Risks of Mistaking Diversity for Inclusion in the Workforce

(From Forbes) In order to succeed at creating a uniquely diverse and inclusive culture, organizations should approach each initiative individually through different training, conditioning and reflection, argues thought leader Dana Brownlee. When organizations make the mistake of assuming that diversity and inclusion are synonymous or that one automatically implies the other, they miss opportunities for attracting and encouraging diverse talent.

For example, while adding women to the board or promoting people of color might enhance diversity, “it doesn’t necessarily change the culture of the organization to ensure that those underrepresented groups will feel fully included and valued,” said Brownlee. This shortsighted approach can result in very real consequences for organizations, including:

• Inhibited psychological safety for employees. Inclusion is an important element for creating an environment in which each team member feels free to speak up, ask questions and make suggestions without fear of retribution.
• Missed opportunities for enhanced business performance. Employees who don't feel fully integrated or free to speak up in an organization will likely leave, and the organization will often suffer from enhanced levels of organizational tension and frustration.
• The perception of "tokenism." In other words, when an organization has assumed they've made major strides in diverse hiring when in reality they've failed to address systemic challenges in the organization, and embrace and value underrepresented communities.

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