Workplace diversity is not enough
More than a checkbox: how to foster a culture of inclusion in your diverse organisation.
In recent years, many organisations have focussed attention on diversifying their teams.
This should come as no surprise. Besides desirability from a social impact standpoint, an increasing body of evidence shows that diverse workforces are good for business. Companies staffed by people with different backgrounds and experiences create products that appeal to wider demographics, retain staff more easily and can even see improved financial performance.
As well as these tempting “pull” factors, some companies have experienced a “push” due to negative press. Silicon Valley, for instance, has gained a notorious reputation for its largely homogenous workforce. Whilst this public scrutiny is helping to advance change, some organisations have begun diversifying their teams solely because it would “look bad” if they didn’t.
Hiring professionals with marginalised identities should not be the end of the “diversity at work” conversation. Without further action, such efforts quickly slip into tokenism.
To retain diverse talent – and ensure that employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work – companies must foster a culture of inclusion. It is the responsibility of every staff member to create an environment that celebrates the characteristics of employees spanning different races, ages, sexes and beliefs.
Diversity is a first step. But a crucial second step is developing your teams’ CQ, or cultural intelligence. That is, their understanding and respect for different cultures and backgrounds. Organisations whose workforces have higher CQ levels benefit from better cohesion, and the increased productivity that this entails.
In the coming years, multinational companies who nurture and value cultural intelligence will have a significant competitive advantage – and their employees are likely to enjoy warmer working relationships, too.
What you can do:
Lead from the top. To make meaningful progress, it helps enormously to have a champion of Diversity and Inclusion at senior or board level.
Stay accountable. Measure and publish your diversity statistics. This promotes a supportive internal discussion around this topic, and pulls your intentions into the spotlight.
Keep actively hiring diverse talent. Hire people who hold marginalised identities, and encourage those making hiring decisions to be aware of similarity biases. Take advantage of the shift to remote work and the opportunities it offers to provide flexible working conditions, when necessary.
Develop your employees’ talents. Ensure that the strengths and talents of diverse hires are not overlooked due to teammates' unconscious biases. Your management strategy should align with your team’s increased diversity.
Nurture your teams’ CQ. Encourage employees to take a CQ test, and help them identify ways they can improve their score.
Lead inclusively. Managers should foster feelings of belonging in their team-members, and help them feel valued for their unique contributions. Perhaps most importantly, the diversity of your company should be reflected at a leadership level – anything else is tokenism.
A version of this article was originally published on Forbes.com.
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Mursal Hedayat | MBE, co-Founder and CEO
Mursal was inspired to create pathways into professional careers for displaced professionals after observing first-hand their vast untapped potential as a former refugee herself. She is a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur, recognised by Forbes, MIT, and the FT among others and awarded an MBE by the UK for services to social enterprise, technology and the economy.