“That’s not fair!”
“Well, life isn’t fair.”
I thought it was unreasonable that my high school curfew wasn’t adjusted to a time closer to my classmates’. I was 12 years old in ninth grade and wanted the freedom other freshmen seemed to have. My father didn’t agree, and we frequently debated issues of perceived inequity over dinner, in the car, and before bedtime, where I’d stress my point to near tears, and sigh when he said again, “Life isn’t fair.”
It wasn’t just this conversation about being home by 9:00 p.m.; I was always mindful of a level playing field. I compared who was given the bigger childhood dessert portion, who was called on to speak in the lecture hall, and later in life, who was getting opportunities at work and who wasn’t. In matters big and small, fairness mattered—not only for myself, but also for the world around me.
Early on, I didn’t know what to call it—I simply wanted to see the unacknowledged be given a shot and to confront things that seemed out of balance. I now know I was developing my lifelong passion for equity, diversity and inclusion.
And the Work Isn’t Done
I recently returned to a full-time D&I role. I’m racing back to dig into this mission-led, not-for-the-faint, continuous work. Why?
Because while life isn’t fair according to my father, fairness should be a priority, at work and in our daily lives.
We are surrounded by headlines and social justice movements all giving a voice to the need for equality. We can’t ignore the importance of treating every person with respect and fairness, and realizing the harm caused when both small slights and major offenses go unchecked.
Someone has to see inequality and inequity and call it what it is. Someone needs to speak up and inspire change. When we don’t, we leave each other to face difficulty alone, which takes its toll on home life, work life, families, and society-at-large.
The stakes are high.
We Deserve Better
You might be thinking that I’m idealistic to wish for life to be fair—that there’s no hope for the kind of equity and inclusion I’m craving. After all, bumper stickers remind us that life is hard and then we die. Why bother?
But should our workplaces accept a bar so low?
We spend a great deal of time at work, and it can become not just “what we do” but “who we are.” Shouldn’t it be a place where:
we are all offered equal footing?
all voices are heard?
every person is paid fairly for the work they do?
working parents can fully commit to work and home without being overlooked for a bigger role?
quiet people aren’t considered lesser contributors than those who are outspoken?
different backgrounds are appreciated and promotions are given to the deserving?
It’s worth it to see how we might improve the way we relate to each other and the opportunities we can create for everyone. I believe we can make progress, even if we don’t achieve a perfect outcome.
We should expect our employers to do the same.
Change Processes and Behavior
Our biases, our moods, or our pursuit of power can get in the way of the progress necessary to make things fair. While companies have spent time on “the business case for diversity,” there’s room to focus more on making sure processes are fair and inclusive, even if hearts, minds, and natural tendencies haven’t changed yet.
When a company has inclusive standards around who’s hired, who moves, who’s heard, and who manages (or doesn’t) and holds everyone accountable, the process will change how decisions are made in important areas:
Hiring: Are diverse perspectives and individuals included when recruiting and selecting?
Onboarding: How do new employees get access to networks and mentors, regardless of the university they came from or their past employer?
Perspectives: Who’s heard in meetings—better yet, who’s there in the first place? How can you assemble a diverse group of individuals, considering race & ethnicity, age, gender, abilities, tenure, orientation, and departments?
Accommodations: How accessible and accommodating are the facilities?
Development: Are opportunities to learn, grow, and be recognized available to everyone?
I am not naive enough to believe the work is resolved after implementing new processes. To be fair, if we merely check-the-box with systems in place, we will have a hollow exercise and miss the greater benefits of a diverse, inclusive culture.
Changing mindsets remains as necessary as ever.
We should aspire for a world and workplace where the value of inclusion, diversity, and belonging is recognized by everyone, and everyone puts in the work to make it happen. Change, is itself a process, and good systems make sure it’s not an event.
We All Have a Part
I’m stepping back into a role to be a part of this work and to help set standards for excellence. But every person who contributes to an organization at any level can spot unfairness, say something about it, and take action. We each have a part in changing the way organizations do business.
Recently, I felt validated in my purpose when my father acknowledged my early instinct for fairness, connecting it to the work I do. He, too, now agrees fairness should be a daily pursuit. In the workplace, it should be a promise: one that our companies make to us, and we make to each other.
Photo Credit: www.THREE20Media.com
Comments