Most of the big Corporates today provide a series of mandatory e-learning courses for their staff which have to be reviewed on an annual basis. These cover a variety of topics from Competition Laws, through Bribery and Corruption, to Diversity and Inclusion.
The modules are usually about 30 minutes long and end in a short quiz with a feedback section.
The other day I did 4 of these modules, including one on Diversity and Inclusion.
The content of the latter course was actually quite good and I found it useful ... for the umpteenth time. It is always a poignant reminder that although we are all human beings, we are not all exactly the same: we come from different cultural backgrounds, hold different religious beliefs, differ by age, by gender, by sexual preference, by race, by nationality, to name but a few things. We all, however, desire to be treated equally, with kindness and respect - and this is not an unreasonable expectation to hold as an equal member of the human race.
We may be different in any number of ways from each other, but it is in our differences that we stand out; and it is our differences which should be celebrated. When you bring these differences together, this variety of perspectives and values, into the melting pot of humanity, you strengthen society. When you blend a diverse set of values, opinions, and life experiences together to obtain something that is, in the end, stronger than the sum of its parts, that is something to be treasured.
But... and here's the rub ...If we are going to teach inclusion and diversity and genuinely promote it within the workplace, then we need to practice it too. And...it's not just the big-ticket items that stare us down boldly and speak to either living the values or not, that count, but also the little things that matter.
If we want a Great Place to Work (GPTW surveys are done periodically at the company I work for) then we have to be prepared to make meaningful connections with others, have meaningful conversations, and take cognisance of all the little things that do make us different.
A Simple Case in Point:
The company decided to "treat" all staff to a dairy chocolate-filled Advent calendar for Christmas. It arrived unannounced, out the blue so to speak, in the post about 2 weeks ago. Nice gesture, right?
But...
(1) did they stop to consider that the staff complement is also comprised of people who are vegan, dairy-free due to allergies, diabetic, sugar-free due to diet? (meaning that all these people could not actually eat the chocolate and enjoy the gift), and
(2) that an advent calendar is necessarily Christian in nature and therefore supportive of a single religion, potentially to the direct or indirect exclusion of others?
No. They did not.
This was a blanket 'one size fits all' approach, which, when you truly think about it, is not reflective of diversity and inclusion. As employers and employees, we need people to start recognising this, and quite simply, doing better!
Now, some might say, aren't you taking the argument too far? Aren't you getting too PC, too woke about all this? Surely, it's the thought that counts?
Well, I am here to play Devil's Advocate :-)
Yes, of course thought counts, however, I believe that we need to be asking ourselves, whether a gift can be truly thoughtful, if it doesn't give any consideration to a number of its intended recipients?
Now, I am not in principle against a company sending its employees an advent calendar at Christmas, especially in a country founded on Christianity, but in the interests of Diversity & Inclusion, we have to ask whether Hindus and Sikhs were sent celebratory items at Diwali? Were Muslim employees sent celebratory items at Ramadan or Eid? Were Jewish employees celebrated at Hannukah? The simple answer is: no they were not.
And, given this oversight, how do we think they feel about receiving an Advent Calendar to celebrate the Christian holiday of Christmas?
I don't believe the oversight was intentional at all, and I honestly believe that the gift was made with good intention and from the heart, but, to me, it is an illustration of missing the mark on something seemingly quite simple.
I live in a country that is predominantly Christian and I don't believe we should be hiding our closely celebrated values and beliefs because they may conflict with somebody else's beliefs, but then I feel the same way about all non violent religious affiliations. They all have a right to co-exist. I don't so much believe therefore that we need to temper the distribution of Advent calendars or the celebration of Christianity and Christmas by any means, but in the interest of Diversity & Inclusion, we should also be acknowledging the beliefs of those who are not Christian and perhaps providing a genuine gesture of goodwill during their times of religious celebration.
We could all do with showing each other some love, kindness, and respect and providing equal treatment to those who have different beliefs and who therefore have a different religious affinity. We should recognise the value inherent in our diversity and strive to practice genuineinclusion, as we are but a small tipping point away, most days, from exclusion.
I hope that this little thoughtful post brings some awareness through a shared learning curve, which I think needs to be addressed within the corporate world.
Have a great week, everyone :-)
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