Being inclusive is the right thing to do
In September, I was lucky enough to be invited by my good friend Dr Amanda Potter, CEO of talent consultancy Zircon, to speak on the Chief Psychology Officer podcast. We talked about lots of aspects of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and how during my time as Chief People Officer of the brilliant Brooks Macdonald, we took steps to become more inclusive and attract and retain increasingly diverse talent. Amanda gave her expert view – it’s worth a listen as she provides some fantastic insights.
We’re all familiar with the huge body of research that tells us something quite simple – diverse organisations drive better commercial results. With all the available data, there are very few people that would deny this.
Despite the many successes that my team and I had over the years at BM, I often reflect on what we didn’t make enough progress on. Having thought about it, the challenge of getting everybody on board (regardless of their position in the organisation) and taking ownership for creating and maintaining an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves, play to their strengths, and make the best contribution they can, was the most difficult thing.
So how can we do this successfully? I don’t have the answer - it’s a difficult question! My personal view is that while we don’t ignore the commercials, we stop talking about them so much. While the data may tell us that being more diverse will positively impact the bottom line, it’s difficult to show the link in real time. I prefer to talk about it being the ‘right thing to do’, and what those now coming out of education and into the workforce are demanding. In a recent survey by Monster, 83% of generation Z candidates said that this was important to them – and these young people are the future for every organisation.
I received lots of positive feedback on the podcast, particularly around my personal story. I talked about the loneliness and shame I felt as a gay teenager in the 90s from seeing constant negative stories about LGBTQ+ people in the media, the lack of visible, positive, LGBTQ+ role models, and the fear of my sexuality being made public and the repercussions it might bring.
I told my story to attempt to connect to people on an emotional level and encourage them to reflect on their personal role in being more inclusive to others. If we all take the time to learn about the experience of others using the myriad of resources available, then we can all do our bit to improve the experience for everyone. We’re all at our best and contribute more when we can be seen and appreciated for who we are. It isn’t just about getting commercial results, it’s about our values and our duty to each other as colleagues and human beings.
My question to you: what can you do differently to be a better ally and help people feel like they belong in your organisation? I’d love to hear your comments.
Best wishes
Tom
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