What is it Diversity?

Understanding and embracing diversity have become essential not only for social progress but also for the success of businesses, organizations, and communities on a global scale.

But what is it Diversity?

When most people think about diversity, they think about gender, race or sexual orientation. However, diversity is more than just that. Although gender and race diversity are also essential, another essential factor in diversity is a person’s cultural background and socioeconomic class. Why is it important? When there are differences in cultural background and socioeconomic classes, chances are there is a lot of difference among the group members in terms of the information and knowledge they have been exposed to.

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusivity is being asked to dance.”  VERNĀ MYERS

Effectively managing a diverse team requires a combination of leadership skills, cultural sensitivity, open communication, and a commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful work environment.

A Deloitte study found that organizations with inclusive cultures are six times more likely to be innovative and twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets. This reinforces the idea that embracing diversity and promoting inclusion is not only the right thing to do but also a smart business move.

Video Conferencing and Communication Tools:

• Zoom: Video conferencing, meetings, and webinars.
• Microsoft Teams: Chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and collaboration.
• Slack: Real-time messaging, file sharing, and integration with other tools.

 TIPS

You could host cultural or other theme days in your Slack channels where team members may share more about their culture or other aspects of their life -- as long as they feel comfortable doing so. It also helps foster personal connections and reduces the loneliness and isolation of remote work.

Project Management and Collaboration Tools:

• Asana: Task and project management with team collaboration.
• Trello: Visual project management using boards and cards.
• Basecamp: Centralized platform for project organization and communication.
• Google Workspace (formerly G Suite): Includes Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive for real-time collaboration

 TIPS

One of the best ways to create an inclusive workplace when you’re working remotely is to get your entire team involved in social causes that matter to them.

Respect for Communication Styles

Recognizing that different cultures have varying communication styles (direct vs. indirect, high context vs. low context) is crucial for an efficient communication

Anthropologist Edward T. Hall developed a very useful framework for understanding different communication styles, creating a distinction between High and Low context cultures

The high and low context cultures in this concept refers to how important contextual cues are in interpreting a message. High context cultures have a communication style based on body language, tone, and overall context; while low context cultures are more straightforward and explicit in communication.

Adjust your communication approach to align with the cultural norms of the person you are communicating with.

High and Low context cultures

To illustrate how cultures fall along the context continuum, here is a chart that includes some cultures that have been studied.

Low-context: “Good communication is precise, simple and clear. Messages are expressed and understood at face value. Repetition is appreciated if it helps clarify the communication”. People in low-context cultures tend to provide detailed explanations and background information to ensure that messages are understood accurately.

High-context: “Good communication is sophisticated, nuanced, and layered. Messages are both spoken and read between the lines. Messages are often implied but not plainly expressed.” These cultures place a strong emphasis on relationships, history, and shared understanding. People in high-context cultures often rely on implicit communication, assuming that others within their cultural group will understand the deeper meanings behind their words.

Practical example

How to express the same sentence in High-context culture and Low-Contest culture.

(Focus on the word in italics)

High-context culture:"As we come together in our organization, the harmony of our diverse backgrounds enhances the symphony of our collective achievements."

Low-context culture:"In our organization, the diverse backgrounds of our team members contribute to a harmonious blend of perspectives, resulting in collective success."

The case of British Humor British are often characterised as masters of sarcasm and irony. If you’re not used to it you can either ignore it or get easily offended as they use sarcasm a lot, usually in a form of statement about a reality (eg. I really like how loud you play your music.” or “Aah, sorry, I can’t be friends with someone who doesn’t drink tea”) – know that, been (or still am?) there.

How to make employees feel inspired, empowered, and engaged at work?

Establish Clear Communication Guidelines

Develop clear communication guidelines that address expectations for language use, communication tools, response times, and meeting etiquette.

Emphasize the importance of clear and concise communication to avoid misinterpretations.

Case studies highlighting successful diverse digital teams

Netflix Culture — Seeking Excellence is a famous example of how they communicate their values, expectations, and guidelines to employees (https://jobs.netflix.com/culture ). It outlines the key principles of Netflix’s Culture based on “Freedom and Responsibility”, as outlined by Hastings also in his latest book, co-written with Erin Meyer: No Rules Rules.

Active Listening and Clarification

Active listening involves fully engaging with the speaker, understanding their message, and demonstrating your attentiveness. This skill is crucial for building rapport, fostering understanding, and preventing misunderstandings.

Use Reflective Listening

Reflect back what you've understood so far and ask if you're on the right track. For example, "So, if I understand correctly, you're saying..."

Provide Translations When Necessary

to be sure your message was received well. Solely operating in English can hold back companies and businesses. When you understand the importance of translation for everyone, you will be able to see it as a necessary and worthy investment. For that, you will also need a professional translator or a company that offers translation services

Creating Inclusive Job Descriptions

Helping to increase inclusivity at your workplace doesn’t necessarily require an extensive DEI campaign.

While addressing bias at all stages of the employment life cycle is important, this training will discuss the crucial first stage: recruitment.

Some strategies to combat bias include:  Rewriting job descriptions so they are gender-neutral and use words that strike a balance of gendered descriptors and verbs. Create a blind system of reviewing resumes so you don’t see “demographic characteristics.” Set diversity goals as an organization, which will help you track your progress.

An inclusive job description not only attracts a wider range of candidates but also ensures that all potential applicants feel welcome and valued.   Example The drop-down menu in the Pronouns field is open and shows the options: she/her, he/him, they/them, other and prefer not to share.

 Use gender-inclusive language

Researches has shown that using gender-inclusive language at work is associated with better well-being for employees who identify as LGBTQ, so ensure that the language you use is gender-neutral.

For example, using “people” instead of “guys” can make everyone feel included.

Using ‘staffing’ instead of ‘manpower’.

According to Guidelines for gender-inclusive language in English

Using gender-inclusive language means speaking and writing in a way that does not discriminate against a particular sex, social gender or gender identity, and does not perpetuate gender stereotypes. Given the key role of language in shaping cultural and social attitudes, using gender-inclusive language is a powerful way to promote gender equality and eradicate gender bias.

Use gender-inclusive language: some examples

According to Guidelines for gender-inclusive language in English, there should be consistency in the way women and men are referred to: if one of them is addressed by their name, last name, courtesy title, or profession, the other one should be as well.

Using feminine and masculine pronouns: some examples

According to Guidelines for gender-inclusive language in English, the feminine and masculine forms can be alternated throughout the text.

This strategy should be used with caution, however, in particular when its use may affect the meaning of the text, cause confusion or be distracting to the reader. It may be more appropriate to alternate masculine and feminine forms by paragraph or section, rather than by sentence or phrase.

Example: “When a staff member accepts an offer of employment, he or she must be able to assume that the offer is duly authorized. To qualify for payment of the mobility incentive, she or he must have five years’ prior continuous service on a fixed-term or continuing appointment.”

Use the passive voice: some examples

The passive voice is not an appropriate option for all sentences in English, as employing the passive voice often changes the emphasis of the sentence. However, it does offer an option for avoiding gendered constructions.

 Useful tools: Textio and Gender Decoder

Use tools like Textio or Gender Decoder to analyze your job description for potential gender-coded language or bias. Textio https://textio.com/ Gender Decoder https://gender-decoder.katmatfield.com/ These are quick ways to check whether a job advert has the kind of subtle linguistic gender-coding that has this discouraging effect.

Celebrate employees birthdays

One way to celebrate employees on their birthdays is simply allowing them to use the day off and enjoy it as they please. Don’t forget the card! Have each of your team members write why they are thankful for the person you’re celebrating. These personal touches are more meaningful and can go a long way in making an employee feel recognized and appreciated. For remote employees, record a video of everyone wishing them well, mail a sweet treat and a thoughtful gift to their address, and share the love.

Offsite days

A change of scenery can help boost engagement and productivity for teams and prevent the in-office ”stuffiness” that can set in. Plan an off-site day at a party room, park, or any location that meets your team’s interests and needs. Just be sure you’re clear about the focus.

Set up cultural or other theme days

Decide on the purpose of the cultural or themed days.

Are you aiming to celebrate different cultures, raise awareness about social issues, or promote certain values?

Choose themes that resonate with your organization's mission and the interests of your community.Reach out to cultural or interest-based groups within your community. Collaborate with them to organize and participate in the events. Their insights and involvement can add authenticity and depth to the celebrations.

Get the team involved in social causes

Choose social causes that align with your team's values and the mission of your organization

Set achievable goals and milestones for your team's involvement in social causes.		Organize volunteer opportunities related to the chosen cause
After each engagement with a social cause, take time to reflect as a team. Discuss what went well, what could be improved, and how your team can continue making meaningful contributions.		Develop projects that require collaboration among team members. Working together for a shared purpose can strengthen team bonds and create a sense of accomplishment.