Diversity in Tech
How to build a more diverse workplace
Hint: It’s not about hiring quotas.
Hi! I’m a (cis)female human that works in the tech space.
If a statement with language like that wasn’t inflammatory enough for you, I should mention that I’m also ambiguously multiracial & invisibly queer. All this to say: diversity & inclusion is a topic particularly close to my heart, and I think about it a lot.
I love working in diverse workspaces. I love the different solutions and the amazing discussions that happen when people from different backgrounds work together as a team. But building and maintaining diverse workplaces is hard, and it isn’t accomplished by just “hiring more women and minorities.” It’s accomplished by holding space for people to comfortably be themselves.
And that benefits everyone.
Being someone people feel comfortable around is a superpower
Being someone people feel comfortable sharing their experiences with is extremely important. At its core, UX is all about being a strong advocate for other people’s experiences… especially when they differ from your own. In other words, foster a culture of inclusion and understanding and you’ll make better, more useable software.
Foster a culture of inclusion and understanding and you’ll make better, more useable software.
So, how do you create space for diversity and build a team where everyone feels comfortable identifying their unique perspectives?
Start on a personal level
This might go without saying, but unless your team is willing to actually put some personal effort into creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, you’re not going to have much success. One toxic attitude can sink this effort pretty easily. Luckily, most people are willing to try, and as you follow these other steps, you’ll start to slowly shift the attitudes of people around you.
The other great (and perhaps key) thing about this process is that you don’t have to call out race or gender, especially if you think it’ll be a hot button issue. You can foster more inclusive attitudes about anything. Are there employees in your office that don’t drink? Great, how will you validate that choice and create space for them in social situations? Are there employees in your office that are colour blind? Fantastic, are you checking to make sure the charts you make are readable?
It’s okay to make mistakes
It is okay to make mistakes, and it’s important to hold space for others to make them too. One of my personal mantras in life is a modified version of Hanlon’s Razor:
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by ignorance.
I firmly believe in creating space for people to learn, which always comes with making mistakes. Ignorance that comes from a lack of exposure to something has no bearing on a person’s intelligence and shouldn’t be punished. It can be hard to really grasp how your words affect people, until someone tells you that they were affected.
Unfortunately, the problem is that people don’t share their identities experiences until they feel safe, respected, and valued. And until they share, it’s easy for others to be totally unaware that there is any problem at all. And if they don’t see a problem, there’s no motivation to change or improve.
In 2016, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov denied allegations that gay men were being captured and tortured in the Russian republic, not because such abuses would be atrocities, but because he thought there were no gay men in Chechnya, saying:
“This is nonsense. We don’t have those kinds of people here. We don’t have any gays.”
I remember when this story broke. This statement was so clearly and patently ridiculous to me because I mean … in those circumstances, would any Chechen who identified as gay feel comfortable standing up and being counted? Of course not!
This is obviously an extreme example, but micro versions of this play out in workplaces every day. Learning to pause, learning to use different language, learning to leave space for others is hard. It feels awkward at first, and it can be easy to dismiss it as “unnecessary PC overkill” because there are no employees visible to you that even need these considerations in the first place. But remember; just because they’re not visible doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Just because they’re not visible doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
It’s okay to make mistakes in this process. It’s okay to use the wrong language, it’s okay to be awkward, and it’s okay to accidentally say the wrong thing. The key thing is to be someone who tries! Knowing that you’ll make the effort allows others on your team to feel comfortable. Don’t punish people for using the wrong language or for their lack of exposure to diverse perspectives. Instead, lead by example, share stories, demonstrate inclusion, be vulnerable, explain why you’re trying something different,
repeat,
repeat,
repeat,
& you’ll facilitate more of these inclusive experiences.
Language really does matter
Part of the reason why it should be okay to make mistakes is that language is a moving target. It’s also extremely important. Using inclusive language is treating people different than you with respect. When President Barack Obama passed Rosa’s Law (removing the term “mental retardation” from legislation and replacing it with “intellectual disability”) he quoted Rosa’s brother, saying:
“What you call people is how you treat them. If we change the words, maybe it will be the start of a new attitude towards people with disabilities.”
Language is one way that you can signal to your coworkers that your workplace is safe, and that they can be themselves around you.
Again, its fine to make mistakes as long as you’re trying! Here are a couple key principles:
1. User gender neutral language by default.
This doesn’t mean never acknowledging gender — it just means using gender inclusive language, unless indicating someone’s gender is acutely relevant (Hint: it usually isn’t.) Instead of: “Can I get you ladies a glass of water?” try: “Can I get anyone a glass of water?”
2. Put a person’s humanity first and avoid words that imply “victimhood”
Instead of “diabetics” or “diabetic people,” try “people who manage diabetes.” Use affirming and positive words like “managing” rather than negative terms like “suffering from.” Generally, use language that acknowledges that people are more than their characteristics, and that doesn’t assume or imply what their experience might be.
3. Ask, ask ask!
Always Be Asking! This might feel awkward at first, but the more you do it, the more casual it sounds. Try: “How do you like to be addressed?” “What do you like to be called?” or “I’d like to be respectful, what’s the best language and terminology to use in this case?” “Can you repeat again how you pronounce your name, so I can get it right?”
Because people are diverse, there is no one right answer with language. It’s a process that’s about showing respect, and asking is just a respectful thing to do. Some PhDs like to be called “Dr.”, some don’t, some people use different pronouns, some people hate having their name shortened, some people have children with special needs and are extra sensitive to ableist or exclusionary language. Ask and they’ll tell you what works with them. It’s all about recognizing and respecting those around you.
If you can, be open about your own unique identities and experiences
I’ve noticed that one of the best and most effective way to build a positive, trusting, and diverse team is to be open and vulnerable with those around you.
A coworker of mine often shares thoughts on what it’s like having a child with a serious chronic condition that is mostly invisible to others. (More on invisible disabilities here.) These conversations have helped me think twice about what I assume is happening in other peoples lives. Thanks to her stories, I feel more equipped to keep space and advocate for those who manage invisible disabilities, because I have heard a little bit about what that experience feels like.
About a week after starting at Ayogo, I remember walking into the lunchroom, where a coworker was sharing with another coworker her experience as a queer woman, and how that manifested in different workplaces where people often made assumptions about the nature of her relationships. It was a perfectly comfortable, appropriate and respectful lunchroom conversation, but it blew me away. Up to that point, having an honest conversation about a subject like that at any workplace had felt …impossible. Suddenly, I felt much more comfortable just being myself at work. My coworker did not really know me. I had not disclosed anything about myself. But in being vulnerable, she had made the space a more comfortable place for me to be, and made me feel much more comfortable speaking up at work — even about work things that were entirely unrelated to identity.
Sharing and being a little bit vulnerable at work creates space for others, increases empathy, and helps us all understand each other better.
Hiring quotas won’t solve diversity issues if your workplace isn’t a comfortable place for people to be different. Valuing each team member’s unique and varied experience will create more trust between teammates, and will make for better, more accessible, more usable software.
Try these tips out and tell me what you think. In my experience, if you keep at it long enough, you’ll start to shift the behaviour of those around you. Suddenly you’ll find you have great, inclusive, diverse teammates that want to stay working with each other for as long as they can.
Personally, I think that’s worth every effort.
