Political polarization. Cultural divide. Partisan gap. If you are anything like me, you’ve been feeling the division in our society intensely for the last couple weeks. Or maybe months? Or years? Take your pick.
The Associated Press dedicated a 2016 series to the topic, saying “Americans are more divided than ever, gridlocked over social issues, race, gender and the economy…It’s no longer just Republican vs. Democrat, or liberal vs. conservative. It’s the 1 percent vs. the 99 percent, rural vs. urban.” And last summer, the Pew Research Center found that when it came to views on former President Donald J. Trump, the gap between Republicans’ and Democrats’ was wider “than for any other U.S. president in the modern era of polling.”
There is an argument to be made that the media amplifies this cultural divide we are all experiencing. However, the fact is, we all feel it and we carry those feelings into our workplaces, whether it’s in person at the office or over Zoom.
The good news is this cultural divide has been countered in recent months with a crescendo of corporate voices calling for a stronger commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Increasingly, companies are emphasizing the importance of employees’ individuality; pledging to embrace the differences in their workforce and to identify and banish systemic inequity. However, the stumbling block for many companies in this area is how to implement and effectively bring about such fundamental change.
More organizations are turning to DEI training to address the unconscious bias and barriers to diversity and equity within the workplace. Our client, Kantola Training Solutions, recently gave our agency a chance to trial their new comprehensive DEI course. The interactive, self-paced training guides learners through exercises that require quick judgements, careful deliberation, and creative thinking. My initial impression was that this course was vastly different than any I’d experienced in the past. More on that later. First, I want to explore why DEI initiatives fail.
There have been instances that have shown implementing DEI training within companies can backfire, and in some cases, increase hostility and bias in the workplace.
The main challenge in creating an inclusive environment where employees can show up as their authentic selves, according to Associate Professor of Sociology Ilana Redstone, is that our whole selves “inevitably include our political orientations, our moral intuitions and our tolerance for difference.”
As Redstone notes, we’re facing differences in how people understand core concepts like fairness, identity and intent. So, based on this, how then do we authentically reconcile these essential differences in the workplace?
Redstone argues in her Forbes’ article that the key to creating an inclusive workplace is to change mindset rather than to change minds. She suggests that we can either start talking to each other with the understanding that there will never be total agreement, or we can strive for consensus on these controversial subjects. Redstone argues that the first option is the “only path forward” and “organizations that ignore this reality will see an erosion in their workplace cultures-and in their bottom lines.”
The first step is for leaders to create a culture that fosters “humility, curiosity and a willingness to be wrong,” writes Redstone. An environment where employees are eager to learn how others experience the workplace and open to seeing the world in a new way, possibly divergent from what they’ve always understood, presents a strong foundation for fundamentally transforming corporate culture.
So, what made Kantola’s DEI training so different? As I explored the course further, it struck me that this tool aims to do just what Redstone proposes – foster a new way of thinking. By allowing learners to “step into the shoes” of individuals with differing perspectives and learn how others can experience the same workplace in very different ways, Kantola’s course sets the stage for a conversation between people with a variety of viewpoints. And by engaging learners in a safe, judgement-free learning space, the course lets them see how their choices impact the lives of others in the workplace, thus giving the opportunity to reflect and adjust their behavior.
Emphasizing their intention to drive change in organizations, Kantola has also developed a companion leadership primer to guide companies through the steps of building a successful DEI program.
The chorus of voices calling for a fundamental change in America’s corporate culture is warranted, but the element that’s been missing is the crucial first step of changing mindset. For any DEI initiative to work, companies must first create a foundation of acceptance of diverse viewpoints. By creating an environment where employees welcome and embrace new perspectives, leaders are laying the groundwork for success in reimagining their corporate culture.