Diversity and Inclusion – Box checked

Diversity and Inclusion has been the “In Thing” in the corporate world for quite a while now. I take great pride in calling myself a champion of Diversity and Inclusion.

I have participated in Women’s Day celebrations organized by all the companies I have worked in. Those celebrations where 99% women and just about 1% men gather to listen to either a successful woman take the audience through her journey, or an important man talk about how inspired he felt working with a great woman. Those celebrations sometimes include discussion forums where women discuss about many things- prime being how to navigate one’s career while managing family responsibilities and societal expectations. Those celebrations end with organization sponsored food which I am a big fan of!

I have been vocal in asking for “Diversity” resumes. Of course, demographic or physical diversity, because cognitive diversity is not visible to the management. I have felt elated when the hiring manager closed in on a woman, or a person of color, or a specially-abled person! I have always publicized such feats- after all best practices deserved to be celebrated, shared and emulated.

I thought I was doing my bit to pave the path for future CEOs with names Ambhom, Salma, Banaful apart from David, John, Robert.

Recently I read some disheartening statistics in a publication by Druthers’  (helps candidates and companies with diversity & inclusion recruitment in the workplace). -69% of women say society expects them to put family ahead of their career. 2.6% of people on UK tech boards are ethnic minorities. Only 10% of autistic adults receive employment support but 53% want it. Nearly one in 10 LGBTQ employees have left a job because the environment was unwelcoming.

It got me thinking. Surely, I am not the only champion of Diversity and Inclusion. Of course there are many more in my tribe. Then why do these detestable statistics exist?

I remembered Salma in her hijab. We were talking about shampoos and hair and one of us made a remark- you are lucky Salma, you do not need anything for your hair, after all its always under your hijab. Salma did not react- at least not visibly!

I remembered J…ok let’s call him J. He loved to nickname people. Sometimes that nickname was based on personal attributes-Hey Tingu (Shortie)! Hey Motu (Fatso)! Hey Lambu (Tall Bean Pole), Hey Kalu (Darkie), Hey Muhasu (Pimply). Sometimes J got creative- translating a person’s name to another language, maybe. He called Banaful- Forest flower. How funny! With every new entrant, we looked forward in anticipation. What nick name would he coin now. It was a great source of entertainment for us. A common source of entertainment, I think, since no one objected!

 My ex-team mate Ambhom, is a single mother. She missed our strategy session. She had worked so hard prepping for it, but she could not come.  It would be pertinent to mention that the strategy session was planned at a lovely resort- over a weekend. Her day care center was closed on Sunday.  She had no place to leave her kid. She was profusely apologetic about it, as though it was her fault.

Sometime back, my friend had fractured his leg and was working from home for a month. He attended every meeting sincerely, virtually.  In those in-person meetings that happened at office, people kept writing on the board and discussing those points. Sometimes, in their excitement to prove a point people walked up to the board, away from the microphone. They did not send him a photo of what was written on the board, did not turn the camera to the board, did not read out the points written. Of course, he did not understand much and so could barely contribute to the discussion. Sometimes discussions were closed without anyone asking him for his thoughts- probably they forgot he was there. He had no option but to go along with whatever decision was made. He never once complained!

A few years back, I had moved to a new team. I saw that the monthly business review was always scheduled at 2 pm EST. For a team, which was 80% in the USA, 10% in Netherlands and 10% in India, such timing was quite an inconvenience for the Dutch and almost inhuman for the Indians. I did not say anything, just adhered to the timings.

We have ticked the box of Diversity, but have we been Inclusive? Could we have refrained from commenting on people? Or planned for a few hours of child care and transport to enable a single mother attend a session she should have been a part of! Or been aware of a person logging in remotely while all of us are gathered in the same room. Or arranged calls at everyone’s convenience, or at least at everyone’s least inconvenience. Or maybe spoken up when someone was insensitive to our cultural beliefs, or was apathetic to our need to be included in a meeting, or was blissfully unaware that a time was inconvenient to us.

Vernā Myers of Netflix said “Diversity is being invited to the party; Inclusion is being asked to dance”. I want to add another phrase, “Diversity is being invited to the party; Inclusion is being asked to dance and ask to dance and hollering loud if no one gives an ear!”