Only in the past 10 years have some businesses considered the positive social impact of people feeling valued for who they are.
Why would it take so long to understand people more? It seems obvious that in valuing individual needs, wishes, and wants on a personal level, outcomes for businesses and individuals alike might be significantly improved.
I'd suggest that what lies behind this seeming lack of insight is that we're not dealing with dictionary definitions here. We're dealing with humans who have feelings.
We use emotions or our experiences of emotions every day. Happiness and enthusiasm are great, right? They help get that big deal done. With a smile and a high-five, heaven forbid a sales bell, we'll support and encourage a bit of happiness all day long.
But what about someone whose head is down? Some people are not so keen on dealing with that.
Some might elect to have a delicate chat with glib "how are you?" or "are you okay?" questions knowing at a human level we should show concern. But few will spend time getting to the real issue.
The result can be souring of relations, changing staff, learning and development stalls and business productivity declining.
The following is derived from surveys of employees at various stages of their careers in the United States.
The Pew Research Center found that 57 per cent of company leavers said they felt disrespected in their working environment.
Newsgroup CNBC reported that 75 per cent of executive-level workers said they'd leave (their existing employer) to join an employer that valued diversity.
The Harvard Business Review stated that 48 per cent of LGBTQIA employees remain "closeted" while at work and relatively few senior executives were openly gay.
The HBR is noted as explaining: ''This appears to be the case largely because closeted workers suffer anxiety about how colleagues and managers might judge them and expend enormous effort concealing their orientation. Further, LGBT workers who feel forced to lie about their identity and relationships typically don't engage in collegial banter about such things as weekend activities — banter that forges important workplace bonds."
Bringing it closer to home, an article on seek.co.nz explains research that 53 per cent of resignations were the result of dissatisfaction with the working conditions/environment.
My feeling is that three factors are causative.
• Some people may understand the concepts/are sympathetic to the idea but don't know how to create environments that feel inclusive, diverse or equitable.
• Some senior leaders are not from minorities who suffer from inclusive or diversity issues, therefore may be blind to their effects.
• Some leaders don't understand the specifics of inclusion, diversity, and equity.
For example, we choose our beliefs, right?
Background, culture, and identity are all hardcoded.
If we create environments noted as being sensitive to all beliefs, it may be that in prioritising choice over a non-choice issue, we end up unwittingly empowering division and isolation.
What does all this come down to? Well, some pointers.
Inclusion:
• At a very simplistic level, I believe leaders should never describe their employees as staff, especially in front of them. (I said I'd get to that word). Employees are human and deserve to feel part of something. Staff were those lesser oiks in Victorian-era mansions. People are team members.
• Build a space that empowers team members to feel as valued as each other.
• Never take one team member out to lunch and leave others back in the office.
Diversity:
• Encourage team members to be themselves. Do leaders need a dress code conforming to a vision of what is appropriate? Why not allow people to be free to be who they are? (Within reason)
• I believe businesses should make every effort to not employ one demographic, but it's not about numbers. Proactively engage with team members by bringing out their identity, and their culture and sharing that with the team.
Equity:
• Old boys' clubs? No. Employing mates or family may be easy, but it's not equitable.
• Make sure to challenge recruitment and encourage those capable to advance themselves.
Encourage shy team members to succeed with supportive inclusion. Allow them to be themselves and they will be as loyal as the day is long.
Inclusion, diversity, and equity should be a no-brainer. Firstly, organisations will suffer fewer headaches from losing staff and will have much happier environments.
But secondly and most importantly, in creating a space where people can thrive, where everyone can hold their heads up high and be proud of themselves, leaders will have created something amazing.
People should be who they are.
Gordy Lockhart is a Tauranga local of 10 years and someone with a passion for people, diversity, and equity.
