Exploring the World at Bayer’s Berkeley, CA Campus
By Kara Murray, Senior Project and Change Control Analyst, Berkeley Diversity & Inclusion Business Council Co-Chair & Cristina Garrido-Sorto, API Projects and System Interface Specialist, 2018 Berkeley Cultural Celebration Lead
The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most diverse places in the world. Though there is always more work to be done to recruit, retain and promote diverse talent, Bayer’s campus in Berkeley, California reflects the beautiful diversity of the people who live here. Our Berkeley employees come from over 40 countries and speak more than 30 languages.
When we perceive others as different, we can sometimes create barriers that hinder understanding. Our community of employees in Berkeley takes a proactive approach to helping one another share, learn about and appreciate differences. Led by the Berkeley Diversity & Inclusion Business Council, employee resource groups and our site’s leadership team, together we seek out and support strategic initiatives to improve and enhance diversity and inclusion on our campus.
As a community, one of the things we do to celebrate these efforts — and each other — is hold the biannual Berkeley Cultural Celebration. What started in 2001 as a small employee-driven potluck has grown into a huge outdoor festival and one of the largest events on our campus. Over 300 staff volunteers came together to plan and produce the 2018 celebration for our more than 1,000 employees. This year the celebration allowed employees to share their culture, values and beliefs with others through food, literature, games, song, dance and costume. Every region of the world was represented and every department was involved. Before the celebration, employees had an opportunity to learn about a new culture as they researched and planned their booth, and at the event, they “explored the world,” traversing the campus and connecting with their colleagues about their respective backgrounds. Conversations ranged from, “Wow, I had no idea Vietnam’s food and culture were so heavily influenced by larger, surrounding nations,” to, “Tell me more about why you chose the band Nickelback to represent Canada.”
The joy at this event is palpable, but it’s more than fun and entertainment. According to research published in the Harvard Business Review, 61% of employees are doing something called “covering” or hiding or minimizing part of themselves at work to avoid standing out. These numbers are even higher for people of color and women. Covering can be anything from a person straightening her curly afro, to a person referring to his husband as his partner to not draw attention to his same-sex relationship. Both examples stem from the idea that bringing your full self to work may hurt your job prospects or your relationship with coworkers. You can probably think of an aspect of your own identity you minimize because of fear around how it may be received at work. Not only is this sad, it’s also bad for business. Covering can be exhausting, and the time and effort a person spends hiding or protecting some part of their identity is time and effort that is not dedicated to their work. There is also evidence that shows in more diverse workplaces where people feel comfortable sharing their perspectives and ideas, and when necessary, disagreeing, employees are more productive and innovative.
As a result, our fun, engaging Cultural Celebration has a clear and strong business purpose:
It helps people “uncover.” This celebration creates an intentional, open space where people can share about themselves. This sharing is appreciated and met with curiosity, and not judgement or fear.
It creates new connections and strengthens existing bonds. Real bonding happens when we share ourselves and are vulnerable. When we bond with our coworkers, we build trust. Trust is perhaps the most important component of a cohesive, efficient work environment where people can share their ideas and perspectives and know how to respectfully dissent without feeling personally attacked.
Diversity and inclusion is a constant journey for all of us. We challenge you to go deeper. If you see your coworker as different, ask questions and get to know them. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you learn. You can improve company culture while maybe becoming a better-rounded employee and person.
Learn more about Diversity and Inclusion at Bayer in the U.S.
