There’s more than one way to gather data (and improve inclusion)
I have had the privilege of working across many different industries and this time, I had the opportunity to work with Nexia. Alastair McTavish is their head of learning and development and after my latest session, he posted the following on LinkedIn:
“Improving gender equity in the workplace can have a real positive impact on the bottom line for firms in any industry - especially in terms of recruitment, retention and having an even more engaged and motivated workforce.
It's not about quotas, it's not about a set of racial preferences, it's not illegal! It's about fairness and equal opportunities. What small actions can Managing Partners, Partners and Leaders take to enhance gender equity in the workplace?”
He then offered three insights he personally took away from my session earlier this week but I wanted to focus on just one of them.
Alastair wrote, “Send an annual engagement survey to your staff to measure their job satisfaction and their opinion of your company culture. Even if you are a smaller firm without a dedicated HR / People & Culture team it's easy to send a quick survey with MS Forms just with one question such as: ‘What is the one thing you would recommend to support or improve our company's progress towards gender equity / company culture?’”
Of course, I agree, as the question is one I shared as an example of a ‘one-question’ survey. But why do you need the survey?
One of the most effective ways to help others become aware of bias is by using data to back up the patterns that you’re noticing. And to be clear, I don't mean that you need to create some kind of formal presentation, do an in-depth study, or show up with excel charts to illustrate your points. When I say data, I’m not just talking about quantifiable things, like charts and graphs. Lived experiences are also data points, and they should be taken into consideration.
It starts with being able to notice patterns and spot harmful mindsets as they’re playing out, so that you can put together a clear story of what’s going on. Many of us have a tendency to dive headfirst into the uncomfortable conversation before we’ve even fully assessed the situation. But only by beginning to spot these patterns can we prepare ourselves to speak up when we see them. Here are some ideas you might try:
Lead With Inclusion
Sometimes inclusion starts by noticing where exclusion is occurring. It may sometimes feel that without any kind of positional power, you don’t have the influence to make a change at the organizational level. But the thing is: change can start with anyone. You have the power to do what’s within your control, by starting to recognize and make note of these patterns of bias when you see them.
For example, let’s say there’s a new management position open on your team, and many of your coworkers apply. The job posting stated that applicants needed to have some very specific skills and experiences, but when it ultimately came time to choose someone for the promotion, you notice that the person chosen happened to be close friends with the team lead. To make matters worse, this person didn’t even have many of the skills and experiences listed as required for the role - and this isn’t the first time that you’ve noticed this happen.
If any of this sounds familiar, these are exactly the kinds of instances that you can empower yourself to start noticing. Make note of them. Start to consider if this might be part of a larger pattern, and what kinds of factors could be contributing to this kind of behavior. Might this be an instance of affinity bias, or groupthink? If these terms sound unfamiliar, make sure you check out my Unconscious Bias course on Linkedin.
These types of patterns are the inverse of inclusion and while you can’t always change them, you can voice them. Be on the lookout for these kinds of bias at play. Listen to the experiences of your coworkers when they share them. Be curious and question whether objective standards are in use and you might find that your voice isn’t alone.
Be an Inclusive Leader
For organization leaders, I invite you to consider the same example above. If you noticed one of your fellow managers repeatedly making hiring decisions based on bias instead of skill and experience, what would you do?
If your answer is to be silent and do nothing, I encourage you to reflect on why that is. As a leader, your perspective holds weight. The responsibility shouldn’t fall on your employees to be the only ones aware of these patterns. Look around and start to notice them yourself. Take it a step further and begin to work on your own self-awareness. Try some self-reflection. Are there ways that you might be perpetuating these harmful behaviors? Think about the last few hiring decisions you made. What patterns do you notice? What factors are you using in your decision-making? Are you contributing to the problem? Some of the most important uncomfortable conversations we can have are the ones we have when we look in the mirror.
Learning to notice and identify these patterns of bias in your workplace is a skill all in itself, and if you’d like some guidance on ways to do that as a team, send me a message on LinkedIn, drop a note via my website or give my team member Amber a call. We’re really easy to find.
About Stacey Gordon:
Stacey Gordon is a Global Talent Advisor, Bias Disrupter and an unapologetic evangelist for inclusion. As the Founder of Rework Work, she anchors action using change management principles while facilitating mindset shifts. She is a global keynote speaker, Top Voice on LinkedIn and a popular LinkedIn Learning [IN]structor reaching nearly two million unique learners who enjoy her courses.
Want to work with Stacey live? Consider booking her for your next keynote, leadership development meeting or consulting engagement.