3 ways to build on diversity efforts this year – Sidecar

Last year was one for the history books. A global pandemic, social unrest, political movements and so much more changing everything as we knew it. But, it wasn’t all bad — through the troubles and setbacks, we saw innovation, improvement and collaboration between people of all origins, races, politics and genders.

This year, it is so important to continue the growth we saw in 2020. It is up to individuals, and institutions, to prioritize diversity efforts to ensure that the connections we have made continue to grow stronger for the future.

One way to do that is by staying informed on actionable steps for success. Here are some tips and tricks for combating racism, shared by Better Allies CEO and author Karen Catlin and Anti-Racism Daily editor-in-chief Nicole Cardoza:

Share your salary

One of the best ways to recognize and combat discrimination in the workplace is through pay transparency. While it may seem to be an issue of the past, pay discrimination is still widely common, especially for women of color. Recently, Better Allies shared a few data points:

• Women software engineers receive 83% of the salary that male software engineers receive
• Women financial managers earn 71% of what their male counterparts earn. 
• Women EMTs and paramedics earn 65% of what men do
• Since 2000, US income growth for Black workers has been slower than for white workers in every wage bracket

“If your company hasn’t already instituted a pay equity review, you have work to do,” according to Better Alllies. “Do you have the power to make this happen for your team — or, better yet, for your larger function or business unit? If so, use your privilege to move your organization toward pay equity.”

Learn how to apologize

It’s human nature to make mistakes, but the ability to recognize and make amends for those mistakes is what sets those who actually want change apart from the rest. Anti-Racism editor-in-chief Nicole Cardoza shared that “sometimes, an apology can be an excellent start to transforming our relationships – with ourselves, each other, and society as a whole.”

But just apologizing is not enough. Cardoza shared additional recommendations she has learned from other resources:

• Invest in self-reflection
• Say you’re sorry
• Acknowledge the impact
• Change your behavior

Ask candidates how they’ve contributed to diversity and inclusion in past roles

To further inclusion efforts, it’s important for organizations to prioritize diversity in representation both externally and internally. This means ensuring that all candidates understand and work towards making your organization one of inclusivity and inclusion. From the book “Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces,” here are a few suggested questions to ask potential hires during the interview process:

• How have you contributed to an inclusive workplace culture or community?
• Tell me about your experience working with diverse teams.
• What have you done to ensure that coworkers feel a sense of belonging?
• Have you had the opportunity to act as someone’s ally at work? Tell me about it.
• If you were to take steps to diversify your team, what would you not do?