Dealing with resistance to Diversity & Inclusion
D&I is not always easy, and organizations are most likely to experience the full benefits of diversity and inclusion when diverse teams are managed well. This is important to keep in mind because resistance to D&I is not uncommon. For example, we have heard from white men who say they feel excluded from organizational diversity and inclusion efforts and perceive that they are being held back from advancement in favor of candidates who they feel are chosen because of they come from diverse backgrounds. But if any group feels excluded or that they’re a “token” within the organization, just there to fill a quota, the promise of full inclusion becomes eroded.
How can organizations and inclusive leaders deal with this kind of resistance? The following are ways, compiled and summarized by the Society for Human Resource Management *.
1. Using a broad, inclusive definition of diversity
Diversity is mostly about inclusion and exclusion, and the definition needs to encompass a wide array of dimensions around which people are included and excluded. While race, ethnicity, and gender are clearly part of the picture, many other dimensions play a role in organizational life. Education level, position in the hierarchy, physical ability, introvert/extrovert, department, religion, parental status, and sexual orientation are just some of the many categories around which people are included or excluded. Effective organizations make sure that employees understand that their diversity initiatives acknowledge this range and that all exclusions that hinder teamwork, productivity, and success of the organization are fair game.
2. Listening to employees of all groups and hearing their concerns, issues, and needs
Smart companies find out what the real needs are through one-on-one conversations, focus groups, and analysis of data from employee opinion surveys, employee turnover rates, and safety and absenteeism statistics. Once there is an understanding of the issues that employees experience, companies can begin to find ways that the diversity initiative can help address them. Taking action on these problems will make it clear that the diversity initiative seeks to improve conditions for everyone.
3. Including white males in all aspects of the initiative
It is common to find a Diversity Council or group of internal diversity trainers without any white (or majority race/ethnicity) men as members. At both a symbolic and practical level, white men need to be included in these groups. First, it demonstrates that the organization practices what it preaches in terms of inclusiveness and shows that diversity is not just the domain of women or people of color. However, perhaps even more importantly, companies need the perspective of white men in the planning, problem-solving, and decision-making these groups do. In fact, it is a pragmatic strategy to recruit a couple of “reluctant cynics” from the group of resistors to be part of the change process.
4. Making programs and development opportunities open to employees of all groups
Limiting mentoring or career development processes by gender, race, or ethnicity is a setup for claims of preferential treatment. Smart companies find ways to level the playing field without creating new inequities. If you are making efforts to have proportional promotion of men and women then you could create a program that would be open to both men and women, but reflect the percentage gap of under-represented women (eg. If leadership is 75% men and 25% women, then the program could accept 75% women and 25% men in order to close the proportional gap.)
5. Using values that appeal to all
From the plant floor to the executive suite, respect and fairness are two values with almost universal acceptance in workplaces across the country. Positioning diversity efforts around these two fundamental values in US culture helps to generate support and reduce resistance. Many organizations have built their diversity efforts around such values with terms such as “respectful workplace,” and have connected diversity to culture change goals around trust, teamwork, and cooperation.
6. Making processes fair and transparent
Decisions about promotion and selection, as well as other benefits such as bonuses, flexible schedules, over-time, and development opportunities, need to be made in fair, open, and aboveboard ways that increase trust. Open job postings and diverse hiring panels are two ways that organizations work to increase transparency and remove biases from hiring and promotion. In addition, having and adhering to clear policies and standards for the doling out of rewards reduces complaints of preferential treatment.
7. Keeping the focus on the organization’s success and the individual’s effectiveness
Diversity is not a belief system but rather a reality that everyone in the workplace deals with daily. Employees work with and serve people from different backgrounds. Effectiveness as organizations and individuals depend on the ability to deal with those differences successfully using each person’s talents and gifts to enhance performance and harmony. By positioning diversity changes in this light and showing how diversity changes are pragmatic business strategies, organizations can avoid the emotionally charged arena of values, where arguments can lead to hard feelings and winners and losers.
8. Making the resistor an ally, not an enemy
Those who disagree or see things differently are providing valuable information about their experience of the work environment and their perceptions about diversity. While the organization may see things differently, they have just as much right to their views as the rest of the company does and are part of the very diversity being addressed. By listening, showing empathy for their issues, and giving them an active role in the D&I plan, the door is opened for dialogue and understanding and demonstrate that the initiative is truly for and about everyone.
Contact us to learn more ways you can foster an inclusive workplace.
* Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe, “Dealing With Resistance to Diversity,” Mosaics (December 2003).
Originally published at https://eskalera.com on May 22, 2019.
