Cultivating inclusion and promoting good diversity relationships in the workplace

Cultivating inclusion and promoting good diversity relationships in the workplace by Devan Moonsamy CEO of The ICHAF Training Institute

Integration in the context of diversity is an ongoing process, and it requires actions on our part. There are many things we can do to keep the integration process going, and some will be described in this article. Consider what will work best for your context and adapt ideas accordingly. Start with what can be changed, always including yourself in this, and use your zone of influence to maximise the advantages of diversity.

Send specific positive messages about diversity and integration, and emphasise the need and advantages of harmony in diverse circumstances. Use communication aids and your vital diversity policies, including emails and posters to make people aware of the most important aspects. Don’t simply put up the compulsory summaries of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Employment Equity Act. Few will take the time to read and remember all the legislation. Put up colourful posters with encouraging slogans and pictures. Position them as reminders of the company’s diversity stance.

Warn against the consequences of discrimination, including verbal and written warnings, as well as the possibility of dismissal in serious cases. One may need to be firm in this regard if employees have a lax attitude. Equally important is making others aware of the effects on the victim of discrimination and taking action when problems arise.

If someone says or does something offensive, thoughtless or not, allowing the victim a chance to explain how they feel (if they are comfortable with this) to the offender may help. Alternatively, a manager will need to speak to the offender. As a minimum, an apology is in order. This holds the offender to account and ensures that the transgression is openly acknowledged as being wrong.

Build your own diverse relationships and networks to integrate yourself better into the diversity of the workplace. In this way, you will act as a role model for others. Furthermore, assist others to establish and maintain good relationships. If appropriate, step in and tactfully help others mend broken relationships or improve difficult ones. Ideally, preventative measures (as described above) should be in place to preclude the need for such interventions after the fact.

Create opportunities for positive integration experiences and identify new ways of working that complement diversity, such as teambuilding and initiatives during company functions and free time. A simple, budget-friendly method is a buddy system in which colleagues are placed in interracial pairs for the purpose of building relationships, and supporting and mentoring each other. Buddies can be required to meet periodically, occasionally report on their progress, and check up on and assist each other in a friendly (not fault-finding) manner. When colleagues experience support and input from others, better relationships are built.

Watch out for those subtle instances of race and class separatism and hierarchies. For example, do black employees feel as welcome to use certain resources and spaces as everyone else? Or are employees retaining some old habits of apartheid? Rearrange workspaces and resources to accommodate everyone, communicate on the issue, and ensure no one is excluded.

To ensure organisational goals and individual employee roles align, draft and disseminate information on professional and organisational identity and include the expectations for racial and other types of integration, as part of the specific organisational identity.

The organisational identity is a very useful tool in diversity management and forms part of a sound diversity strategy. Make diversity a part of the organisational identity, and use it as part of the diversity strategy and management plan.

People have their biases, and these tend to be personal. However, when the company, as their source of income and career prospects, takes an unambiguous stance on sexism, racism, homophobia, etc., it will make it clear to employees that they stand to lose by giving into their biases and ISMs or allowing them a place in the working environment. If they know diversity is key to their success at work, they will be more open to making the effort to understand and get along with one another.

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