Fostering more diversity and inclusion in a post-pandemic workplace
Written by Lisa Macmillan.
Despite the obstacles and challenges the world has faced over the last 18 months, in many ways, the pandemic has made us more human.
Almost overnight, our personal and professional worlds collided. Video calls allowed us to peek into our colleagues' lives in a very new way and understand more about them beyond the office environment. We saw colleagues get casual on zoom wearing colourful hoodies instead of shirts and ties. Teammates wrestled with toddlers, puppies and furniture clutter in makeshift home offices, prompting questions about personal circumstances that were never previously discussed—technology-enabled more personal connections. While we were physically apart, we actually grew a little closer.
The pandemic has taught us the importance of being a little kinder, caring and connecting on a human level. The stress of a global health crisis drew colleagues together. Suddenly, the tone shifted and we realised more so than ever what we say and how we say it really matters. Coupled with a heightened awareness of social, gender, LGBTQI and race-related issues, it feels like we are at a pivotal moment to make positive shifts towards the systemic changes we want to see.
The shifts are happening at the recruitment level. We are seeing employers are now looking for a broader range of soft skills in response to the pandemic. Organisations want to see more evidence of resilience, flexibility and adaptability in their people. Will they perform their roles and be open and transparent in their words and behaviours? How well do they adapt to change? There's also a rise in demand for organisational change and internal communication practitioners, speaking directly to the need for more human and inclusive working environments and managing thinking shifts.
People have the power to influence and drive change.
Accelerated by the pandemic, organisations are more purpose-led and communicating from their core values to bring empathy and understanding to their employees and broader communities. More companies are speaking up about social issues and building deeper connections by doing so. CEOs are speaking out about what's right and wrong, creating a ripple effect across organisations, because ultimately, any action and rise starts with people. No matter where you sit, whether you're a manager or individual contributor, you have the power to create a more inclusive, fair and diverse workplace. We can do that through our conversations, the words we use and things that we do.
More investment and effort into diversity and inclusion
Beyond the PR and lip service, LinkedIn data reveals a steady growth in diversity and inclusion of employees in every industry across EMEA. The research shows that while diversity and inclusion roles are growing fast, there's still work to be done. Most positions are senior-level, promising, yet there's an opportunity for more horizontal teams and junior positions to provide support.
Some companies are capitalising on the broader focus and societal shifts by taking the more aware behaviours and attitudes into new working models and frameworks. It's an opportunity to review policies, programmes and procedures to build for a more equitable future.
When it comes to recruitment, diversity and inclusion is front and centre. Human resource professionals are typically schooled in [unconscious bias](https://www.vanderbilt.edu/diversity/unconscious-bias/#:~:text=Unconscious bias (or implicit bias,that is usually considered unfair.&text=As a result of unconscious,and other people are penalized.) across the selection and interview stages. At our firm, we create a pool of diverse talent through networking processes. We know organisations thrive when they recruit a wider range of people. As humans, we are the happiest when we can be ourselves, feel engaged, valued and supported. The world's best performing companies are almost always the most diverse.
Lisa Macmillan : Founder of Macmillan Consulting
