In the age when promoting ‘Diversity
and Inclusivity’ is on every company’s agenda, I am often left wondering, are
we using it in the right context? Interestingly enough, lot of companies (read
most!) confuse D&I with promoting/hiring women employees at senior
positions. D&I has a much wider meaning;
“It means respect for and appreciation
of differences in ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, disability, sexual
orientation, education, and religion”….Read any definition carefully, it does not say promote one (gender) over other.
So, Dear companies, take a pause here! Don’t promote or hire employees stating it is a ‘Diversity position’
Are you filling this position only to have a woman in
that role or does that candidate deserve based on her qualification, experience
and potential? If the former is the answer, you are setting wrong example and
your business for failure. If its latter, don’t tag it as a ‘Diversity
position’. It’s a grave injustice to the individual’s hard work, calibre and
most importantly self-respect. The candidate in question has put in efforts
through the years, made her way through, managed her work and other priorities
and did it all successfully similar to a male candidate.
So, if she is a deserving meritocratic candidate, why are
you demeaning her deserved position by merely saying “You fit the bill as it is
a diversity position”?
I believe each company would be able to encourage more
women employees if they work purely on merit and don’t do reservations of “Diversity
position” We have had enough of reservations and have equally seen its negative
impact. I am sure there are other broader agenda in D&I framework which should be focussed on, like age, national origin, disability etc.
If you have to encourage women to work, similar to any other social cause, work at eliminating the reason rather than an outcome of it. Work at the cause of it…we all know at entry level, same number of men and women , women leave at mid-level management . You can’t control their exit by offering the so-called ‘Diversity positions’.
They are leaving as they can’t manage the multi-tasking at
a stage when meeting demands of mid-career stage, rearing a child and their own
expectation of being a perfect mother are at cross-roads. We all as part of
society which is evolving to the new socio-economic culture of working couples
, it’s our role - (Male and Female both) to move out of our stereotyped image
of only mothers having primary responsibility of kids upbringing . This is long change management process and
typically changes in society take about 2-3 generations.
In the meanwhile wait and contribute to societal change but
“Please stop offering “Diversity position”. Most of the working women would
agree that the deserving women don’t need reservation, they will irrespective
shine. As far as I am concerned " I am a woman executive but surely not a diversity candidate"
