Ms. Alana Hill spoke about embracing the “rainbow” of diversity. As an advanced country most people believe we are well past the days of exclusion however we are a long way from inclusion.
Hill urged us to not only embrace but to create diversity. I also believe this is necessary for an organization looking to advance itself. As Hill discussed, when we open our doors to people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures we invite in alternative ways of thinking. For example, a white male will think differently than a black woman as would a person with riches think differently than someone who was raised in a frugal environment. All of these different perspectives open up doors for innovation.
Hill also discussed the improvement of recruitment and retention. Demographics show there is a significant difference in the amount women and male employees in high profile jobs. These numbers only increase when we look at minorities compared to majorities in a certain area or region of the world. My father was once married to a brilliant woman. She was at the top of her business and was set up to receive a promotion and would be the highest paid employee at her workplace. Although this seems like the perfect lifestyle, she was facing severe depression. Because she was the only woman, she was harassed in the work place. This led to her resignation. Hill stressed the importance of being an open employer because, as she said, “people will stay in a work environment with no toxicity.” Because there was no sense of comfort where my dad’s wife worked, she left, and the business lost one of its greatest minds.
The last thing Hill discussed was to set the example. I think this is crucial because the society we live in is very “copy-cat” and would do anything to be best of the best. If businesses such as Amazon or Google continue to focus on diversity within their business competitors will quickly try to incorporate diversity in efforts to stay in the game. Buzzfeed has continually put forth effort to make its community diverse and as a result it has encouraged smaller businesses, such as Refinery29 and CUT to create segments catering towards their Mexican and Asian American communities.
Hill discussed the need to be intentional about being inclusive in an environment of leaders and followers. It is very important to make everyone feel not only comfortable but also confident. An environment that promotes confidence also promotes innovation and I believe it in order for our society to propel forward, we must embrace the differences between us.