Promote Diversity—and Benefit From Its Richness

Today, business journals such as Forbes are highlighting how essential workplace diversity is for a thriving business. The global economy relies on a diverse chorus of voices, and companies that realize it have a competitive edge over those that don’t. Diverse team members who have learned to appreciate each other get more done and do it better. The kind of diversity that brings together people from different cultural, racial and generational experiences allow for a rich pool of both innovative and “old school” ideas. 

Given the importance of a diverse workforce, how exactly can we promote inclusivity to benefit from its richness? An important beginning is to acknowledge what can get in the way. Perhaps the most challenging obstacle is one that’s hidden: unconscious bias.

As humans, we are inherently biased. Without this cognitive short-cut we couldn’t make the quick, life-saving decisions that our ancestors had to make, like “Is this person my friend, or should I run like crazy because I’m about to be attacked?!” This unconscious filter can make us assume how others “should” be, and can lead to disrespectful and dismissive behavior towards them—unintentionally, and at times, intentionally. 

In the workplace, it can look like:

• Multi-tasking when someone is talking to you
• Appearing distracted
• Ignoring someone’s comments unless paraphrased by someone else
• Avoiding someone
• Sideways glances that can instill doubt or worry
• Voice tone and inflection that can indicate to someone that you’re judging or questioning the  person
• Withholding training or not helping a new person on the team
• Explaining away someone’s feelings of rejection or being disrespected as his or her “problem”—inferring he or she is too sensitive, paranoid or hard to get along with
• Confronting, attacking or dismissing others’ points of view to put them down

These experiences can be hurtful and leave someone wondering, “What do I need to change about who I am to be accepted? How can I belong?”

So, how can managers help their teams prevent misunderstandings and promote mutual respect? The first step is to acknowledge that we all bring an elaborate set of characteristics through which we compare, contrast, and interpret what we see. These include level of education, place of birth, ethnicity, family of origin, religious beliefs, gender identity, sexual orientation, traditions, cuisine, language, dress style, political affiliation, socio-economic status, personal attitudes, preferences, and past experiences and opportunities.

The next step is to ask everyone to challenge their first reactions to someone by asking themselves, “Is my interpretation true or am I making assumptions here?” “Am I really listening and considering this person’s point of view?” Here are six other ways to increase mutual respect, which will result in a more inclusive work environment: 

• Ask clarifying questions; model this process for your team. When possible, ask questions such as:  “Am I understanding you correctly? Please let me know if I’m off base.” “When you did that, I thought this—do I have this right?” Make clarifying conversations the norm in your organization and practice them as often as possible.
• Encourage sharing of opinions and ideas. Make it clear that everyone is welcome to share their ideas when possible. This is a great way to learn how others are perceiving the same situation. Over time, staff will develop greater insight about each other based on experience.
• Use these guidelines for respectful communications:
  • Avoid commenting on someone’s ethnicity, culture or sexual orientation.
  • Listen actively by being engaged and responsive.
  • Notice the other person’s body language for feedback on how the conversation is going.
  • Avoid comments or jokes that might be offensive or hurtful to others.
  • If you accidentally offend someone, apologize sincerely. Explain that you didn’t mean to do so and ask for help in understanding the person’s perspective.
  • If someone says something offensive to you, consider that he/she might be unaware of the underlying diversity issues. Shed light on the situation by explaining why the actions or language were inappropriate.
• Help your employees become more culturally competent with each other. Treat people as they wish to be treated, rather than how you wish to be treated. In a diverse group, we can all benefit from this wisdom. Here’s an example: People who identify as a non-binary gender (neither male nor female) may prefer the gender pronouns they/them/their or another pronoun altogether. Or, they may simply wish to be addressed by name only. Asking this basic question about someone’s preference demonstrates respect for him/her/them.
• Get to know one another through team potlucks or other social gatherings. In talking about children, vacations, customs, weekend plans and other events, people can begin to see each other for who they are, rather than who we assume them to be. Invite staff to share a family recipe or favorite food to open the way for appreciating the unique differences people bring.
• Focus on work performance and team goals. A shared sense of accomplishment, pride and goodwill can build and strengthen connections between diverse individuals. And it’s these connections that can act to bond staff in a thriving inclusive workplace.

Jaime Carter-Seibert, MA, LMHC, is senior clinical account executive at First Choice Health EAP, Seattle.

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