Mary-Frances Winters, CEO of The Winters Group, Inc., award-winning DEI consultant, and author of 7 books including Racial Justice at Work.
Diversity is often conflated with affirmative action. I believe they are both needed, but they are not the same. Affirmative action is about complying with legal statutes. Organizations that focus on diversity do so voluntarily, as they have evidence that a diverse workforce, when managed well, leads to better organizational outcomes. In fact, in many organizations, affirmative action is a distinct department from the diversity and inclusion office.
Some fear that the recent Supreme Court decision banning race-based affirmative action in admissions decisions could hinder diversity efforts in the private sector, especially in light of the recent letter signed by the attorneys general of 13 states. This letter said Fortune 100 companies “will face serious legal consequences” for engaging in practices such as hiring or promotions that involve what they call racial discrimination. Personally, I am optimistic that companies will continue to forge ahead on the commitments they made in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd. Several companies have already declared that their organizations will continue to be committed to their voluntary diversity efforts.
I believe organizations should continue to focus on both compliance and voluntary diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Consider, for example, that while the unemployment rate for white Americans declined to 3.1% during the first half of 2023, the unemployment rate for Black workers increased during the same time period and was practically double the rate of white workers at 6%. Furthermore, only 5.9% of chief executive positions are Black, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On top of that, a survey by applicant-tracking software company Greenhouse (as reported by the Society of Human Resource Management) found that Black, Arab, Asian, Hispanic, Latino and multiracial candidates were more likely to not get a second interview.
It has been said that diversity is not only the right thing to do but also the right thing to do for business. After all, an organization with an inclusive culture will benefit from more engaged employees, research by Gallup found (registration required). Diversity also has been found to enhance innovation and improve financial performance.
However, increased diversity by itself does not lead to better organizational outcomes or better workplace experiences for Black and other historically excluded groups. That is why inclusion is vital.
To get the advantage of diversity, organizations need to create inclusive cultures where differences are understood, valued and leveraged. Here’s how:
Embed DEI education into broader learning and development strategies.
I’ve observed some criticism about diversity training. Some say it does not work because it fuels additional polarization, and others say it can make people feel uncomfortable. The only way we can create inclusive cultures is if we provide effective education that promotes understanding, reciprocal empathy and behaviors aligned with company values.
You don’t learn how to play the piano in one session, and you cannot learn the skills needed for inclusion in one-and-done training activities. These are complex, controversial topics that need to be presented developmentally, from foundational concepts (i.e., meet people where they are) to more complex ones over time. These concepts should be embedded in all organizational training and education from onboarding to leadership development.
Engage in your own ongoing learning.
People with power can become less empathic and more vulnerable to stereotyping. As a leader, you need to engage in your own self-awareness and self-reflection. To what extent do you perhaps unconsciously favor people who are more like you? Are you more likely to select people you are more familiar with for career development opportunities? Do your words and actions send signals that some people on your team are more valued? How much exposure, experience and education have you had about people who are different from you in race, gender, gender identity, generation, religion or other important diversity dimensions? Leaders need to be held accountable for creating inclusive cultures.
Develop inclusive norms at the team level.
Leadership is critical in modeling behavior to create inclusive environments. Organizations need to develop inclusive cultures to retain good talent. A survey by Glassdoor found that almost half of Black and Hispanic employees and job seekers have quit a job after experiencing or witnessing workplace discrimination.
Even those organizations that espouse their commitment to DEI cannot control what happens on a day-to-day basis at the team level. Leaders should guide their teams in developing norms for how they will treat one another. For example, create psychologically brave spaces where there is a protocol for how the team will deal with microaggressions. One might be, “We assume positive intent and, at the same time, own our impact on others.” Perhaps an “ouch and educate” approach that all team members use when an inappropriate comment or behavior is witnessed could be normalized.
Create inclusive external strategies.
Inclusion is important from an external perspective, too. It is good for business. Consider marketing strategies: If you are making decisions to attract diverse markets, including the voices of those who represent those markets will increase your likelihood of succeeding. There have been many examples of costly advertising faux pas because of a lack of cross-cultural understanding.
When H&M, for example, released an advertisement showing a young boy who is Black with the words “coolest monkey in the jungle” inscribed on his shirt, there was an outcry from the Black community. (Full disclosure: H&M is a client of my company.) This outcome is contrasted with Procter & Gamble’s “Widen The Screen” initiative, in which the company is expanding spending with Black-owned media. It launched a film in 2021 to challenge stereotypes. Inclusive initiatives such as these can not only help a company’s brand but also society in general.
Keep in mind that a diverse marketing team is paramount to succeeding in reaching global markets. You should also consider the extent to which your external advertising partners are culturally competent.
At a time when diversity, equity and inclusion programs are facing scrutiny, leaders can speak up and out about the benefits of creating inclusive workplace cultures.
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