Extending the Paradigm: From Diversity & Inclusion, to Belonging and Wellbeing in (Post) Covid-19 Times

Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) are popular topics now in society in general, and in business and academia in particular. In this article, I will reflect on what D&I means for us practitioners, educators or researchers, and extend the paradigm starting from Diversity as a reality to actively create Inclusion, Belonging and, ultimately, Wellbeing. Let me explain: D&I, although valuable concepts, are not enough to fully shape the best diverse, social and psychologically safe environment, where people can openly speak, question, act and even make mistakes; there is more needed. Consequently, I believe it is necessary to extend the classical paradigm to create (new) settings where the concepts of Belonging and, ultimately, Wellbeing are fully implemented. D&I is often also related to the concept of Equity, also known as the DEI acronym, but for the sake of simplicity, I here consider Equity as a part of Inclusion. The situations I have in mind are related to professional mobility, i.e. those of a (young) professional moving into a new job position in an international context, or of a student starting a new study in a another, foreign institution. In other words, situations of adaptation to and integration into a new setting. To give a framework to this well-documented and much debated topic, I have identified nine areas that need special attention when dealing with D&I. I chose each letter of the word diversity to (largely, but not exhaustively) review many aspects of the paradigm: D.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y. The D of Diversity, to logically start with, the I of Intercultural, the V of Vision, the E of (new) Environment, the R of Reflection, the S of Study, the I of Inclusion, the T of Testing, and finally the Y of “YOU, go for it”. Finally, I will make recommendations that can serve as a framework for reflection or guidelines for actions to develop best practices daily. Also, please note that I had started to think about the whole context of D&I and subsequently write this article long before the current Corona virus crisis and the recent, related issues about racism and exclusion broke out. Consequently, I now have updated and adapted each area to these current turbulent times, as of early July 2020, as most countries are easing or even lifting their Covid-19 lockdowns and preparing for the traditional summer break.

D = Diversity What do we mean with diversity? Generally speaking, it refers to ethnic and cultural backgrounds/nationalities, genders, generations, multi-disciplinarity, life-styles, various (sexual) orientations, (dis)ability, etc. Diversity can be visible or hidden. Visible differences between individuals or groups are in general gender, age, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, physical (dis)ability. Hidden aspects are personal or group values, beliefs, visions, attitudes, convictions, sexual orientation, knowledge, competencies, talent, lifestyles and past experiences, etc. During the Corona lockdown, knowledge of and competencies in online communication practices emerged as partly new diversity and discrimination aspects. The related racism and exclusion issues are another example of this trend. Although diversity can be created because of a lack of it, by using positive action measures or positive discrimination regulations, especially towards the gender issue, I here see diversity rather as a reality: the existence of differences and variety. In other words, it is a fact, an attribute and a natural characteristic of life that reflects nature. Sometimes it is a situation you inherit, like a teacher in his or her international classroom or a manager leading a global (virtual) team. Therefore, diversity often has a passive nature. Think of this simple metaphor: you have just bought a puzzle and have put all pieces on a table. They show diversity in shape, size and colour. However, there is also a (hidden) common ground: they indeed fit in, but only on a 1-to 1 basis. From this passive situation called diversity, you will need to make choices and take action to put all pieces into one big whole and create inclusion. This is the diversity and inclusion process. More on this later.

I = Intercultural or culture as a whole. Culture and cultural differences in their various forms are well-known topics for many of us. It is indeed the raison d’être of many academic or professional associations in the world like SIETAR, IACCM, VGL, VSH, ISPIM, EIFID, EDEN, EAIE, NAFSA, etc. that have been extremely active offering many webinars and online conferences since the start of the pandemic. We first looked at culture from an anthropological viewpoint, then developed many models to categorize it, put it in ever-growing interdisciplinary and scientific contexts, combined it to diversity and a few more notions such as inclusion and belonging, and finally recently linked it to neurosciences. Here, I limit the concept of culture to a definition by E. Schein: “Culture is the way in which a group of people solves problems and reconciles dilemmas”. A dynamic process, not a static state that implies considering various facets of cultures: those describing national, professional or organisational settings, and the personal level with gender or sexual orientation, just to name a few. Although we were born into different cultural groups or agents of socialization, our cultural identities and (professional) profiles together form shifting panels or interfaces we sometimes share, or which sometimes also separate us. These include ethnic or national groups, generational groups, work and interest groups, social and professional, religious and ethical groups, etc. This vast diversity often creates clashes of common sense and outbursts of racism and exclusion, but it can also form the greatest assets and help reconcile differences and create synergy. Diversity constitutes the starting point of the paradigm to move further and create inclusion as the next stage. How do we do that? There are many ways to reach the inclusion stage, but to single out just one, I would suggest developing intercultural competence. What is intercultural competence? It is defined by D. Deardorff as “a person’s ability to interact effectively and appropriately in cross-cultural situations based on his or her intercultural attitudes, knowledge and comprehension, and skills”. For F. Trompenaars, it is “the ability to reconcile seemingly opposing values”. So, in short: developing intercultural competence represents the (inter)cultural actions we take to create inclusion and hence foster mutual learning.  

V = Vision. This moves into the personal sphere, the personality level. For C. Toth “personality determines how we (want to) behave, whereas culture determines how we should behave”. Hence, the questions that rise here are: What personal life vision, norms and values (in, for example, gender or sexual orientation issues) do we have when dealing with diversity, regardless of the general cultural groups we belong to? And how do these personal visions lead to the creation of inclusion? There are two areas of inclusion here to create a clear personal vision: first, self-inclusion, based on self-confidence. Confidence in one’s self is indeed necessary to act in a self-assured way in any social or professional context, while also developing open-mindedness, tolerance, patience and empathy. I regularly mentor this process while coaching our (international) (post)graduate students in their professional development. So, self-confidence is a prerequisite for self-inclusion that eventually leads to individual inclusion into a group. Second, cognitive inclusion: individuals from the same visible diversity-based groups (gender, ethnic, generation, profession, etc.) can show opposing preferences and ways to solve problems and dilemmas based on their different personalities. Therefore, hidden, cognitive diversity can help create cognitive inclusion, i.e. an inclusive and culturally intelligent environment where group members can safely reconcile their differences and create synergy, instead of using collective blaming. In this respect, a possible challenge is when group members think and behave the same way (groupthink bias) or when (visible) diversity is forced upon them. This interface between vision, personality, self-confidence, self-inclusion and cognitive inclusion that all help create the right attitude can best be illustrated by this Chinese proverb: “Teachers open the door, but you must enter the room by yourself”. No doubt this best attitude of autonomy and self-sustainability has proved to be an asset during the Corona crisis.

E = Environment: First, nature, i.e. what is not culture (from Latin natura vs cultura). Second, 3 Ps: Place, Planet, People. So, I see this as a combination of the natural and social environments we live in. Next, the following questions arise: in our vast diversity, do we share the same views and attitudes towards our environment that can help us create inclusion? Are we in control of your environment, or not? In other words: do we, on the one hand, have everything under control and do we dominate nature and other various processes, and are we captain of our souls? An illustration of this attitude: In an interview in Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) online magazine Cursor, a first-year Dutch student of Mechanical Engineering responded with the following statements when asked if he believed in luck, or was everything a matter of choice? “No, I don’t believe in luck or bad luck. Everything is a choice; things happen the way I have constructed them myself. I also like to control everything myself. If something goes wrong, I don’t blame anyone, because I’ve simply made the wrong choice. As long as the blame is on me, I can learn something from it. Or so I hope.” This shows, in short, a typical attitude of control about one’s own life and various processes. Or, on the other hand, do we see nature more as an organism, and are our lives subjugated to nature? Chinese astrology or Indian numerology are typical examples of these beliefs and attitudes to life. Expectedly, diversity based on national and professional values and practices adds an extra dimension: the generational dimension. Indeed, students from these countries believe a lot less in these concepts than their (grand-) parents do. Finally, shaping the right environment that leads to inclusion also means creating a psychologically safe environment inside and outside the campus or the company. This implies for newcomers setting up new local networks, joining new communities where they make new friends, and develop new hobbies and social activities in a context of mutual trust, empathy, tolerance, patience and open-mindedness (see also under Vision).

In Covid-19 times, as keeping physical distance is the rule (see here my column about the new outdoors etiquette), we need to adapt to our new environment and compensate social distancing with distant socialising and inclusion, and create (new) psychological safety as much as possible. Ideally, we want to apply distant socialising online but also physically in our local communities. One aspect is to support those local businesses affected by the pandemic, like cafés and restaurants. Furthermore, an interesting and innovative initiative in this respect is the EU-project WeLearn about developing the concept of neighbourliness and proximity. It includes the ability of living and learning together, and combining human mobility with technological hyper-connectivity. Expectedly, the current pandemic crisis has given an enormous boost to its dissemination and development in various settings. As a rule, the best practices we need to develop are based on respect for cultural differences, acceptation of our diversity and attitudes of tolerance, open-mindedness and solidarity with our peers who are less fortunate. For example those isolated international students now living out of their comfort zones and missing their families and friends. This concretely calls for actions to develop a true feeling of inclusivity, trust, and belonging among our colleagues and peers to help reduce mental health issues and boost engagement and commitment on the longer run. Thus, as we say in French: “Soyons solidaires pour ne pas être solitaires”!

R = Reflection: Learn and practice reflecting on the new study or work environment and new life period. We can practice reflecting on two levels. First, on an individual level. So, let’s start by looking inward and identifying our differences. As Tayo Rockson says: “use your difference to make a difference”, know who you are and see it as a strength. We can do this for example, through meditation or mindfulness, or by creating time and space for self-connection and self-awareness to develop self-confidence and self-inclusion. This way we can improve our capacity to listen to your peers and relieve their fears and anxiety. Second, there is the group level. Thus, let’s also make sure this process takes place in group activities to create awareness of common feelings and develop empathy and compassion. Examples of these group activities are peer reviews or peer coaching sessions, often embedded in professional development schemes. Indeed, by sharing insights, emotions and experiences during sessions possibly structured as rituals, and using inclusion nudges, we help provide the necessary psychologically and mentally safe environments that eventually lead to more mutual learning and better inclusion. In the current Corona crisis, this mental process can also help lower stress and limit adverse physical symptoms of peers. Finally, in an international context, a thorough individual and group reflection process can prevent individual culture shock and other personal adaptation issues, and lead to personal and collective wellbeing.

Next to these individual and group mental processes, another aspect of reflecting is actively sharing insights, experiences and emotions with our peers at work/study or outside, i.e. giving and receiving feedback in a structured way. What is feedback precisely? It is a (non)verbal and subjective interpretation of someone else’s behavior or speech in a given context. The act of giving and receiving feedback is both personal and cultural. This is best illustrated by the relationship metaphor of the peach and the coconut coined by the German-American social psychologist Kurt Lewin. It clearly shows the interface between culture and personality. Extroverts (peaches) may be prompter to give feedback and people from low-context cultures eager to give direct and informal feedback. At the receiving end, however, people from more high-context societies (coconuts) may not automatically appreciate a straightforward style and feel offended by public criticism and loss of face, to give just one example out of many. So be sure to grasp the intercultural context before you engage in any feedback activity. An inclusive process is key to foster psychological safety and enhance mutual learning and team performance. To finish on this topic, a special note needs to be made in these turbulent Covid-19 times. As we easily fall back on our traditional (non-inclusive) behavioral patterns, mental reflexes and (un)conscious biases, we must as educators, trainers or coaches stick to the mission to maintain those positive pre-crisis mindsets and actions described above. The recent cases of racial police violence and worldwide protests are a hard illustration of that.

S = Study: For a student it is the learning process at a new institution and for a professional the continuous learning process embedded in permanent education/ life-long learning that is more and more required to keep up with innovation and new challenges. This means for both students and professionals that they need, among other things, to follow new (international) curriculums or study pathways with new contents, methods and procedures. It also means adapting to new local teaching and learning styles, for example shifting from a strictly mentored model to a more autonomous learning model, which is often culturally determined. It also implies following the modern trend in education of moving from teacher-centered to learner-centered methodologies and processes. Examples of innovative and inclusive (new) subjects are design thinking, system thinking, creative and critical thinking and the more common ethics, but adapted to new disruptive, fluid and complex environments. As the current crisis developed, we promptly needed to switch from traditional onsite teaching or training to massive online emergency remote teaching (ERT) - see here a column I wrote earlier about online communication and surroundings. All these recent changes are in fact part of the digitization of education (one of the priorities in 21st century education) but they are now being boosted and forced into practice. If not managed adequately, these changes can provoke a lower study pace and poorer results, and also result in a lack of self-confidence and other psychological effects. In contrast, if well-managed, they will create intellectual and mental inclusion into the new (blended) learning environment. Ultimately, this process will also stimulate social integration into the new life environment. One concrete example is the Internationalisation Toolbox developed by the Centre for Engineering Education of the four Dutch universities of technology. It provides inspiration and ideas as well as concrete tools for lecturers teaching in an International Classroom (see more on this topic under Inclusion). 

I = Inclusion: As we have seen so far, inclusion is, in contrast to diversity, a choice you make, actions you take, a behavior you adopt or a goal you pursue to eventually include everyone in the group. For F. Trompenaars: “Inclusion is about what you share, diversity is what you don’t share”; think of the pieces of the puzzle mentioned above. For V. Myers: “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance”. It’s about feeling self-confident, physically free, emotionally recognized and appreciated, mentally accepted and psychologically safe! (see above in previous sections).

Let’s now take the concept of the International Classroom as an example for the right place to develop diversity and inclusion and foster belonging. What is an international classroom? The University of Groningen has developed the following definitions and approach to this well-known and broadly-used concept in academia in Europe and beyond. It is a diverse, multicultural and multilingual environment with the following characteristics:

- A group of students from diverse backgrounds (in culture, education, experience, etc.)

- Starting from a vision/rationale on internationalisation

- Working effectively with student and staff diversity through purposeful interaction

- Including the overall learning environment (formal, informal, and hidden curriculum)

- With appropriate support for staff and students

In the current Covid-19 crisis and the ubiquitous online (or rather Emergency Remote Teaching - ERT) teaching, it is obviously more difficult to organize and run international classrooms on a regular basis and follow the model above. Lecturers and other staff members often have other organisational or technical priorities to tackle first. Nevertheless, the feeling of being part of the same community is especially important in crisis times, whether online or onsite. Indeed, we often feel that we are in the same pandemic storm with our peers, but do we also feel that we are in the same lockdown boat? Consequently, in a virtual environment, too, the diversity around us asks for action to create some degree of inclusion. Also, on this level, social distancing must be compensated with distant socializing. The lack of it will most likely lead to erosion of the existing inclusion. As many of us are still studying or working from home to stop the spread of the virus, no doubt that we continue to put inclusion at risk by possibly reshaping previously exclusive attitudes and in-group biases. In the longer run, this situation can undermine the inclusive study and work environments we had created so far. Finally, other physical or technical challenges are also present: using the interface of online teaching and learning can prove difficult for some students (and teachers) who want to avoid public showing of personal home settings they may not be comfortable with, and also, the availability (or lack) of adequate study space and broadband access, to name a few. As a conclusion, as inclusion is at risk in the current pandemic crisis, we need to show a bold attitude to create inclusion from the present diversity, and anticipate, prevent and ultimately stabilize the risks mentioned above. One example: the traditional and discriminative “Dutch only” in student accommodation ads are (finally) being questioned and deleted from the text. Let’s hope it will become a trend. To summarize: for a good mastery of the diversity and inclusion process, we need to deploy a systematic approach and co-create new practices for infrastructure recovery, personal resilience and collective re-engineering of what will be our new normal. In class, this means that we all aim to create a new inclusive international classroom based on blended-learning applications in the post Covid-19 era. To be continued.

T = Testing: this is the stage of testing and evaluating the progressions made daily to adapt and integrate into the new working or learning environment, also that of assessing (new) working or learning styles and ultimately confronting these evolutions to the original vision. One way to do this is to assess your situation using the 6-stage DMIS model of M. Bennett. You can apply it to gauge your own intercultural sensitivity development and use it to assess general policies and daily practices at your new institution. Generally speaking, your adaptation and integration efforts are often supported by soft skills you learn and practice through professional development schemes. This process goes from awareness to adaptation to the study or workplace and to career development activities. At TU/e we offer this through a mix of classical classroom settings and an online platform for skills development called SkillsLab. Other professional skills, also known as 21st century skills, provide a framework to adequately develop and assess hard and soft skills needed in international cooperation. To name just a few: sense-making, social intelligence, cross-cultural competency, computational thinking, transdisciplinary vision, virtual collaboration, etc. Of all these skills, virtual collaboration now embedded in the new digital environment is the new challenge due to the current pandemic times. From now on, many classical teaching and learning schemes are being switched to online platforms. Therefore, it is important to find the right balance between onsite and online testing and assessing infrastructures and practices, and make sure they are also inclusive. Learning Management Systems (LMS) are being adapted at a rapid pace to enable online testing and assessing in line with new blended learning curricula. Further examples for career development are the Global Fitness for Work: Employer Perspectives overview and The Global Skills Gap in the 21st Century report from the University of Warwick (see here). TU/e also provides a relevant inclusive platform for career development and employability: Your Skills, Your Future at TU/e. Here again, we can expect that testing, evaluating, assessing, reflecting and other personal and professional skills will be subject to change and open to more inclusive adaptation in the coming post-Covid-19 era.

Y = YOU go for it! Go from diversity to inclusion and also create the next stage: Belonging! Indeed, there is no choice but to extend the paradigm to complete this integration process. A common illustration of the concept of belonging is the following metaphor summed up by a nine-year old girl: “Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice, and belonging is having that voice be heard” (Liz & Mollie). Paraphrasing and extending the definition of diversity by V. Myers, I propose the following for belonging: “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance, and belonging is feeling safe and (self)-confident to ask the DJ to play your favorite song, knowing it will also please the other dancers”. In more academic terms, belonging goes beyond inclusion on the paradigm and is about sharing larger and deeper common grounds and making sure those shifting panels that constitute our personal and cultural backgrounds and life experiences (diversity) overlap, i.e. the pieces of the puzzle all fit. With this feeling of belonging we create our own, new comfort zone. Of course, a high degree of psychological safety must be present. Furthermore, it needs to be mutual: I feel safe, but the other also feels safe. To keep with the dancing metaphor: “It takes two to tango”! Reciprocity of empathy, acceptation and even appreciation are necessary. On campus, both local and international students and staff must share this feeling in the process of community building. In the international classroom, both locals and internationals must be willing to share their knowledge, practices, experiences, and emotions. The Internationalisation Toolbox can serve this purpose (see under Study). Summarizing this stage: we must create a feeling of belonging and not that of to be longing, right?

Finally, by extending the paradigm further, i.e. going from diversity to inclusion and belonging, we reach the ultimate stage of full integration and create Wellbeing! A definition by an expert: “Wellbeing is much broader than health. This does not just concern physical health only, but also mental health, someone’s social role and social embedding. Like making your own choices and learning to be resistant to stress” (A. Dalinghaus, GP in Eindhoven working with internationals and expats). How do we further create wellbeing on a university campus? As education is becoming more and more community-based nowadays, and inclusion, integration and wellbeing are admittedly often based on a feeling of belonging to a community, it is important to identify (sub)communities students can join and profit from. At TU/e we have around 150 communities where “everybody is welcome, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or cultural background”. In addition, TU/e also has a Diversity Committee and also a Student Diversity Officer. All these platforms constitute a permanent and dedicated structure to create a feeling of inclusion, belonging and wellbeing. Another yearly event is the Vitality Week to put health and wellbeing firmly on the map. During an entire week a number of activities ranging from workshops and lectures to physical and mental activities are organised for students and staff across the campus.

However, in the current Covid-19 crisis, wellbeing in both its physical and mental scope is under pressure. Indeed, loneliness and social isolation can lead to a feeling of exclusiveness, lack of self-confidence and possibly homesickness, culture shock and eventually a stage of depression. As a response to that real threat, TU/e has set up a few initiatives to boost inclusiveness and solidarity. First, a program: Community Radio TU/e, the radio station during the Corona virus outbreak. It broadcast daily as long as the campus was closed, with the aim to keep the local community motivated by playing music and reflecting on the campus life’s best stories. Second, TU/e also set up the “Hear Me” interactive platform, a sort of digital listening hot line against loneliness and social isolation. It remained open as long as the physical campus was closed. Third, the TU/e Summer University that offers sports and language courses and creative workshops meant for those spending the summer on location. Finally, the TU/e Together Platform to show solidarity and offer mutual help among employees.

As a conclusion: to extend the paradigm from Diversity to Inclusion, Belonging and Wellbeing in the current (post) Covid-19 times, we need to transform the classical VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) world into the new VUCA (Vision, Understanding, Clarity and Agility) environment. In conceptual terms, extending the paradigm calls for a multidisciplinary approach and, in this respect, cultural intelligence (CQ), emotional intelligence (EQ) and possibly also digital intelligence (DQ) can contribute to build a comprehensive picture. And no doubt the neurosciences can also clarify the interface between our brains and any cultural context to help us generate the rights thoughts and take the right actions. On a more practical level, to enable us to extend the paradigm, we need to create awareness of current and future developments and processes, and co-produce our new narratives through storytelling or other techniques. It is also important we show our gratitude for all the achievements made, vulnerability in leadership, empathy for our social and human environment and compassion for our peers. I believe all these qualities are critical for us all to care for people in crisis, set the stage for (economic) recovery and co-create our new normal in education, business and in society at large (see my interview by S-Austria for more details). And for those still left alone: do not be passive or wait too long, go for it and claim your place at the table or on the dance floor. Be bold and bring your own values and strengths and make your voice heard, because you most likely deserve it. And otherwise set up your own table or organize your own party to multiply the effects of awareness and inclusive action. I hope this essay on D.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y. can serve as a source of inspiration in general, a framework for reflection or guidelines for actions to develop D&I strategies, policies and good practices along with attention to the concepts of belonging and wellbeing as the total package in academia and beyond. Let’s all join forces in this ongoing process!