Inclusive Acts: Empowering Every Employee. Part 2 - The Stories That Divide Us
In this four-part "Inclusive Acts: Empowering Every Employee" series, discover simple changes to elevate your everyday interactions and significantly impact workplace culture. Tune in every Tuesday to learn how you can contribute to creating a more inclusive workplace. If you have not read Part 1, click here to catch up.
The Stories That Divide Us: Biases and Their Impact on the Workplace
In the modern workplace, authenticity often takes a back seat. Conversations hover around the latest projects and fiscal numbers, rarely venturing beneath the surface—despite a collective desire for more meaningful connections. One study reveals that 69.5% of employees want deeper connections with their colleagues. So why aren't we connecting? Too often, we let the fear of the "unknown" or the "different" dictate our daily interactions—knowingly or not. With the increasing levels of diversity in the workforce, our prejudices are rearing their ugly heads. We all know diversity is our strength, but why is it so hard to embrace? The answer is, in part, biases.
Unconscious biases
Unconscious biases play a large role in blocking connections between colleagues, whether we realize it or not. By definition, unconscious biases "can have a significant influence on our attitudes and behaviours, especially towards other people. They can influence key decisions in the workplace and can contribute to inequality, for example, in selection and recruitment, appraisals, or promotion." Through no fault of our own, we harbour biases for others (and even ourselves) thanks to what we see in the media, learn from family, or pick up from church, school, and other influential institutions.
These internalized biases can lead to ingroup and outgroup formation, where certain employees may feel excluded by their colleagues. This division goes beyond hiring and promotion decisions, influencing various aspects of organizational life, such as project assignments, training opportunities, and resource allocation, and can foster groupthink, where diverse perspectives are not adequately considered. Additionally, biases can impact employee well-being, as those who experience biased behaviour may encounter stress, anxiety, or dissatisfaction. This, in turn, leads to decreased productivity and engagement. Recognizing and addressing these biases becomes not only a moral imperative but a practical necessity for creating a workplace that values each individual and fosters a culture of collaboration and inclusion.
Single stories hurt
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 2009 Ted Talk, "The Danger of a Single Story," explains how limiting our understanding of people to one dimension is harmful—both the obviously stereotypically bad and the seemingly good. Most of us are familiar with how negative stereotypes can induce fear, but the perceived "good" stereotypes have their own issues. The Model Minority Myth describes the phenomenon where certain groups who are seen as successful or "ideal" can be harmful. These stories, commonly associated with Asians, erase individuality and reduce them to a stereotype. They can even pit marginalized groups against one another. Take a look at this Learning For Justice article to learn more and this NPR article for a dismantling of this myth.
While our unconscious biases may not be our fault, they are our responsibility to identify and work to minimize. The power of self-reflection, pausing, and cultivating self-awareness plays a crucial role in this process. Utilizing tools like the Harvard Implicit Association Test, which helps us to uncover our biases and see our weak spots, and the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), which measures intercultural competence, empowers us to actively engage in this journey of self-discovery and bias mitigation. By embracing tools and fostering self-awareness, we pave the way for personal growth and contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and collaborative work environment and community.
Connections do more than bring people together
But why bother working to uproot biases and establish deeper connections at the workplace? Well, it's not just about being nice. Connections make the workplace better. When we connect, we're practicing inclusion, engaging in meaningful conversations, and understanding each other's cultures and viewpoints. These connections build a network that's not just good for careers but for sparking new ideas and collaboration. But further than that, it:
Creates inclusion: Opens the door to everyone, making sure no one feels left out.
Facilitates better conversations and understanding: Diverse experiences, cultures, and perspectives help us see the world through a holistic lens.
Creates a supportive network: Colleagues become invested in one another on a personal level, not just professionally.
Enhances collaboration: Comfort breeds collaboration; when we know each other, we work together more seamlessly.
Generates new ideas: Feeling comfortable encourages us to speak up and share our ideas without fear.
Increases empathy and emotional intelligence: Deeper connections cultivate empathy and understanding of others' feelings and perspectives.
Dismantles stereotypes: Seeing each other as individuals breaks down preconceived notions.
Builds trust: Deeper conversations build trust as we get to know each other on a personal level.
What’s next?
In our journey towards a more inclusive workplace, the focus extends beyond addressing biases and into cultivating profound connections with our colleagues. While we've explored the importance of dismantling unconscious biases, the next step is to forge connections that go beyond the surface, where curiosity takes center stage. By asking questions that spark genuine conversations and embracing the uniqueness of each individual, we open ourselves to the possibilities of new connections. It's about creating a workplace culture and, ultimately, a broader community, where getting to know one another is not just a formality but a genuine effort to foster a collaborative and supportive environment. In doing so, we pave the way for spaces where everyone's story is heard, valued, and celebrated. So choose curiosity. Choose inclusivity.
