Two things your business must understand about your new Diversity and Inclusion strategy
In 2019, I developed a community of role models who support Black youth with education, careers and financial literacy. This placed me on a platform to receive overwhelming support from organisations and individuals, who sought to support the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 by training and mentoring Black youth.
While it has been encouraging to see organisations taking action, it has been more powerful to see them taking steps towards creating sustainable change. The recent surge in Diversity and Inclusion roles and strategies, indicates a readiness to look within and transform the systems, processes and cultures which have normalised setbacks like the following:
· In 2018, ONS found that UK-born Black African employees were paid 7.7% less than UK-born White British with similar occupation and education characteristics
· In 2020, a poll of more than 24,000 UK employees by Business in the Community found that 74% of Black respondents wanted to progress in their careers, compared to just 42% of white respondents. However, 33% felt their ethnicity would be a barrier to their next career move — a concern shared by just 1% of white respondents.
· The ‘Race at Work: Black Voices’ report found that 33% of Black employees reported experiencing or witnessing racial harassment from a manager, and 17% said they had experienced or witnessed it from a colleague. This compared to just 13% and 5% of White employees respectively.
While companies seem to be taking action through a Diversity and Inclusion approach, it will take a lot of effort to convince many of us that the same systems and people oppressing us, are the same ones that are genuinely committed to sharing power. To go from gimmick to gamechanger, companies should understand the following:
- Equity before equality: Equality treats everyone the same way, without considering the structures that perpetually keep the playing field uneven. This approach will not change anything. Start with equity, which provides fair and proportional opportunities to truly level the playing field. Upon this eventual outcome, then equality will make an impact.
2. Culture change is more important than inclusion and diversity: It is not enough to invite different people to the ball (diversity), or invite them to sit at your table (inclusion). Culture change means co-designing an environment where everyone feels safe and welcome to be their authentic selves once they join the workplace; without fear that they will not fit in or be able to thrive.
Diversity and Inclusion strategies should start with a root and branch review. When you look within your organisation, can you say without a doubt that it is an environment free from microaggressions? Are the effects of people’s home circumstances taken into consideration now that many of us are working from home? Does everyone see themselves well-represented in leadership positions? Are you using the right language to encourage equity and inclusion, or can it come across as patronising or alienating?
Remember that cultural and ethnic diversity within executive teams correlates with 35% higher profit margins (McKinsey, 2018). The process of equity and inclusion will be no small feat, but if executed successfully, everyone wins.
