Why Representation Matters in the Workplace
I began writing this blog in support of the #BlackHairisProfessional campaign introduced by Dove and LinkedIn last week. The objective is to create more inclusive and equitable spaces for the natural hairstyles prevalent in the Black community (such as braids, locs, and twists) and to have a systemic effect on the American workplace. To prevent discrimination against women of colour, I am astounded that this issue must be codified into federal law. Now, I won't be a hypocrite by not mentioning the issues that still plague my home country, Jamaica. Regarding acceptable hairstyles for boys and girls, our education system maintains outmoded regulations. In addition, during my lifetime, it was extremely difficult for you to obtain employment in certain industries as a black person with natural hairstyles.
In 2015, I had enough of the drama with my hair and decided to do the big chop and go au naturelle. I have never regretted the decision but I started to feel like I was not being taken seriously in certain board rooms or conversations…. Almost 10 years later, I have seen a major shift where natural hair styles are not only widely accepted but now we have a plethora of local manufacturers of natural hair products. But with all this progress I still cannot begin to comprehend why does my natural hair have to be normalized? The word “natural” in itself makes this an insanely daunting process.
Growing up, I rarely saw depictions of women who looked like me in mainstream media who were in professional fields like journalism, business, entertainment (actresses, singers, etc.) and did not have long, straight flowing hair. Furthermore, were we present when a particular standard of beauty was decided upon and adopted as the gold standard worldwide? Who was there to normalize equity through their lived experiences and make places more welcoming to all people? How can we expect to have our interests represented if our decision-makers are all white men who have never had to deal with the challenges faced by women or worse a woman of colour?
Here are a few reasons why diversity is important in the workplace:
1. Creates a more unified and compassionate team
Diversity in a company's personnel and in positions of upper management promotes representation at multiple levels of that company. When we recognize aspects of our social identity in others, we are better able to relate to and comprehend their worldview. Diversity at multiple levels of an organization's hierarchical structure fosters a compassion that transcends job titles.
2. Helps you understand your target audience better
Unless your target market is hyper-focused on specific demographics, your customer base is likely to be diverse. Companies that represent these demographics can provide a deeper comprehension of their requirements and pain points. With a variety of viewpoints, organizations can take measures to enhance their current offerings and create new ones.
3. Drives Innovation
Companies with a diverse personnel pool have access to more innovative ideas, perspectives, and solutions. Companies with more diverse management teams generate more revenue through innovation than those with less diverse management teams. When a company places a premium on representation, they are able to transform these distinctions into strengths that help everyone reach their objective.
4. Creates Growth in your Customer Base
It is more likely that clients and customers will do business with brands that represent them. In addition to enhancing an organization's ability to comprehend a larger audience, a more diverse workforce will also entice a more diverse customer base.
5. Prevents you from doing major brand faux pas
Remember the H&M advertisement in which a black child wore a "coolest monkey in the jungle" hoodie? Or Gucci's black-face jumper? Who approved Balenciaga's marketing campaign featuring young children in S&M-style attire? Was there no women present when Nike penalized athlete Allison Felix for being pregnant? Where was morality or common sense in any of these circumstances?
Now, more than ever, it's critical that employees feel they have a voice and are valued as individuals in the workplace. Businesses that have consistently invested in diversity and inclusion efforts are more likely to outperform their industry peers regardless of economic conditions. Companies that are serious about competing in today's global economy would do well to hire employees from a wide variety of backgrounds, including those of different races, religions, sexual orientations, ages, and ethnicities. Consequently, if your revenue is important, diversity and inclusion programs should be implemented to further enhance your fiscal priorities.
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