How any employee can make an impact on diversity and inclusion
It’s 2021 and most of the organisations we are working in still have a long way to go when it comes to their diversity and inclusion. Not only does the workforce for highly-skilled positions rarely represent the diversity of the population, many groups are still facing bias and discrimination. If you’re still sceptical, here is just a few examples:
👎 85.8% of Fortune 500 companies are run by white men
I think we all agree that this requires some serious action — and, to shed a more optimistic light, the topic of diversity and inclusion has gained significant interest within the past 10 years. But how can you, as an employee, make a positive impact on diversity and inclusion in your organization? Isn’t this the responsibility of managers and HR departments?
Not quite! While it might be true that the upper management decision makers and HR departments might have the biggest influence on equality in the workplace, every single employee holds a responsibility to contribute to an inclusive culture. So if you would like to be part of the change, read on!
“Hey guys”
Language does not only shape the way we think and reveals the biases we have, it has a direct effect on the people around us feeling addressed and included. Using inclusive language is therefore essential for creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and accepted.
Changing your vocabulary is not something that happens overnight though, it requires intentional efforts and education. Even as a feminist and with the best intentions, I personally still sometimes catch myself calling a woman a girl or using ‘he’ for a hypothetical person rather than the singular ‘they’. The good news is, it’s not about policing your language — it’s about awareness and intention.
If you’re wondering how you can use inclusive language in the workspace, I recommend reading this article by Buffer.
Initiate events and fundraisers
An inclusive environment can only exist with the participation and awareness of every member of the organisation — as the popular quote by Vernā Myers illustrates: “Diversity is being invited to the party; Inclusion is being asked to dance.” Company-wide celebrations, events, and fundraisers are a great way to engage your colleagues to get to know each other, celebrate each other’s individuality and show support for a social cause. They establish the trust that is necessary for employees to feel accepted and bring their authentic self to work.
Here’s some ideas:
- Potluck — Here, you could encourage your colleagues to bring some typical food from their childhood or culture. Is there anything better to connect people than food?
- Doing art together — I personally love that creating something engages conversations without the pressure to constantly speak. A great way to involve fellow introverts!
- Sell merch or offer services for a good cause — At Scribbr, I have been planning Pride fundraisers and our team gave people a glittery make-over in return for donations. While demonstrating our support of LGBTQI matters, our team was so excited to work together to reach our goal!
If you’re unsure how to initiate an event or how your organization will receive it, remember that any organisation loves to see employees taking initiative beyond their day-to-day responsibilities and reach out to colleagues who might be just as enthusiastic about your idea! In this practical guide by D&I In Practice, you can find helpful tips for planning a truly inclusive event.
Get inspired by people in your industry
If you’re not leading a team or actively implementing HR policies, you might think that you don’t have much influence on the diversity and inclusion efforts of your company. For many, this topic is limited to recruitment and leadership. However, there is so much more to it and even if you’re running a one-person-show in your department, you can have an impact. Are you a …
- Web designer? Think of the accessibility of the company’s website and the career page.
- Office manager? Consider whether there are any improvements you can make in order to support people with disabilities and neurodiverse employees. Many changes are easy to implement and it’s not necessary to wait until you hire a person who ticks these boxes.
- Operations or marketing manager? Evaluate the diversity of organizations and people you cooperate with. For every industry, there are individuals, small businesses and organizations run by underrepresented groups that deserve your attention.
These are just a few examples, but the list could go on. If you need some inspiration, why not connect with someone in a similar role to yours who is also passionate or curious about diversity and inclusion? I am certain that the result will be fruitful ideas and insightful conversations.
Start a conversation with your colleagues
And lastly — talk to your colleagues and managers about the things that you notice and the topics you care about. I know, this can be a difficult one. You might not feel that it is your place to initiate change in your organization’s diversity and inclusion efforts, or you might worry about using the wrong words or catching the wrong tone. If you lead your conversation with curiosity, positivity and constructively, there’s a great chance that you will bring your team on board and convince them of the value of embracing an inclusive environment.
Coming back to the statistics I have mentioned at the beginning, it’s almost needless to say that big policy changes on an organizational and governmental level are necessary for substancial change. However, as with any social impact, the change can always start from the bottom up and involve many great experiences and positive relationships for you as an employee.
