Diversity fatigue? There's a CURE for it!

‘Let’s make bolder choices!’?The theme of the Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit held this month in Warsaw, Poland resonated. It is one of the largest events for women in tech in Europe and had over 11,000 participants this year. I was honored to be invited to deliver a keynote and was excited to attend again after 5 years, having spoken at the very first summit in 2018. What started as a meeting, gained so much momentum over the years – it has become a movement inspiring the attendees with calls to action. In my keynote I talked about the importance of finding one’s voice and cutting through the noise to make bold choices.

I shared perspective against the backdrop of my own story – making bolder choices is about giving voice to the leader inside each one of us. It’s about advocating to have a seat at the table. But it’s more than having the seat… it’s about engaging with others at the table to impact change, being encouraged to speak up and feeling empowered to do so. This is especially important in technology fields where women remain a minority. There are many worthy causes to use one’s voice and advocate for - pay parity, a more positive culture that includes not excludes women, more transparent promotion and hiring practices that are fair and equitable - which I am certain can lead to more women in leadership roles. And its only right! Women are half of the world’s population. Women need a seat at that table and to make their voices heard to help shape our world.

As the conference description highlighted: “A world full of crises, wars, and climate challenges needs us to be strong, open-minded, and responsible. To think BIG and take risks. We are women in tech, science and innovation. It obliges us to take responsibility.”

Weary tired

Although the sheer number of participants in the conference was very encouraging, it was apparent from many of the discussions, presentations, sessions, that progress in terms of gender parity and equity continues to be slow …and fatigue may be setting in. Women have been pushing, driving, advocating, and championing. But lack of progress can lead to skepticism, disillusionment, and disengagement regarding the impact of DE&I activities. There is a perception of lot of talk in some areas but no real action, concern around gaps between the processes and policies that are in place but what is actually done in practice, and a barrage of inauthentic, performative statements that create an illusion of progress. The struggle is real - the frustration, the exhaustion and a lack of meaningful action that can impact positive change. In fact, among other sessions where was a panel discussion devoted to the topic of “diversity fatigue” with representation from 3M 公司 on the work we do and the way we view it.

“Diversity fatigue” can be essentially defined as the ‘the emotional and psychological exhaustion individuals may experience when engaging in DEI-related activities or initiatives.’ This fatigue manifests itself in many ways including feelings of burnout, and resentment. The term apparently first emerged in the 1990s when equal opportunity became a major initiative in corporations. It captured the feelings of stress and exhaustion in trying to recruit diverse talent and increase diversity within companies. Over time the definitions often encompass both - those who may feel there is too much emphasis on DEI and those who feel responsible for driving DEI initiatives forward. All in all, it leads to lower levels of interest and enthusiasm for the much-needed DE&I work. It also jeopardizes involvement of others who need to play a critical role as allies and advocates - men, in the case of gender equity in STEM fields.

Tired of it all

The fatigue can often be hard to combat despite a general understanding that DE&I efforts are not quick fixes and things won’t change overnight. There is also the recognition that there is no one size fits all strategy or a silver bullet to magically fix everything. The multifaceted initiatives require sustained commitment - above all they require leadership that can walk the talk. It requires leaders who recognize that progress maybe slow, but they continue to provide steadfast support, budgetary resources and dedicated efforts that encourage patience, advocate perseverance and bolster resilience. They support specific measurable and realistic long-term goals and celebrate near-term milestones. They track progress to tweak process, and they drive practices that help to bake DEI principles into the company’s culture, so it doesn’t feel like a bolt-on.?

Understanding the specific issues of the organization is also critical to arrive at the appropriate strategy, tactics and goals. Benchmarking, baselining and best practices from other organizations similar in size, reach and stature can be good exercises. Leaders can involve management, and employees, in listening, learning and sharing through narratives and storytelling that empower employees and bring even the reluctant and resistant into the fold. A critical component of these initiatives is communication – specifically communicating that it is a journey of continuous improvement with a growth mindset. This can help mitigate the fatigue and disillusionment if immense progress is not perceived in shorter timeframes. Moreover, research suggest that when employees are equipped with practical tips, tools and techniques for ways they can help build a more inclusive workplace, it can empower them to act and that can serve to minimize that sense of frustration. Employee resource networks and individual advocates can collate voices and curate fresh ideas and honest feedback on what works and what may not work.

Tired and tested

Many organizations have also gone on to reframe the conversation around the importance of belonging, as the discussion of diversity could be considered divisive through its focus on differences. Indeed, DE&I initiatives need to be highly contextual given the nature of the issue. This warrants ability to implement policy changes and adjustments to protocols – be it in culture change, hiring and recruitment or retention and promotion policies with a keen eye towards aspirational change and accountability for outcomes. It is critical that employees understand why it is important, how it connects to the company mission and vision and inspires and incentivizes the employees to act.

Much discussion has centered around overcoming diversity fatigue in recent years. See list of some references below. Strategies have been suggested, as well as tactics that organizations can employ to keep promoting DEI principles and navigate the pitfalls. The efforts can ultimately help create a more engaged and effective workforce, a more equitable culture that benefits from a diverse talent pool representing a multitude of experiences and myriad perspectives. Some key steps that can perhaps help to CURE diversity fatigue include:

Create actionable (contextually meaningful) goals and accountability for outcomes

Understand (and uncover) the most pressing issues for the organization

Raise awareness regarding progress (and celebrate milestones)

Empower employee resource networks (and individual advocates)

Experts suggest that what ails us as humans is the tendency to take the path of least resistance while knowing well that it may not be the right decision for the long term. And an expected outcome of being engaged in long-term commitment to social justice is a sense of fatigue and that of feeling disheartened.

The idea of reframing that I recently read resonated - to think about it in terms of a “collective marathon,” not an “individual sprint” we can fight the feeling of “diversity fatigue” and make the bold choice to persist in fighting the good fight.

Tirelessly so.

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Reference articles:

5 ways businesses can beat diversity fatigue in DEI professionals | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

What is diversity fatigue? (fastcompany.com)

Combat DEI Fatigue to Continue Driving Change (trainingindustry.com)

5 ways to fight "diversity fatigue" | Culture Amp