by
Ryan Clement
NOT EVERYONE buys into diversity and inclusion, and not everyone is sold on it either. Some say it does not work. Many believes it does. Some say the benefits, if any, are impossible to measure. Some say the benefits are obvious because there is a wider and diverse pool of talent from which to choose rather than the narrow same old, same old.
AS PART OF A SERIES of podcasts and videos on the working lives of those in various professions, I asked my guests whether they believed diversity and inclusion play or ought to play a role in their professions. The following is what two of them said.
Human Resource Manager, Ruby: I asked Ruby, how was diversity and inclusion part of her practice, if at all? “It is something we are very keen on. I think it is definitely something every employee needs to do. We do training. We have mandatory training. We have classroom training every year, so everybody has to undertake at least one online course. And we do one face to face course for everybody’s ‘mandatory.’”
Detective Constable Shaun: I asked Shaun, as a serving police officer, in his view, what role did diversity and inclusion play or should play in the police force? “It plays a very very important role. For me, we need different perspectives. We need people from different walks of life because it is no point looking at things one-dimensionally because then it will only impact on a small portion of the community. So, we need diverse voices. We need representation because I hate the feeling of anyone feeling left out. It is the worst feeling in the world when you are alone. There is no one speaking for you, and you are not being heard. So, in order to deliver a service that represents everyone fairly, understands individuals and their needs, we need to have an open mindset. And we need representation from the top all the way down. If I was a leader and I had a team around me, I would want a team that challenges me, challenges that forces me to look into myself and challenge my own biases, my own decision making, and not people that just nod and agree with me all the time. That’s no good to me!”
IT MAY NOT BE EVERYONE’S CUP OF TEA but many organisations and businesses we work for function within a diverse community. Such organisations and businesses should reflect the community and environment in which they function. I firmly believe that it is a competitive advantage for a business or an organisation to be as diverse as their customers and clients etc. Speaking for myself, where there is competition, all things being equal in the quality of service provided and cost, I am and would be more attracted to the more diverse of the businesses or organisations. For me, it’s a no brainer! It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it may be time to wake up and smell the coffee!
☕️
Copyright © Ryan Clement 2024
Ryan Clement 