Diversity & Inclusion- Are we there yet?

A lot of noise has been made about Diversity & Inclusion of late, very rightly so. With conversations around #metoo movement, India’s recent landmark ruling on section 377 (decriminalization of homosexuality), gender pay gap, LGBTQ issues being brought to the forefront, this topic has never been more relevant. In India as well, I have noticed the number of “Diversity & Inclusion officers” grow in numbers in companies and doing well in ensuring a workplace brimming with creativity and productivity. Recent studies have only strengthened the fact that D&I does result in a better workplace which can approach a problem or piece of work from different perspectives and hence, bringing in more creativity.

While I appreciate the efforts being made towards diverse & inclusive workplaces, I do firmly believe that we must keep learning in order for any goal to be successful. Also, I cannot help but wonder if everyone is looking at this from the right place. Case in point:

One of the biggest news recently was about a Tech Mahindra sacking its “Chief Diversity Officer” for having discriminated against the LGBTQ community. The irony!

A few personal experiences that stand out for me:

1. Someone I know who never gets when they are being sexist are working in the Diversity & Inclusion team at one of the most popular companies in India
2. I have seen first hand instances of a particular sect of people being discriminated against during hiring processes
3. I have noticed certain candidates being not considered for roles by hiring managers due to unconscious bias.

These issues point to the fact that the people who are responsible for D & I in companies must be hired right in the first place or must be educated well on what makes diversity and inclusion.

Here are a few points I believe someone working in such a team must be made aware of:

1. It is not about ticking against boxes like “5 women” etc. The discussion has to go beyond no. of a particular group of “candidates” to be recruited. It has to also go beyond hiring and to the workplace. It has to be about once I hire the right set of people, how am I making the workplace a great one for everyone involved. Remember, its about diversity AND inclusion.
2. Diversity & Inclusion is not just about being diverse in terms of gender or abilities, it should also be about equity for all races, sexual orientation, religions, regions and whatever there is that we make a distinction on and stereotype, also known as protected characteristics. One has to be able to understand how comprehensive this could get.
3. It is about really digging deep about the issues that surround D & I. If you are someone who passes sexist comments, say its ok because you were just kidding and whatever you said must be taken lightly, this line of work is not for you. People must be educated in detail about what constitutes discrimination, prejudice and inequity.
4. In my opinion ,another important character to look for in hiring for the D & I team would be empathy. To be able to view the world from different stand points and hence, understand where the issues spring up and how to deal with them is crucial for this role.

I am a constant learner too on this topic and would love to hear from you about what you think on this. I would like to understand what different efforts your company has taken to ensure diversity and inclusion at your workplace.

(This post appeared first on my blog- https://susmithamurthy.blogspot.com/2018/09/diversity-inclusion-thought.html)

#DiversityInclusion #Diversity&Inclusion