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Do firms really embrace diversity and inclusion within their offices?

Diversity 

What comes to your mind first? Distinctiveness or Contrast or Variance…

Right...!! 

Whether diversity should be encouraged in our workplace?

Are we really diversified?

If Yes, Are we encouraging and embracing this Change? 

Hummm…. So many Questions are boggling in our mind… isn’t it…??

Full article

The Beauty of D & I @Workplace

Although "Diversity & Inclusion“ are two different words but they are interlinked. Means if we will Work on one and leave other, then its output is simply “Zero”.

Because when Diversity talks about Difference, Inclusion talks about Embracing those Changes.

When it comes to “Workplace Diversity“, it covers not only Age and Gender, rather than it has many other aspects like Race, Language, Physical Ability, Thinking Style, Language, Culture, Education, etc. Below pictograph illustrates about the holistic approach of Diversity. 

As per The Business Directory, Diversity Management means “The practice of addressing and supporting multiple lifestyles and personal characteristics within a defined group”. Whenever we are talking about Equality and Equity in the Workplace, these are the output of D & I Only. 

Answer is “yes”. Because when we encourage different sets of people to brainstorm on a particular topic, we generate multiple ideas. When multiple ideas are generated with rationale behind each idea, then brainstorming about that topic makes sense. 

Here comes the role of Management and their activities.

Management activities include educating the group and providing support for the acceptance of and respect for various racial, cultural, societal, geographic, economic and political backgrounds.”

If Management will take care of it in a strategic manner, its ROI is always much higher as compared to when not considered.

Answer is not sure. Although we are changing, the change is not embraced in our minds. Still, People are thinking Diversity means Age and Gender Only. If we want to implement it, then we need to consider other aspects as well to get desired result.

D&I starts from the very first process of Employee Life Cycle. It starts from hiring.

In one of my Quote of #SatyaViews, I have mentioned about it.

I said, “Most of the time, Interviewers prefer to select “ Like Me” followed by “Under Me” by ignoring “Above Me” candidates.

Because Fear of Losing own position by these “Above Me” type Candidates one day is always in their mind during Hiring Process”.

If you want to really change something, then start it from the very first process of Organization, Integrate it with Policy not as Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) but as Value. Then only mentality will change. Adding to it, you have to work on it wholeheartedly.

Yes, People’s mindset is gradually changing. Rather than opposing it, many organizations have adopted “EEOE Principle“ which is integrated with their policy.

One example I would like to mention here to give you a clear idea.

Dell is an American multinational computer technology company that develops, sells, repairs, and supports computers and related products and services. They have implemented EEOE and also policy related to it is reflecting in Career Page.

Policy Details is mentioned as follows:- 

Dell is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Dell are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Dell will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Dell encourages applicants of all ages.

If anyone is interested, I have shared the link in the reference section.

”EEOE “is nothing but Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) refers to fair, unbiased treatment in the workplace. Employers are prohibited from discriminating against existing or potential employees based on protected characteristics, including race/color, national origin/ethnicity, Religion, Age, Sex/gender/sexual orientation. Not only it is positioning themselves something different in the competitive market but at the same attracting the best talents to join in these types of organizations all across the globe.

While giving job advertisements in a different digital platforms, they are proudly mentioning as “We are Equal Employment Opportunity Employer“. When culture is changing, different set of people are joining, they are creating a unique workplace. It, later on, acts as one of the catalyst /driving factor to become a “Great Place to Work“.

Adding to it, different Govt.’s have also formed policy to implement it in their respective geographies.

For example: - In US, companies need to comply with the regulations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission i.e. EEOC, a regulatory body that enforces a group of federal EEO laws. These regulations apply in every work situation; for example when employers hire, terminate, compensate, promote and train employees. It is also illegal to discriminate against people who have complained about discrimination.

Also in India, many companies have implemented Equal Employment Opportunity Policy in their Core HR Policy.

By implementing policy, not only will drive this, adding to it, management has to be promoting actively and comfort its employees with the difference.

Before going to discuss about Benefits, Let’s know some interesting statistics:-

Here I would like to cite a few benefits of D&I @Workplace. 

a. It brings in a variety of different perspectives to table.

b. It increases Creativity.

c. Problem Solving is faster.

d. Decision making is better.

e. It boosts Employee Engagement.

f. It reduces Employee Turnover.

g. As it attracts Best Talent, then Quality of Hiring is improved.

Conclusion

If we are finding out many benefits out of a single change in our Organization, then don’t you think we should embrace it wholeheartedly?

I am leaving my thought here and it’s your turn now.

“If we hire for “Fit” in the Organization, we only encourage Diversity, But if we would hire for “RIGHT Fit”, then D&I is the Only Solution for It“.