Technological advancements have made it imperative for companies to revisit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, said Dr. Saundarya Rajesh, Founder-president, Avtar, welcoming participants at the 4th successive edition of The Power of I.
Themed Diversity @ Dispersed, Digital, and Dynamic Workplace, the conference addressed the various facets of inclusion. With HR leaders, DEI practitioners, and heads participating, the event comprised engaging panel discussions and awards for DEI leaders across categories.
Conducted by Avtar since 2020, and launched in the thick of the pandemic, the virtual conference aims to Celebrate Inclusive Leadership, addressing the changing dynamics in the workplace.
Delivering the welcome address, Dr. Saundarya spoke about the genesis of the conference. She said, “We wanted to establish that during times of crisis, the manifestation of inclusive identity is magical and makes sure we can face VUCA times. We launched this conference based on our research on work motivation, personal values, and attitudes towards jobs and careers. ‘I’ in The Power of I means inclusion, and it also stands for ‘individual’, whose contribution to the workplace is paramount.”
She pointed out that an ever-evolving dynamic workplace ensured organizations revisited how people experience diversity, equity, and inclusion. She added that they must implement changes to be more inclusive for those across different milieus, skill sets, generations, and industries.
She said, “Recently, I wrote an article titled ‘Programmatic diversity is problematic diversity’. While there has been a huge increase in programs on DEI, I feel there is a lack of compassion and empathy. There are people across organizations experiencing microaggression and biases during hiring or appraisal. They are clueless about allyship and privilege. Or how do they deal with flexibility when we are still debating if we should go remote or hybrid or work from the office and if engagement should be defined in a particular manner.”
She added that the focus should be on a one-on-one connection. “This is where it is problematic. Though addressing large numbers is important, we need to connect with individuals— individuals like you and me who have a high DEI intent. It is important to ensure that our DEI interventions are not templates but speak with a life of their own,” Dr. Saundarya said.
