How would you define the term ‘diversity’? What misunderstandings do you frequently encounter regarding this term?
Diversity is a value. Thus, for me, addressing diversity is about addressing the barriers that exist in organisations and teams that prevent diversity from being anchored as a key value. The dissolution of these barriers, i.e. the breaking down of discrimination and structures that perpetuate discrimination, is the actual work. However, companies and institutions are reluctant to talk about discrimination. This would entail an acknowledgment that it exists. For example, a workshop on ‘diversity and gender empowerment’ is booked more often than one titled "anti-sexist work culture'. Therefore, my work is a balancing act. It's about finding a language that my clients understand and that they don't find off-putting. At the same time, I don’t want to dismiss the work that needs to be done. When I sit down with my clients, I want to meet them where they are. Especially those who have not yet dealt with the topic.
The topic of diversity and the obstacles on the way there – discrimination – are a professional focus for you, and you founded a consultancy firm for this purpose – why this step?
Because I saw a great demand: when I founded, there were very few companies that addressed their own power dynamics. Instead, companies put the responsibility for change on those who were affected by discrimination. They developed specific programmes and approaches for minority groups and women. As a result, those affected became even more of a focal point. They were put under pressure to take responsibility. The message was: ‘You just have to act differently, then it will work out. ’ However, the real leverage for more diversity and against discrimination lies with the people in positions of power. They need to be sensitised to the issue. That is the only way an organisation can initiate profound change. This means taking a structural view of the problem instead of shifting it onto individuals. Structural change is cultural change. I have discovered that the culture in an organisation is the actual starting point, but that is rarely used as a lever. This is where we start with our work.
How does an organisation benefit from actively making diversity an area of focus?
There are three reasons: Firstly, companies have a legal obligation under the General Act on Equal Treatment. Secondly, they have a moral social responsibility to contribute to the positive shaping of society – in the language of Design Thinking: to co-create society. This especially applies to universities and public institutions. It is obvious that the work culture needs to be restructured, not least because we are facing the challenges of an aging society in Germany.
And thirdly: with more diversity, we can create a more participative and pleasant work environment. Employees feel more connected to their company when they feel represented and their opinions are heard. It's quite simple: a culture of belonging in which marginalised people and women feel comfortable ultimately leads to a more stable and successful company.
How would you recognise whether an organisation supports diversity and the benefits of diversity? Can you give us an example that reflects diversity in practice for you?
It is difficult to tell from the outside what’s happening inside. Many organisations want to be more diverse, but nine out of ten organisations do not have a diversity strategy in place. I would recommend looking at what the organisation is actually doing to implement its diversity claim: For example, does the organisation promote internal or external networks for marginalised communities? Is there a budget for these networks? Are all employees trained and educated on the topic? If you apply for a job, don’t shy away from asking bluntly: ‘What’s your diversity strategy? I am interested in the steps you are taking toward more diversity and how you allocate resources available to implement these steps. In a nutshell: What is your plan?’
What steps are necessary to develop a diversity strategy?
When building a strategy, one needs to start with a status quo analysis. A first step of this is to conduct an employee survey. The evaluation of employee satisfaction can be assessed according to diversity criteria. This allows us to understand whether, for example, queer women of color feel just as comfortable as white men. The English term DEI, i.e. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, can provide a concrete orientation for such an evaluation: It isn't just important that teams are diverse, but also that there is a culture in which everyone can participate.
However, we should not only ask ourselves what the barriers to higher employee satisfaction are, but also why certain people do not work in the company at all, for example because they do not feel they are being addressed. Studies show, for example, that women only apply if they fulfil nearly all of the criteria – men take this much less seriously. Women who are marginalised in multiple ways are thus very likely not to apply if the posting has too many criteria.
It is also important to recognise that different people have different needs. As an institution or a people manager, you can hope that they will formulate these needs. But this puts the responsibility on them. It is better to proactively think ahead and address the needs of those communities you want to attract. For example, by showing a description of the route between the train station and the campus on the website from the perspective of a person in a wheelchair. Adding cues like that also shows clearly that this organisation takes diversity seriously.
Successful innovations and a successful Design Thinking process require diverse teams. You were a coach at the HPI d-school: how did you support teams in making the best possible use of diversity on their way to finding solutions?
Design Thinking as a mindset and method embraces diversity. Diverse teams are a prerequisite. In order to step out of your own position and look through someone else's eyes, as we try to do in the first half of the Design Thinking process, we need diversity in our teams. Diversity is also an important value to generate empathy. In my teaching responsibility, it has always been important to me to address that. At the same time, there are limitations – and these also need to be addressed. I believe that, to be a good Design Thinker, one should take a critical look at the power dynamics we are operating in. For example, we are trying to understand the user and we might even be giving some design space to the user. At the same time, the team holds all the power to take final decisions and to build a solution. In some extreme cases, this might create situations where the experiences of marginalised communities are exploited without creating any value for them. Diversity as a guiding principle to me means to question those power structures and to critically reflect the responsibility that comes with them.
Thank you for the interview, Rea.
