefs, thinking, values, perspectives, and even ways of problem solving. 

Diversity and inclusion efforts afford financial success and recession protections.  McKinsey found that the greater the representation within an organisation, the higher the likelihood of outperformance. When team members feel included, they more easily voice opinion, overperform, and work collaboratively. Feeling included impacts their ability to contribute– all of which drives team performance.

Workplace authority Great Place to Work examined publicly traded companies just prior to, during, and for several years after recessionary times. It found that equity and inclusion predicted which companies would thrive or falter during a recession. 

Diversity and inclusion increases team building and employee engagement.  Diversity has long been the answer for successful employee engagement. When employees feel heard and valued, they are more engaged and satisfied.

According to a Culture Shift survey, 79% of employees confirm that working in an organisation with a diverse workforce is an important factor for their happiness at work. Forty-one percent of employees said their employer makes token gestures that feel surface level when it comes to diversity and inclusion. 

Employer review site Glassdoor is now including a rating for worker’s satisfaction with ED&I at current or former companies. 

Are Diversity and Inclusion the Same Thing?

Diversity and inclusion are intersectional– not interchangeable– concepts. One without the other is not enough.

Inclusion is about how the organisation values and treats different types of people’s contributions and allows everyone to thrive at work. Where no matter their background, identity or circumstances, everyone feels their contribution matters and are able to perform to their full potential.

Diversity is about the composition of an organisation. The visible and invisible factors. It includes such personal characteristics such as background, culture, personality, work-style, accent, and language. 

According to research from Deloitte, organisations with inclusive cultures are:

• 2X as likely to meet or exceed financial targets
• 3X as likely to be high performing
• 6X as likely to be innovative and agile
• 8x as likely to achieve better business outcomes

There you have it. Diversity is important to individual and organisational success. One does not flourish at the expense of the other. Just the opposite, there is a symbiosis that exists.

Training for diversity and inclusion can help buttress the foundation of your organisation’s culture. Intentionally hiring for diversity sets up the conditions for your diverse hires to thrive.

Now that you've conscientiously hired for a diverse team, how do you retain team members? An inclusive leader– one that has trained to minimise their unconscious biases– is essential here. Research has shown that inclusiveness has a direct impact on team performance. Team members are 17% more “high performing” under the management of an inclusive leader.

To learn more about unconscious bias and inclusive leadership, read our companion article: 

Unconscious Bias Training– The Other Half of EDI Initiatives

More about equality and diversity:

Strategic Thinking and the Power of Diversity