Diversity Hires

If asked, “What does your organization do to advance diversity?” would your answer be: Focus on bringing more individuals from underrepresented groups into your workforce?” That’s certainly a good starting place—hiring and workforce representation.

So, you’ve hired a number of individuals from underrepresented groups: black, indigenous, other people of color (BIPOC) and women. How do you continue to increase workforce representation in this area? Continue attending hiring events, such as job fairs, and expect these relatively new hires to represent the organization at them?

If this is your practice, consider the possible message you may be sending to them:  They are tokens (a word I’m not crazy about in this context) and your primary or only concern is showcasing your diverse workforce—or your perception of diversity.

Can you guess what’s missing in the scenario above? If you said the focus is on diversity without considering equity and inclusion (the other two components of DEI), your right. What is this organization doing to make people feel a sense of belonging?

Here are some other considerations when you ask employees to take on additional or special assignments outside their normal duties: 

• If they are constantly being asked to represent the organization’s diversity, how does this effect the completion of their current assignments and their overall performance goals?

• If they are asked to represent the company at events outside of normal business hours, what effect will it have on their work-life balance?

• Do you intend to compensate them for this additional work?

• Will the additional requirements result in burnout and the risk they may leave?

• What happens if they turn down one of these assignments—especially if they tell you honestly that it’s interfering with completion of current tasks and deliverables? Will there be negative consequences?

Psychological Safety is a shared belief held by team members that it’s OK to take risks, to express their ideas and concerns, to speak up with questions, and to admit mistakes—all without fear of negative consequences. It allows them to feel that their contributions matter and that they’re able to speak up without fear of retribution. It sounds like psychological safety an important ingredient of inclusion and belonging.

When tasks and assignments are identified as critical and not merely showcases, it creates a sense of purpose and fulfillment for the employee being assigned the task.

Don’t make these extraordinary employees feel as if they are paying a tax because they are members of underrepresented groups. Don’t expect something different or something more from them either. Let them take pride in their work and the work of the organization.