There has been a lot of discussion in recent years regarding the importance of nurturing diversity in the workforce. This refers to having people of different demographics, cultural and religious backgrounds, gender, age and levels of ability represented in the workplace across all levels and roles.
It is widely understood that the more diverse a workforce, the more innovative and successful an organisation. The thinking is – greater diversity in a team leads to stronger representation of different points of view, therefore problems can be approached from different contexts leading to more innovative solutions.
Workforce diversity can also naturally reduce the unconscious bias each one of us inherently has, as the more exposure you have to individuals from all walks of life, the clearer it is that we are just that – individuals – and not the stereotypes that often box us in.
However, simply having a ‘diverse’ workforce is, on its own, not enough. Workplace policy on diversity can be tick-box if the focus isn’t also on equity and inclusion. In an article from earlier this year, Dr Mapedzahama from Diversity Council Australia states that “inclusion is making that diversity work” and that “equity is just making sure that everybody has access to the same resources”. Through active diversity, equity, and inclusion we can increase the feelings of physical, emotional and psychological safety in the workplace and in our learning environments.
I invite you to think about the level of diversity, inclusion and equity that exists in your world, whether that be through your study groups, social circles, workplaces and/or extra-curricular activities.
As a part of this reflection, you may wish to ask yourself the following questions:
What do I know about my own identity?
Be very honest with yourself as to how you feel about how you identify – everything starts with self-awareness and understanding.
In what ways have my thoughts and behaviours about people who identify in different ways than I do, been shaped?
Think about how you have been influenced by your family, friends, university and work colleagues, and broader society.
Who makes up my world?
What is your level of interaction with people who have a different lived experience than you, and why is it so?
Do you want to make any changes based on your previous reflection?
If the answer to this last question is yes, then what is one action you can take today to expand your horizons and make connections with people who are normally outside of your world?
These questions are based on 4 Self-reflective questions to ask in 2021 regarding race.
I encourage you to consider the ways in which you would like to positively impact on diversity in the workforce and beyond. I assure you the more you expand your range of people and friends, the deeper the richness and higher the quality of your life.
To delve a little deeper into this topic and access ideas in your pursuit of diversity, complete the Leveraging Diversity module in The Skilled Professional Challenge.
This article was written by Career Development Consultant, Rindala Hadzic.
