Diversity and Workplace Happiness

At the risk of being drummed out, I no longer believe in "diversity." The online business communities and academics have abused that term to the point where it now represents employee data collection and quotas. While I agree with the sentiment of this article, it's fighting for the same oxygen as other diversity articles that claim we need more lesbian accountants (yes, that was a real article on a business site!)

I currently prefer the term "inclusion," although it might not be long until we destroy that term, as well. Still, I prefer the idea that the workplace needs to remove obstacles that needlessly impede the acquisition of good talent. We don't promote diversity for the sake of diversity, we value diversity because it's a sign that we're attracting talent from a large pool. To illustrate, if you have a small company in France, it's probably fine that most of your employees are French. But if your company is in a black neighborhood of a US city and all of your employees are white, it's a sign that you're not attracting local talent.

I also think that diversity requires more effort that most workplaces have put forth. The typical organization crafts a bare minimum equal employment policy that helps them avoid lawsuits, and they call that "diversity." But in the search for top talent, is your workplace really a welcoming environment for non-native speakers? Does your dress code accommodate cultural differences? Can a visually impaired employee navigate your cubicle maze? Does your cafe have halal and kosher options? Can short people reach the bathroom sinks? Can fat people fit into your cubicles? Can the employee with the short skirts and tattoos work on the same team with the employee that wears long dresses and head coverings?

These seem like ridiculous questions until they become actual issues. My point, though, is that having a truly diverse and inclusive workplace takes effort.