Authored by Marilyn Nagel | Co-Founder & Chief Advocacy Officer, RISEQUITY
The term' diversity hire' is a misnomer that perpetuates harmful stereotypes and diminishes the value of individual contributions. Diversity is about differences, and every individual brings unique experiences, skills, and perspectives to the workplace. We are all different; we are all diverse hires, diverse partners, and diverse running mates if we are running for office with another person.
Diversity is about differences, and every individual brings unique experiences, skills, and perspectives to the workplace.
When we talk about adding diversity to a team, we're not just referring to visible differences like race, gender, or ethnicity. Diversity encompasses a wide range of factors, including but not limited to age, education, socioeconomic background, cultural experiences, geography, who was in your family growing up, what your family is now, your beliefs, values and your cognitive style. DEI efforts promote the opposite of categorizing people based solely on gender and race. The idea of DEI is to include all people and leverage their diversity (defined as difference) to contribute unique viewpoints and approaches to problem-solving.
It's critical to understand that all hires, regardless of their background, have the potential to enrich team diversity. For example, a straight white male could bring diversity through his unique life experiences, specialized skills, or innovative thinking patterns. Similarly, someone from a rural part of the country brings a different way of looking at things from someone who grew up in a city or the suburbs.
By shifting our focus from labeling hires as "diverse" to acknowledging the inherent diversity in all people, we value each person's unique contributions. This approach fosters a more equitable world and drives innovation and creativity by leveraging the full spectrum of human experiences and ideas.
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