By Fred Smith
The impact of the global workforce can be felt across all functions of the Human Resources spectrum, from talent management to work-life benefits. As employers continue to struggle with the on-going diversity and inclusion challenges of the domestic workforce, those initiatives are made more complex with the global expansion of the employee base. Organizations are being forced to redefine the nature of their diversity programs, as many organizations have fallen into the trap of an overemphasis on American-style diversity. But morphing the U.S.-centric definition of diversity, which relies heavily on race and gender, presents challenges to both parent companies and local employees as cultural differences become more complex overseas.
Most countries view diversity and inclusion as a Western concept even though many of their employees are facing the same issues covered in traditional diversity and inclusion programs, including; gender, GLBT, religious issues in India, generational, immigration, race, ethnicity, disability issues in the UK and Europe, work-life balance issues in East Asia, gender issues in South and Central America, and so on.
To avoid all the pre- existing assumptions that are often times attached to the word diversity organizations need to re-brand these efforts under such titles as Engagement, Inclusion, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Development, and Cultural Awareness training etc. To best manage this challenge, U.S-based organizations must focus on the fundamental elements of diversity programs that can translate across cultures.
Although the terms "diversity" and "inclusion" are often used interchangeably, when planning an initiative it's helpful to differentiate between the two. Diversity can be defined as any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and individuals from one another. Inclusion refers to management practices and environmental influences that support and enable the full engagement and development of all associates. Focusing on diversity typically means that the organization works to expand the number of individuals from various groups—more women, Hispanics, people of color, etc.—and to ensure that those individuals are appropriately represented in all functions and at all levels. This is an important focus, but on its own it is often insufficient in meeting an organization's desire to expand its competitive advantage.
Diversity and inclusion affect the bottom line
Any company that can increase the skill set and contributions of the majority of its workforce enjoys a true competitive advantage. Seen in this light, diversity isn't addressed only because it is the "right thing to do," or because a positive and proactive approach to diversity is the best defense against bias-related litigation. Rather, implementing diversity and inclusion programs has a positive effect on the bottom line. They are a means to increase profits and productivity by tapping the contributions of a broader pool of talent, not simply an awareness exercise. Inclusion initiatives—focused on supporting employee development—improve employee performance, increase productivity, reduce turnover, and make the company more attractive to potential employees and customers.
The goal of all diversity and inclusion initiatives should be to create supportive workplaces that are climates for everyone's success. That means workplaces where employees feel comfortable and enjoy working with those around them. This is a goal that translates across the global workforce. The challenge is that each employee approaches any given situation with a bag full of life experiences, messages, long held biases, and, many times, prejudices that need to be checked. And as we expand the borders of our workforces to include the cultural norms and challenges from other regions of the globe, these underlying biases multiply. How these biases impact workplace behavior is what can create the unintentional conflict that gets in the way of performance.
A systemic approach
A fundamental problem is that many diversity programs simply presume it is merely employees who must change. Nothing significant will be achieved if the organization itself doesn't look at its systems, biases and ways of doing things. There's no return in changing the attitudes or awareness of employees if management also doesn't make some of the right changes. Managers and Leadership need to understand that they set the tone for their employees, and they need to model the principles of your diversity and inclusion mission.
Novations has developed the following Tolerance Scale ® to help managers and employees explore attitudes towards differences in the workplace and consider how employees respond to others based on these attitudes. The scale is based on five different ratings of how people respond to other employees differences.
5. APPRECIATION: this rating means employees see differences as beneficial and not only have little resistance to employees different from themselves, but actively seek out others in their work to leverage their diversity.
4. ACCEPTANCE: this rating indicates that this difference doesn't really matter to an employee. Employees are comfortable around their colleagues who are different and value them in you workplace. They listen to them as coworkers and work well together. This is the mindset where you will find most employees.
3. TOLERANCE: this rating is more problematic than it appears. Employees don't appreciate differences, but can work with them. Employees here don't feel completely comfortable with different employees, but believe everyone has the right to be treated respectfully. If they had their choice, however, they would not have them as co-workers.
2. AVOIDANCE: this rating indicates these employees feel uncomfortable with peers that are different because they are different in a way the employee does not understand or is not familiar with. Employees try to avoid them and do not work well together.
1. REPULSION: this rating means employees see others as different in a way that is not normal, and not belonging in their workplace. They may be repulsed by their habits, lifestyles, appearance, actions, or beliefs. Working with them causes employees significant discomfort even to the point where they feel physically or emotionally ill.
Employees all have biases; that is human nature. While diversity training initiatives aim to shape employees' attitudes toward differences and eliminate some of their biases, it is not easy to do. As an employer, we can only ask employees to be more conscious of the behaviors that are associated with these attitudes. It is these behaviors that may impact another person's career, self-esteem, or opportunity to succeed.
Not all employees are aware when his or her biases and prejudices are showing. When managers and employees observe people acting in inappropriate or offensive ways, they may not know how to respond. The Awareness Spectrum ® was designed to help employees and managers think about the role they play in the workforce and how their behaviors can impact others.
Employers want all employees to become Diversity Change Agents. While many employees spend much of their lives in the Avoider stage, it is the Change Agent that appreciates diversity and demonstrates that through the appropriate behaviors. Only by empowering and teaching employees to become Change Agents, and creating cultures where managers support and reward this behavior, can organizations create the supportive, inclusive environments where all employees can do their best work.
These diversity and inclusion fundamentals of developing awareness and understanding can help employees move from tolerating to appreciating differences; a mindset that can be embraced by any culture. Modern diversity and inclusion programs need to be built on similar elements and belief systems that can be applied to all the various workforce cultures that are emerging within the global organization.
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