Diversity in the workplace can be defined as recognising people’s differences within the organisational context. It is important to consider that certain dimensions of diversity, usually labelled primary dimensions are presented by nature and cannot be inherently altered. These include ethnic background, age, race and gender. Actively applying diversity generates benefits for organisations four of which are highlighted in this article.
Encouraging Commonalities
Certain things differentiate human beings, and that is what diversity is about. Yet, as people recognise and accept these differences without judgment, they also discover more of the commonalities that connect them. Last week, while I was facilitating a departmental retreat at a leading regulatory institution, one activity produced interesting commonalities.
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We asked participants to list personal favourite things and dislikes. From randomly selected groups of six to eight individuals each, there was harmony about such things as favourite places, favourite places, pet peeves and so on. In one group, six of seven people liked the same kind of food. Another group was decidedly an anti-smoking one and yet another disliked social events at which alcohol was not served. It might be argued that these are mere coincidences. The point is that by accepting diversity as given and not using it negatively, commonalities become more easily discoverable and applicable. This is the direction in which many large corporations such as Google have started travelling and should be emulated by all others.
Reducing Stereotypes
The more we accept diversity as part of human and indeed corporate existence, the more we can reduce stereotypes. A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. There are sexual, racial, national and an entire host of stereotypes. The multiplicity of stereotypes across the world fuels divergence on issues that are either trivial or unalterable. Skin colour, for example – despite the use of bleaching creams – cannot be changed. The underlying natural pigmentation remains the same even if the outer colour seems to be temporarily altered. Stereotypes of gender, race and colour frame individuals in ways that are mostly unproven and borne out of long-held mindsets, beliefs or cultures.
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For instance, albinos (who have no control over their skin colour) were once deemed in parts of Nigeria to be symbols of ill-luck, tribal disaster or family curses. In some East African countries, albinos are still being persecuted, mutilated and killed sometimes based on beliefs that their bodies can be used to obtain magical powers. Although this is an extreme form of stereotyping, human beings hold on to various stereotypes depending on their backgrounds and ideas about people and things. Many of these stereotypes flow into organisational settings and affect corporate decisions in subtle ways. Applying diversity empowers institutions and individuals to deliberately reduce their lists of stereotypes.
Unravelling Unconscious Biases
Related to stereotypes are the unconscious biases which human beings display. Implicit or unconscious bias occurs when our brains make rapid judgements and assessments of people and situations without us realising. Unconscious biases are realities and all individuals harbour a measure of them which they transmit to the workplace. These biases can misrepresent performance reviews, recruitment and silently shape culture.
Research evidence indicates that unconscious bias affects hiring and selection decisions. Experiments have also pointed to gender and ethnic biases in CV shortlistingxercises. The Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) is a UK body that seeks to enhance equality and diversity in higher institutions. ECU refers to 2012 research by Moss-Racusin, et al in which staffs were asked to review applications which were largely identical except for the gender of applicants. The research suggested, among other things that science faculties were more likely to rate male candidates as better qualified than female candidates and give them higher starting salaries than their female counterparts.
Diversity programmes will offer awareness training on unconscious bias, label the likely categories of bias, and create structures to identify, call out and unravel biases.
Improving Teamwork
Organisations frequently discuss the need to improve teamwork and there is proof that organisations with more effective teams obtain better results. Diversity programmes and a better consciousness of diversity make contributions to enhanced teamwork.
In an exercise conducted at the University of Iowa’s Tippie Business College, students were asked to identify their differences and how the differences constitute strengths. The students talk with assigned teammates until each finds a characteristic that sets them apart from the rest. The students then discuss how these differences will help their team on its group assignments throughout the semester.
By getting students to think about what makes them different, they start to understand how other people view them. This empowers them to understand how the differences collectively enhance team strengths. After they have built a basic level of trust, it becomes considerably easier to function together as a high-functioning team. One of the students concluded that on other teams she has been a part of, they do not work as well when they are not consciously thinking about their own diversity.
The exploration continues next week…
Weyinmi Jemide
