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Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace?

What's up with all that diversity stuff in the corporate world? Discover the reasons why companies need diversity and inclusion.

By:
Norman Garcia
March 25, 2021
Diversity and Inclusion at Work | Fuckup Nights

Diversity/inclusion helps build stronger teams

Every year, several companies invest thousands of dollars in implementing diversity/inclusion. The reason: they help build stronger teams with better problem-solving skills, resilience and empathy. According to Josh Bersin's research [ENG], inclusive companies are 1.7 times more likely to be leaders in their own industry, able to solve problems more easily, and enjoy an extensive list of benefits from being a diverse place.

We believe that diversity and inclusion are key elements in the growth of any organization in the 21st century. And although some companies decide to diversify for marketing or financial (?) reasons, we must admit that it also has a direct impact on the workspaces, the human beings that make it up and their mental health.

In short. Whether for those companies that honestly want to fuck with the corporate system or those that want to inflate their pockets with marketing campaigns, the million-dollar question remains: How do you start implementing it? First things first:

Now, what is diversity?

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It's having different "types" of people on your team. A "diverse" team includes individuals from different socio-economic backgrounds, nationalities, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, gender identities, education, etc. This gives an organization different perspectives on certain topics.

There are 4 types of diversity:

  • Internal: Belongs to individuals, and cannot be changed. Some examples could be: ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical/mental abilities, etc.
  • External: These do not belong to us and we cannot (actually we can, but it is complicated) change them. For example: education (quality), appearance, nationality, location, socioeconomic status, life experiences (the opportunity to have them), etc.
  • Organizational: Also called "functional diversity", it refers to the positions held within a company by a diverse group of people. Some examples: Job title, pay scale, boss or employee status, seniority, etc.
  • Cosmovision: Refers to how we view the world, our perspectives on certain issues, our approach and beliefs. Examples: political stances, morals, outlook on life, religion, philosophy, etc.

Now, what is diversity?

Inclusion is giving every team member the opportunity to play a role, express an opinion, actively participate and have access to the company's resources.

In a soccer team, diversity means having different "types" of players, inclusion means passing the ball to each of them so they can play.


Why do companies want to be more inclusive and diverse?

There are many reasons why diversity and inclusion are important to organizations. Understanding these can help us incorporate diversity-inclusion into clear goals and better approaches. Here are some of the reasons why companies are looking to become more inclusive and diverse:

  • Laws: In some countries, it is a legal requirement to hire a certain percentage of minority sectors. The requirements differ between countries, and others even prohibit the "quota system" and have other approaches to promote diversity within companies.‍
  • Moral: Some business owners, according to their personal beliefs, seek a more inclusive and diverse work environment (and good for them!). They want to contribute to a more accessible work environment for all and therefore employ individuals from minority backgrounds to contribute to a global impact.
  • ‍Customers: It happens when companies have customer services around the world or want to have a global presence and need to "connect" with different customers. Having a diverse team helps to connect with larger audiences.
  • Workforce: Having a diverse workforce means having different perspectives on the same issue within the company. This will impact problem-solving skills within the company and enhance initiatives within teams with innovative ideas. A team with the same characteristics among its members (gender, socioeconomic level, etc.) can create blind spots in the peripheral vision of a company and compromise the ability to identify problems from different perspectives.

How to create diversity and inclusion in your company?

Every company has a different approach to implementing diversity/inclusion. Just like human DNA, each case is unique, however, here are some common practices:

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  • Identify why you want to be more diverse/inclusive: This will give you a clear goal of what you want to achieve. Do you want to reach more of your audience? Or improve the skills of your team?
  • What's your status: If you're looking to have a more diverse team, take a look at your current team and take those numbers as a starting point. If your team is 80% male and 20% female, maybe you're looking for a more gender-diverse team. Do you want to reach larger audiences? Then maybe you should check out how many nationalities are on your team and start there.
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  • Use your team's network of contacts: If you are looking to diversify a group in terms of nationality, your team may have valuable connections, ask forrecommendations.
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  • Assess how many opportunities some members have compared to others: Compare their conditions at work and their overall status within the company. Start by creating open and safe spaces for sharing and increasing participation. This also means restructuring the company so that everyone has the opportunity to grow, participate and learn.

When you diversify a team, there are two important aspects to consider: First, when you diversify, you are adding other visions to the mix, this will inevitably change your team for something different than what you have now, you have to be prepared for that transformation. Second, when we go through this process, we have to be aware that each person is unique, and does not represent a whole nationality, sexual orientation, social level, etc. When we diversify, the risk of falling into labels and generalizations increases, we must avoid it.

Whatever approach you take, make sure you have a clear goal and processes. Also, be sure to engage the entire team in open discussions about diversity and inclusion. Trainings and workshops can also help lay the groundwork for diversity and inclusion in your company.


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