I started writing this post because I was inspired by a wave of anti-racist protests around the world in June 2020. It is my belief that bias and prejudice are a colossal waste of life, time, and good will. Does this also affect the way people work – as teams and individuals? And what are some good ways to start working on diversity and productivity at the same time?
Diversity and productivity – why are they connected?
The research behind diversity and productivity is widely available online. I will point you to three studies below, and briefly comment on their significance. The important point to make for all of these papers is this: the results apply to teams and individuals. A productive, diverse team is just as important as a person whose productivity improves because of their diverse environment. And the opposite is also true: a toxic group of people will tend to be less productive – just as someone who is bullying, or being bullied, will find their productivity plummets.
This study by Ankita Saxena concludes that “workforce diversity is strength for any organization” – but that this needs to be properly managed for productivity to increase.
This study into racial discrimination (multiple authors) examines how perceived workplace discrimination affects groups and individuals.
This empirical study (multiple authors) reviews the link between bullying, harrassment, and productivity – showing that these negative behaviors have an effect on productivity and feelings of burnout.
What can you do to help the “bright side” – how can you actively support diversity and productivity, whether you work alone or in a team?
1. Learn to be an active ally
The first step I want to mention involves the people you are in touch with. Even if you only rarely work with others, you will still rely on other people’s contributions for your productivity. This means that you will have plenty of chances to support these people – and you will be able to support conversations around diversity in your industry.
There are several good ways to start learning to become an active ally. The process will not be short or easy – it will take some assertiveness, plenty of listening, and lots of careful work on your part.
Consider starting by watching this brief video by Franchesca Ramsey for 5 starting tips. Also, make sure to scroll to the video notes – there is a ton of useful resources in the links below.
For a written introduction to the topic, I would recommend this Bloomberg article.
2. Check your unconscious bias
This step is an important one for me, personally. A big part of my job is building relationships with people who end up working with me and our company for a long time. As I do so, I am sometimes aware that my decisions on who to work with are not objective at all.
Unconscious bias can lead to making decisions which reinforce your comfort zone, block creativity, and stop others from making productive contributions to your work. Realise this, and you may begin a process of being more careful about your decisions – and more open to other voices and ideas. As above – this isn’t an overnight change. Be ready to question a lot of your previous choices.
For a brief, one-page overview, this introduction from ACAS is a good starting point.
For a 40-minute video training on unconscious bias, consider this video shared by College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta.
3. Mind your microaggressions
I was surprised to see the amount of resistance to this idea online. Microaggressions, to me at least, can be the most commonplace blocker to diversity. Every time I hear someone say “oh, but your English is so good”, it takes me a good few seconds to think of a good response – and much longer to return to my confident, productive self.
If you really care about diversity and productivity in your context, microaggressions will be an element you may need to tackle sooner or later. These interactions have become prevalent: you will find them in the media, in small talk, in people’s unconscious observations.
Think about a computer program with 50 tiny bugs in it – or a report with 50 typos. None of them may be enough to make the program or the report useless. But every time you get rid of a bug or fix a typo, you are doing a good thing. Your microaggressions are like bugs or typos in your interactions with others. Be mindful of them, and things will flow smoothly. And when someone points them out to you, don’t panic – they happen to everyone.
For an overview of the term, please consider starting with the Wikipedia article on microaggressions.
There is also a TEDx talk on the topic by Tiffany Alvoid which you may find useful.
How else can you make sure that diversity and productivity have a role to play in your work?
(Photo by Jordan McDonald on Unsplash)
Wiktor (Vic) Kostrzewski (MA, DELTA) is an author, translator, editor and project manage based in London. When he works, he thinks about languages, education, books, EdTech and teachers. When he doesn’t work, he probably trains for his next triathlon or drinks his next coffee.
BRAVE Learning (formerly known as 16 Kinds) is a lifelong learning and productivity blog. If you enjoy these posts, please check out one of my books and courses.
My recent publications, and my archive, is now all available on my new project: PUNK LEARNING. Hope to see you there!