Promoting diversity in organizations: where companies go wrong
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Is there a lack of diversity in the workplace? Revamp your recruitment and inclusion strategies to attract diverse candidates.
“Will you get a different result if you keep doing the same thing?”
Real-life scenario: Another inbox full of white men who want to be IT managers, even though HR is actually looking for a woman—preferably a woman of color. The director shrugs: “Well, they’re just not out there.”
Ikram: “I hear this all the time. If you keep doing what you’ve always done, they won’t be there—that’s true.”
Roeli: “Exactly. I always wonder: are they not there, or did you not look hard enough?”
Ikram: “Usually, the search is reactive, isn’t it? A job opening is posted, and then they conclude that no one from a particular target group has applied.”
Roeli: “Yes, but will you get a different result if you keep doing the process the same way?”
Ikram: “No, exactly. That makes me wonder a few things: What are you looking for? What criteria and requirements have you set? Are you basing your decisions on standards you haven’t researched or examined closely? It’s important to realize that if you haven’t made a concerted effort to promote inclusion and diversity within the organization, there’s a good chance not everyone will feel at home. People won’t apply because they don’t feel welcome.’
Roeli: “That’s right. For example, I’m currently looking for a man to work at a small organization with 10 female employees. It’s taking me a lot of effort, and it’s not because there aren’t any men in that industry.”
Ikram: “Do you mean it’s hard because there would only be one man in a women’s club like that?”
Roeli: “Yes, exactly. It’s an interesting observation: apparently, it’s difficult for a man to work in an environment with mostly women. Conversely, it’s also challenging for a woman to start working in an all-male group—it’s not very welcoming.”
Ikram: ‘But I think it often happens that a woman ends up in a men’s club. Could that be because we live in a masculine society and women are used to adapting? We find it unusual when a man joins a women’s team, while we find the reverse perfectly normal. This shows that different standards apply to men and women. Fortunately, efforts are being made to address this, for example through campaigns for women in engineering or the military. As an industry or professional group, you have to ask yourself: how can you promote diversity within organizations? Are you making it attractive for different target groups to join? There is no single answer—it requires a long-term perspective on your image. You can improve this image by visiting schools and opening yourself up to new target groups. But also by questioning the culture and norms within the organization or the industry. Should our norms change? Or do we expect women to simply knock on the door of an otherwise masculine culture that doesn’t change? Of course, the reality is more nuanced.”
Roeli: “That’s right. If you want more diversity in your organization, you have to throw your doors and windows wide open. Network, invite people to an open house, involve your diverse employees in recruiting diverse target groups, reach out to people in your network… In short: you have to be willing to invest and take the first steps yourself.”
