What we talk about when we talk about 'diversity'

If you try to do a quick internet search for the term ‘diversity’, you can easily get a broad picture of what diversity is, whereas it cannot be easily defined. The Merriam-Webster dictionary described it as “the condition of having or being composed of differing elements or qualities, especially the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization”.

While this result may provide a respectable definition of diversity, it does not really reflect the importance of diversity within the workplace and the innumerable obstacles related to how overcome these issues. Then, I suddenly realise that ‘diversity’ is so much more than just the simply surface of ‘gender’ or ‘race’.

So, what we talk about when we talk about diversity?

It means understanding each individual’s uniqueness, and recognizing our individual differences. These can include the extents of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical disabilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It encompasses all these qualities, which make us unique as individual or as a part of a work setting.

I think we cannot just associates diversity with race and gender alone ,overlooking the myriad other attributes that contribute to our identities as individuals and thinking human beings.

Now, these bring up some other questions, which will be further discussed, such as what are contemporary development in HR, in managing these issues within a workplace? And, moreover, which practices can be implemented to overcome these obstacles?

In this regard, these differences should be secured in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment, in which understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance is the basis to embracing and celebrating diversity. In fact, an inclusive workplace which values the individual and group differences is the basis to promote and support diversity. Certainly, an inclusive workplace enables a company to embrace the variety of backgrounds and perceptions of the employees, making them feel valued, integrated and included.

Paradoxically, there’s been a diversity of opinion about the meaning of “diversity” since the word entered English in the 1300s. In fact, the differences rise from the Old French term, diverseté (or diversité) which means difference, oddness, wickedness. For this reason some people may misunderstand the term, although nowadays we can primarily related to acceptance and respect.

However, even though this concept has changed its intrinsic meanings, as the workplace becomes more diverse, more issues arise accordingly.

Undoubtedly, the role of HR Professionals is to encourage an inclusive work environment and manage diversity’s related issues within businesses.

I think the process is not an easy task, since it involved a set of conscious practices including how to relate to those attributes and conditions that are something different from what we are normally used to. These include but are not limited to age, ethnicity, class, gender, physical abilities/qualities, race, sexual orientation, as well as religious status, gender expression, educational background, geographical location, income, marital status, parental status, and work experiences. Moreover, these categories of difference are not always fixed but also can be fluid and it is crucial to respect individual rights to self-identification, recognizing that no one culture is congenitally superior to another.

I think we always need to bear in mind that as our world gets smaller, each workplace becomes more diverse and is important to realize that we can be unity in diversity, because strength lies in differences, not in similarities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT9dtDSRDFA

References:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diversity

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2016/10/the-true-meaning-of-diversity

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/equityDiversityInclusion/2013/05/whats-in-a-name-identity-acceptance-and-racism-in-multicultural-britain/

https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2014/04/diversity.html