Diversity achieves little without equity. Equity is about tailoring solutions after considering all the factors instead of suggesting a one-size-fits-all solution. Allocating opportunities after understanding the differences, the approach, and the circumstances are equity in action.
Common impediments to equity are:
Generalization: Making inferences about a group of people based on specific cases is a form of generalization. Generalizations may not require a detailed thought process and could lead to non-conscious biases.
Normalizing certain experiences: Situations and experiences are highly subjective to an individual. Irrespective of how common the occurrences are, normalizing certain workplace experiences will only lead to employee attrition.
Giving casual advice/suggestions/opinions: Often, senior employees advise junior employees casually over a conversation, assuming that they understand their problems better. However, junior employees may refuse to seek help, thinking that they might be overreacting to the situation.
Ways to overcome these impediments:
Cut out unnecessary inferences: Unlike business processes, decisions related to allocating opportunities and resources should not be based on inferences. While past experiences may reinforce existing beliefs, inferring from them will lead to higher attrition rates.
Experiences are highly subjective: The pain that one undergoes due to a leg injury will be different from what another person undergoes. Hence, evaluating experiences on a case-by-case basis becomes crucial.
Incorporate formal mentoring: While there are ways to mentor an employee, ensuring that the mentor understands the need for mentoring an employee will change the whole facet of mentoring. Structuring the process will convey seriousness and respect.
Train employees on DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion can come across as an abstract concepts to many. Although employees may be conceptually sound, they may not know how to apply them.
Bringing in a process and structure to equitable practices can change the lives of employees. Employees realize that they are being taken care of for their benefit over the organization’s benefit to create belongingness. Equity demands reassessing all the existing policies from a lens of fairness. However, once the organization enjoys its benefits, every other process will fall in its place.
