3 Intentional Ways to Prioritize Diversity in Your Org
By: Shannel Wheeler
Tags: Diversity, Diversity And Inclusion, Marketing, Workplace Culture, Diversity In Tech

A few months ago, the George Floyd killing awakened a sleeping giant called corporate America to step up, speak out and acknowledge the racial divide and social injustices this country has endeavored (I say this with a mix of hope and skepticism). For many, it came with shock and unbelief, and for others, like me, it was just another grim reminder of an ever-present divide not nationally realized until a pandemic and a knee on a neck opened people’s eyes. With boldness (and reluctance for some) companies declared that Black lives mattered and pledged to do better to acknowledge social injustice, fill the gaps of ignorance, and work toward shifting the lack of “diversity and inclusion” within the workplace. Some are continuing those efforts with sincerity, while others capitalized on sound bites and marketing campaigns that made them seem “woke” but without any real or sustained efforts to work toward uncovering and eradicating a longstanding problem.

As a Black woman in design and tech, I know firsthand what it feels like to be the only person of color in a classroom, organization, or department. Unfortunately, it has been a normalized experience over the course of my higher education and 15+ year career. There are many others who share the same sentiment and similar experiences. For me, it’s always been an issue that comes top-of-mind; for others who represent the majority, it may or may not be a second thought.

For those organizations that still want to genuinely change and grow by prioritizing and valuing diversity for the long haul, here are a few ways that they can continue those efforts in big and small ways:

It’s important to note that the prerequisites for any of the these efforts are sincerity, intentionality, discernment and commitment.

1. Infuse diverse representation into marketing and design efforts

Marketing and design efforts should not only help sell a product or idea but should also be mindful of the diverse audiences they are selling and marketing to.

Use diverse stock photos

It’s easy to pull the same stock photos from your media library, but check the diversity of photos used in your marketing materials (sales sheets, slide decks, website images, ads, etc). If your customers and employees are a diverse mix of people (or at least you desire them to be), then your collateral should reflect that as well. This can be achieved by adding an additional keyword to your photo search (like “woman”, “Latino”, “African American”, etc) or by utilizing sites like rawpixel.com and nappy.co.

Take photos of everyone

An organization’s internal representation is also key. If you have any diversity at all in your org (by sex, race, nationality, disabilities, etc), make sure they are represented in company photos, on the about/team pages of websites, on social media, and within internal communications. Be intentional about taking photos (or Zoom captures for remote teams) of everyone — this provides not only a feeling of inclusion for employees but also for those on the outside looking in who may possibly want to join your org.

Make illustrations and stock vectors more colorful

Even when using stock illustrations/vectors or creating your own, infuse some color into those faces. Seek out diverse illustrations (i.e. undraw.co, blackillustrations.com) or take the extra step to edit an existing illustration in a preferred design software by adding more black and brown faces (purple, yellow, whatever) to the mix. Does this take a bit of extra effort? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

When executed thoughtfully, all of these subtleties can actually combine to create an impression (sometimes subconsciously)on the market, customers, employees, and prospects to show that your organization is thinking about projecting images of diversity to represent the reality of a diverse world. These actions might seem simple and maybe even obvious, but I have witnessed first hand that these tactics need to be taught if there’s no one challenging the status quo.

2. Diversify recruiting and hiring efforts

In order to get something different, organizations will have to do something different. If your organization lacks diversity, then referrals, only looking internally and recruiting from the same pools will most likely result in same ole same ole. It’s human nature to defer to those who look like us or are within our close circles; but when those circles are monolithic, then diversity doesn’t get much of a chance to emerge. Explore diverse recruiting pools, network within online groups on Facebook and LinkedIn, and attend/participate in diversity career fairs. Include more diverse employees to participate in interviewing and screening candidates. In addition, make a valiant effort to eliminate biases toward ethnic names, natural hairstyles, and those who don’t fit your “culture” at first glance. Not only can these efforts apply to find full-time talent, but also when engaging with contractors, agencies, and consultants.

3. Focus on retention

While increasing efforts to bring in more diverse talent, keeping competent and qualified diverse employees is just as important. Of course, no organization has the power to fulfill every employee’s desires and ensure complete happiness and satisfaction — that responsibility ultimately lies in the hands of each individual. But they can do better with acknowledging and supporting those who are already there. This isn’t just an HR issue, but a company-wide effort to be more empathetic and understanding of those you work with:

Be more aware of societal issues, politically incorrect phrases, and racially insensitive jokes

Ask questions with sincerity instead of assuming or judging culture you may not understand

Check the pulse of your employees and allow a safe space for dialogue

Support the creation of committees or initiatives that invite employees to learn and participate in diverse activities and learning opportunities, if they so choose

Pay and promote employees fairly, regardless of their sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.

Furthermore, diverse employees often contribute to more diverse hiring efforts. Diversity of employees contribute to diversity of thought, perspective, and understanding. Greater understanding and diversity of thought creates a variety of solutions. And a variety of solutions creates a more well-rounded organization of innovators, critical thinkers, and problem solvers.