Has diversity in the workplace ‘worked’?

It took a pandemic, the closest thing we may see in our lifetimes to the world standing still, for societies around the world to earnestly reckon with racism and systemic oppression. The catalyst was the murder of George Floyd, and over the next few months, Floyd’s name was joined by Taylor, Arbery, and McClain in the chorus of marches and protests around the globe focused on countless others who have been unjustly killed.

Those refrains even made their way into Zoom calls and ad-hoc diversity trainings in workplaces throughout 2020. Companies, once inclined to ignore or sweep aside such painful conversations, began to look at how these tragedies were affecting their employees.

So, has diversity in the workplace “worked”? The answer is “no.” I do not mean that it can’t work or that it won’t work, but I can unequivocally say that it has yet to be successful. And it is important for companies to understand that and to acknowledge that it will take much more time and effort than what we’ve seen so far. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is not a moment or box to be checked off the company to-do list. It is a movement; it is a continuous process.

Less performance, more change

I do not discount the awareness that has been raised over the last two years. Conversations are actually happening in companies with increased frequency. That is progress. DE&I has become a widespread aspiration for companies. That is progress. But when you dig past the company statements and headline-catching pledges, what do you find?

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon took a knee in belated protest with Colin Kaepernick against police brutality. His company, along with America’s 50 biggest public companies, has committed at least $49.5 billion since last May to addressing racial inequality. According to The Washington Post, more than 90% of that amount is allocated as loans or investments they could stand to profit from. They found corporations pledged just 2% to organizations specifically focused on criminal justice.

When we look to companie’s leadership teams or to the workplace environments they have created, what has changed?

Nearly 90% of Fortune 500 CEOs are white males. The number of Black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies decreased in the last year from five to three. Representation is essential to equitable progress and nearly 30% of S&P 500 companies don’t have a single Black board member.

These numbers present a high-profile microcosm of a widespread problem: the lack of representation in positions of leadership. So how do we address that? Some would say it is an issue of the talent pipeline. Hire more underrepresented candidates, juice the representation, and it will all take care of itself. Right?

The state of the workforce

There is no shortage of diverse candidates ready to meaningfully contribute to companies and no shortage of companies who say they want diverse candidates to meaningfully contribute. So, what if the issue is not the talent, but the pipeline? There will never be equitable representation if the employee experience for non-white or non-male employees is unhealthy.

Addressing the employee experience requires an examination of every employee touchpoint. How do they experience the hiring process, their employment, the culture? What are the outcomes of the processes in place? What is your promotion rate?

Our company sought to measure the experiences of employees, and thus a company’s environment, with a survey on psychological safety. Harvard professor Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as a shared belief that you can bring your full self to work. That you will not be made to be humiliated or feel less good about yourself if you speak up about ideas questions, concerns and mistakes.

The results of this survey give an indication as to whether companies have supportive structures in place and whether employees have the confidence to innovate. In so many words, the survey asks, do you feel your company has provided an environment in which you can succeed?

The results portray a distressed workforce. In total, 48% of employees reported experiencing burnout, 61% reported experiences elevated stress levels, and 32% felt lonely at work. Unsurprisingly, these experiences were more likely for women and non-white employees. They are results that do not scream “diversity is working.”

In March 2020, as the pandemic forced companies to shutter offices and drove people home, as confusion and stress mounted, there was a collective sigh of relief. It came from employees who had not felt a sense of inclusion prior to the pandemic. Now at home, without constant interaction with co-workers, they could remove the mask, flip off the code switch, and reserve the energy it takes for both.

In our latest survey into the great resignation, Black job seekers, more than any other group of respondents, cited “more flexibility” as the primary reason they were looking for a new position. It would seem they are not ready or willing to return to their pre-pandemic experience, and that their companies still have work to do in establishing a psychologically safe workplace.

Repairing the employee experience as a DE&I tactic

Thankfully, there is a blueprint for cultivating such a workplace. Instilling a culture of gratitude will help you connect with employees. Recognize employees not just for above and beyond efforts, but as a performance management tool to reward a job well done. Check in with employees, not to see where they are on their to-do list, but to establish a supportive, trusting relationship.

For any company looking to make serious progress in creating a more inclusive workplace, listening is the answer. It is the first line of defense in knowing if there is something wrong in your company. It should not be reserved for exit interviews, because at that point, it is too late.

I saw a Black employee posting in a Facebook group about whether she should hide her natural hair with a wig or if she should straighten out of fear it would not be accepted as “professional.” If you are that company, you should want to know this and ensure that no employee feels that way. With such a fear, that employee can’t possibly bring their best self to work. They can’t feel free to take risks or ask provoking questions, and a path to promotion or growth will feel out of reach.

Listening will help you properly diagnose and effectively manage systemic challenges and barriers. It will make you a better business. But it is an ongoing process. Everyone can be better. It is never-ending work.

Has diversity in the workplace worked? No. But that doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t. In order for that to happen, far more work needs to be done. We all need to be ready to do it.

Dr. Meisha-Ann Martin is the Director of People Analytics at Workhuman, the world’s fastest-growing Social Recognition and Continuous Performance Management platform. Meisha-Ann has a Ph.D in Industrial/Organizational Psychology with fifteen years of experience working in People Analytics and Employee Engagement across a variety of different industries.