Recently, a phrase in a job advertisement caught my eye. In the last paragraph, they emphasized that they were very interested in applications from diverse candidates. That stuck with me. Because: What is a diverse candidate anyway? Does this imply that there are non-diverse applicants and, if so, what do they actually look like – going far beyond their appearance? What is a diverse team anyway?
Diverse applicants wanted
I read the following into this word constellation: We see ourselves more as a homogeneous team and want to bring in diversity here. That’s a good idea in principle. Unfortunately, I don’t think it has been implemented well. Why? I think it’s too single-layered and it’s too unclear who is meant by that. What do I have to bring to the table to be able to fulfill the wish that is contained in the adjective “diverse”? Who decides how diverse someone is? If I felt addressed by the adjective, would I perhaps even be the token in this team, i.e. the person who has to symbolize the “diversity” there? Or am I welcome as a person even if my application documents do not give a “diverse” impression?
From the invisible norm
Ultimately, I don’t know what the team behind the job advertisement is really like. And what their intentions and procedures were. And of course, other people may react very differently to this job advertisement than I did. For my part, I don’t want to define or decide who is a diverse applicant or employee. For me, all people are diverse to begin with. Because if I assume that there are diverse or less diverse people, I am passing on an invisible norm. I want to get away from that.
Twelve white men – a diverse team?
Denise Young Smith, the former VP Diversity & Inclusion at Apple, had to take a lot of criticism for a quote .
She said: “There can be 12 white, blue-eyed, blond men in a room and they’re going to be diverse, too, because they’re going to bring a different life experience and life perspective to the conversation.” (translated: “There can be 12 white, blue-eyed, blonde men in a room and they’re going to be diverse, too, because they’re going to bring a different life experience and life perspective to the conversation”).
I see it the same way. These twelve white blue-eyed men are also diverse. Smith later explained this quote again and clarified that D&I work is mainly about creating a working environment for everyone: Women, people of color, LGBT and underrepresented minorities. It must therefore be clear that of all people, some have far more privileges than others. Twelve white, heterosexual, physically and mentally healthy men from academic families have the most privileges in this society. And everyone in a diverse team should deal with this in a considered and thoughtful way. After all, privilege is not anyone’s fault. But doing nothing is also an attitude.
Diversity is a fact, inclusion is an attitude that I choose to adopt
These questions will help you to reflect honestly within your team:
- To what extent can I bring my own diversity into my existing team?
- Do I put on my mask at work or can I really be myself in all my facets?
- Are my ideas heard and sufficiently valued?
- How consciously do we deal with unconscious prejudices and privileges?
All of this encompasses inclusion. And then diversity is above all an attitude with which I treat myself and others. In this way, I prepare the ground for inclusive cooperation and a diverse team.
Positive discrimination and equal opportunities
When it comes to the question of how much diversity can be lived, we need to talk about the barriers that many people experience. We need to talk about equal opportunities, because people of color, black people, women with headscarves, women* in general, disabled people, people over 50 – the list is long – are often discriminated against on the job application market or when it comes to promotions. It is necessary to set positive discrimination against this. Because when we look at companies, administrations and organizations in Germany, we are far from seeing them reflect the diversity that exists in the population.
- For example, there are more men* called Thomas than women* in the management levels of companies in Germany
- And 97 percent of the bosses in the Berlin administration are white. There are only three percent People of Color and Black people at management level. They claim to be racially discriminated against.
Pioneers needed
And that is precisely why companies should emphasize in every job advertisement that they are preparing the ground for diversity. In this example, I would have found it successful if the last paragraph had been more about the values. And not about a new requirement for the applicant.
For example: “We are committed to diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities and firmly believe that a diversity of experiences, perspectives and backgrounds leads to better work results for everyone. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, ethnic or social background.”
