Author: Kristina Proffitt

I have two massive pet peeves in life: poorly trained dogs and diversity statements. I’ll save you the poorly trained dogs rant, so we can focus on putting action behind your company diversity statement. 

Yes, today we’re here to talk about diversity statements. Almost every business now has one at the end of their job descriptions. But what does it really mean?

It’s a legal obligation in many countries. But that doesn’t guarantee companies actually do what they say they will.

I’ve worked for, and with, plenty of companies who claim to be diverse and supportive of a diverse workforce. 

But when it comes down to it, they don’t know what that actually looks like. They’ve failed me, my chronic pain, and my mental health issues. Even when I’ve been open and honest about my struggles—something they asked me to do so that they could help!

Too often, company diversity statements are just hot air. When it really comes down to it, businesses don’t know how to support their employees. And instead of trying to find out, they just…don’t.

We’ve talked before about how you can support your employees with chronic health issues, and ways to build a more equitable workplace.

Today, I want to share with you some ways you can put your company diversity statement into action. Show the outside world that your workforce really is diverse, so that you can attract even more diverse talent and grow an even more successful business.

Social media content

Social media is the place to show off your workforce. But not in the way you might be thinking.

I’m not talking about what you share on your company pages. No one really cares about those any more (sorry). I’m talking about what your employees say on their own profiles.

Yep, I’m talking about whether you trust your employees enough to post about work on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter.

You see, most companies don’t. I’ve never spoken to anyone who works for a business with a social media policy that says anything more than “don’t talk about work on social media.”

But what if your employee wants to say something positive? Or use their knowledge to build their—and maybe even your business’s—brand? Can they not post on social media then?

There are far more 2022 ways to create a social media policy, including doing it as a quiz with interesting and concrete examples of posts done right—and wrong.

Every time an employee shares their knowledge on a site like LinkedIn or Twitter, it’s an advertisement for your business. 

So, by not allowing employees to generate content, you’re missing out on a massive opportunity. Especially as they’re the most trusted source, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer.

Just by allowing employees to post on social media, it shows that you have an open, honest, and trusting culture. Something which even many so-called modern businesses don’t have.

You’ll never be able to control everything every employee says on social media. When you learn to accept that, and train them in social media best practices, life becomes a lot easier. And your brand will continue to grow on social media, highlighting the diversity of voices at your company far more than simply having a company diversity statement ever could.

Alternative hiring practices

Let’s face it: nobody likes job interviews. They’re boring, they’re tedious, and they can be anxiety-inducing for many. They take up a lot of hiring managers’ time, and sometimes it can feel like you’re doing a never-ending stream of them because you’ve yet to find the right candidate.

You know what Einstein once said about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? He likened it to insanity.

Job interviews are an example of that.

Instead of doing one-on-one interviews, why not try a group interview or task? Or an individual task that shows off someone’s technical ability over their soft skills?

Soft skills can be great, but someone’s inability to make eye contact shouldn’t mean they don’t get the job.

Just because job interviews are how most businesses recruit talent and have been for a long time, that doesn’t mean they’re the only way. Or the best way. There are lots of other ways you can try to attract and retain more diverse talent. Again, the emphasis here is on showing, rather than simply posting your company diversity statement.

Quotas

I know, I know. This is controversial. But they work!

The London School of Economics found that the main result of quotas was to “weed out incompetent men.” It didn’t result in unqualified women getting roles.

In fact, the women who got the jobs were better qualified. Which meant that more got done. And what got done was of a higher quality, too.

If quotas can net you results like these, isn’t it worth challenging the stigma?

Flexible working

This is another one where I sometimes feel like businesses say they do it, but then have some sort of caveat attached which means it doesn’t apply to everyone. Or it only applies to some departments and not others.

If one department allows flexible working, every other department should, too. There shouldn’t be different rules for different departments. That means some team members get the benefits while others are stuck in the twentieth century.

Offering flexible working, whether that’s giving employees choices around the hours they work, or allowing them to work from home, opens you up to a more diverse talent pool because you’re not restricted to people who live nearby and can work 9-5.

When you allow flexible working, people with children, caring commitments, chronic pain, travel restrictions, or other barriers to office work can still work for you. 

And why shouldn’t they? None of those things mean that someone can’t do a job well. 

So, if you want a truly diverse workforce, why not change your policies to attract people from a range of lifestyles, health situations, and backgrounds? Put your money where your mouth is and start living up to your company diversity statement.

Conclusion 

Saying you support diversity is one thing. But, the more times companies say it without backing it up with action, the more it loses its meaning. It’s turned into a blanket statement that companies say on autopilot without considering its true meaning.

You want to show people that you really do have—and support—a diverse workforce. The more you do this, the more diverse candidates you’ll attract and the more it’ll benefit your business.

If you’re looking to go beyond just including a company diversity statement on your website or job descriptions, consider checking out a platform like Workrowd. By facilitating equal access to employee programming, and enabling employees to form deep connections across the organization, you can demonstrate a real commitment to diversity and inclusion. Drop us a line at hello@workrowd.com if you’d like to learn more.

Implicit biases are subconscious attitudes we have toward something or someone. They affect how we think, feel, and act. There are many examples of implicit bias in the workplace and, since they’re subconscious, many of us don’t know we have them.

It’s important to remember that virtually everyone has, or had, their own implicit biases at some point. Our family, friends, and cultures teach us these ideas, beliefs, and perceptions from a young age.

That doesn’t mean they’re healthy or that we shouldn’t look to change them, though. They can affect everything from our personal relationships, to our growth, to what happens in our daily work lives. 

Here are some common examples of implicit biases in the workplace—and how you can counter them.

Focusing on culture fit

You know how, in “1984,” they want everyone to think and act the same? That’s what happens when you have too many similar employees in your business. 

Everyone starts to think and act the same, which makes it really hard to innovate. It even makes it harder to do basic things like problem solve.

For a while, organizations saw culture fit as the trait to look for when hiring someone new. But this is one of the biggest mistakes businesses make.

Assuming that people similar to you will be just as good at their job comes from feeling more connected to people like you. It’s easy to assume they’ll be just as qualified because of your similarities, and doesn’t trigger a fear of “other” or “different” traits.

Studies have shown that diverse workplaces are happier, more productive, make 19% more revenue, and retain talent better. 

There are lots of reasons for this, one of them being that it means businesses are more in tune with their audiences’ needs. If you’re only surrounded by people who think the same way, this level of innovation simply isn’t possible.

When interviewing someone, follow the questions planned out in advance, and be careful of going off the script. 

Also, write down the similarities you share so that you’re consciously aware of them before making a decision. Sometimes seeing similarities written down can make you process them differently than if they’re just in your head.

Make your interview panel as diverse as possible, too, as this will mean you’re less likely to focus on someone’s similarities instead of their strengths.

Names

What’s in a name? A lot, actually. 

Applicants may not be able to tell for certain when they’ve been turned down for a role because of their name, but there’s a reason people often Anglicize their names when moving to countries like the US or UK. 

For instance, job applicants with Asian-sounding surnames were 28% less likely to be called for an interview than those with Anglo-sounding names, according to a study conducted by the University of Toronto and Ryerson University. 

A solution to this is to make applications blind. If the names aren’t there, the hiring manager can’t be biased against them. It’s crucial to find ways to counter these examples of implicit bias in the workplace, to build true inclusion and drive business outcomes.

Hair texture

Lockdown led to people embracing their natural hair textures, which, for many, involves waves, curls, or coils. 

Unfortunately, some people consider non-white hairstyles and textures like these to be “less professional” due to bias. People have been told to take down their hairstyles, take out their dreadlocks, or straighten their curls.

There’s no reason for this. Flat ironing and heat styling hair is damaging to the hair strands. 

Hair can also be a big source of pride for some people, along with a reflection of who they are. Why should they have to compromise who they are and what makes them happy to comply with biased workplace expectations?

Beauty 

Did you know attractive people are more likely to get away with crimes? Our brains seem to think that if someone is attractive, there’s no way they can be guilty of something like murder. 

(The fact that Netflix had to remind people that Joe from “You” is a psychopathic serial killer because fans were fawning over how attractive he is offers a prime example of this.)

In the workplace, this can mean that attractive people who “look” the part are more likely to get hired, promoted, and given pay raises. Even if they don’t work as hard. 

A study actually found that people deemed attractive earn more. The bias can be so strong that interviewers may even discriminate against an attractive person if they think a role is “beneath” them.

One way you can work on this is to stop yourself before you think or say something about someone’s appearance. Is it appropriate? Is it relevant? Does it affect their ability to do their job? Is it rife with judgment towards someone different from you?

Shiny name syndrome

Seeing a fancy school, college, or employer on someone’s resume is likely to catch your attention and instantly make you impressed. 

But it could just mean that their circumstances afforded them more opportunities than someone from a less privileged background.

Going to a more expensive school, or working for a certain business, isn’t an immediate reflection of someone’s ability to do a job.

The examples and statistics that reflect someone’s achievements are far more important than the names on their resume.

HR expert Regina Hartley, in her Ted Talk, even suggests that we’re better off hiring people who don’t have the best resume, because it can mean they’re more resilient and harder working. This is yet another scenario where overcoming these examples of implicit bias in the workplace can lead to business success.

Gender 

People often perceive men as being more competent in certain roles and industries, for instance, finance or software engineering. On the flip side, they see women as better in caring roles like nursing or teaching. Even if the female is more qualified or experienced in a male-dominated field.

These stereotypes harm everyone and set a bad example for future generations. Gender stereotypes are learned behaviors that are ingrained by the age of seven. 

As soon as adults in a child’s life start to change or challenge these gender stereotypes, it affects the child’s attitude, too.

Let’s also not forget that some businesses still dislike hiring women in case they get pregnant and go on maternity leave. And still ask them about their desire to have children.

Blind resumes are the first line of defense around this, as the focus is on skills, not perceived traits.

Conclusion 

Implicit biases are everywhere, and we have to actively work to identify ours so that we can overcome them. 

If we don’t, it can have a detrimental effect on the types of people we hire and work with. 

It can also be detrimental to the business itself, making it less profitable and leading to lower employee happiness.

If you’re looking for ways to counter some of these examples of implicit bias in the workplace, consider offering your employees ways to connect that go beyond surface-level interactions. Finding common ground and shared interests through a platform like Workrowd can help employees see past their biases to foster true belonging. If this sounds like it would be useful in your workplace, drop us a line at hello@workrowd.com.

Is building a more equitable workplace one of your organization’s goals for 2022? If so, it’s time to stop saying ‘this is how we’ve always done things’, and eliminate old-fashioned ways of operating that drive inequity.

These practices often go unnoticed, but they can significantly reduce productivity and employee happiness. As you can imagine, this can affect your culture, churn rate, and revenue.

To build a truly equitable workplace, you need to listen to what employees want, even if it’s something you’d never considered before.

Are you overlooking these common workplace practices that defeat efforts to increase equity?

Hiring

Hiring practices can reveal bias in all sorts of ways.

Recruiters and talent acquisition managers often use artificial intelligence programs to filter candidates before a human reviews the applications. These AI assistants can learn the prejudices of both programmers and end users, which can prevent the best people from getting past even the first step.

Traditional hiring practices also often aren’t as suitable for neurodiverse or disabled candidates. 

Long days can be draining for applicants with chronic health issues, meaning they’re less able to perform to their full ability.

Some neurodivergent applicants may struggle with the standard interview structure, too. For instance, they may not make as much eye contact as someone else.

Neither of these things mean someone would be bad at a job. It only means that they’re being required to fit themselves into an ableist, neurotypical hiring process.

Many businesses, such as Microsoft, have taken to adapting their hiring processes to attract more neurodiverse talent. Could you do something similar?

Quotas

Quotas are a controversial one. Many believe that they don’t work and are just a superficial measure.

But actually, a study by the London School of Economics found that quotas prevented less qualified men from getting hired. More qualified female candidates were hired in their place. 

Interestingly, more competent female candidates raised the number of competent men by 3%.

Maybe quotas aren’t so bad after all.

Promotions

A few years ago, I remember there being some buzz about how women needed to put themselves forward more for job roles and pay raises. Why weren’t we doing it? We needed to be more aggressive and confident in our abilities!

But is that really the problem?

People often see aggression and confidence as more masculine traits. Using words like aggressive in job descriptions can put females, trans, and non-binary folks off applying for roles, because many of us don’t use words like that to describe ourselves. And society encourages us not to.

Men are also more likely to overestimate their abilities. This means they’ll apply for a job even if they aren’t fully qualified.

Women, on the other hand, estimate their abilities just right.

Despite this, men are the ones who submit themselves for promotions and request pay raises more often.

Women are generally more compassionate and introverted when it comes to their roles. They’re less likely to put themselves forward for promotions when they come up, even if they deserve it. Which means they miss out.

Is there something you could do to make the playing field more even in pursuit of a more equitable workplace?

Could you have colleagues nominate someone who’s worthy of a pay raise or promotion? That way, you have an understanding of why someone is deserving, and you have evidence to prove it, rather than going based on how they come across in an interview.

Accessibility

If your employees still work in an office building, how accessible is it? Are there lots of stairs? 

If there are, do employees have access to an elevator? 

If that elevator is out of order, what solutions do you have in place for employees with health issues like chronic pain, asthma, or other conditions which make lots of stairs, or particularly steep stairs, a challenge?

Someone’s ability to climb stairs shouldn’t prevent them from doing their job, particularly if that job involves sitting at a desk all day. 

Nor should getting to their desk exacerbate chronic health issues or cause them to need to take their relief inhaler.

The main thing that can help with this is allowing employees to work from home when their accessibility needs aren’t met in the office.

If that isn’t an option, and you own several floors, could you move their desk to a lower floor? Or could you get the elevator fixed as a priority?

Office temperatures

The standard office temperature is based on an average forty-year-old, 150-lb white man from the 1960s. Which means it doesn’t consider any other gender, or people of color.

And, since there are many, many factors that can affect our metabolisms, that basic office temperature is an oversimplified solution.

You can’t please everyone. But can you find a compromise?

Women need temperatures around five degrees warmer than men for doing office work. 

Sitting under an air conditioner with a constant draft can make things feel even colder, and even worsen injuries.

Could you move employees who feel cold further away from an air conditioning unit?

Or could you change the settings on it so that it’s still filtering the air, but not pushing out such a strong draft?

Simple changes like these can make employees more productive and mean they’re not walking around feeling like they’re dressed as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man every day.

Conclusion 

These are just some of the overlooked practices that can prevent you from creating a truly equitable workplace. But hopefully they’ve given you some ideas of where to start.

What really matters is that you keep an open mind and remember that just because it’s the way something has always been done, that doesn’t mean it’s the fairest or most efficient way of doing it.

Change is an important part of running any business. Leaders should embrace changes that create a more equitable workplace just the same as changes to save costs and make more money. Why? Because these simple changes improve workplace conditions, make employees happier, and ultimately, mean businesses can make more money.

If you’re searching for other ways to build a more equitable workplace, consider implementing a platform like Workrowd. Our user-friendly suite of tools provides everyone full access and transparency to all employee programs, no matter where or when they work. Ensure everyone can get involved in your company culture, and build connections across teams. Drop us a note at hello@workrowd.com to learn more today.