A Look Into Labor Relations and DEI
Diversity increases creativity and innovation in the workplace. Organizations are thus taking a step in the right direction by hiring employees across different cultures, identities, and backgrounds.
But even with the global recognition that DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) are drivers for resilience in this post-pandemic world, there remains a gap between the diverse makeup of the workplace and the employees’ actual experiences with their peers, leaders, and the organization as a whole. One in four employees still does not feel valued and included at work, especially if they are not in senior positions.
The benefits of an equal-opportunity workplace can only be realized by taking a hard look at labor relations and the ways employers can better prioritize their diverse workforce.
Removing work silos to promote collaboration
In work contexts, silos, which is explained as the unwillingness to share information with coworkers of different divisions in the same company, can crop up when employees only interact and engage with others who belong to the same team or position and perform the same function. Furthermore, efforts to create a diverse and inclusive workforce remain stuck at the recruitment stage, whereas the actual workplace operations are deprived of a unique range of views and perspectives.
This can be further exacerbated by vertical hierarchy. For example, when it is the supervisor who always meets with the other teams without considering how a junior staffer can learn from other seniors and possibly offer something new to the table. Thus, removing work silos improves diversity by maximizing cross-collaboration and empowering all talents to participate in the exchange of ideas and information. In other words, DEI is not only measured in demographic numbers but even more so in the conversations and decisions that occur within the workplace.
Addressing communication issues and barriers
Because employees come from different backgrounds, it can be difficult to communicate. But employers need not sacrifice nor erase diversity for clear and effective communication. Cultural competence is crucial in the workplace because it helps in developing empathy among members of an organization. This cultivates the employees’ self-esteem and confidence since they feel seen, heard, and supported regardless of how and what they communicate.
To illustrate, there are people who come from cultures that value tact and directness, while others would prefer a more diplomatic strategy. Leaders and employees alike must then learn to navigate these differences, whether by attending cultural awareness training and workshops or simply fine-tuning their communication approach, depending on who they are speaking to. Because DEI is not only focused across cultural lines, communication barriers can also be experienced by employees who are hard of hearing or have speech disabilities. Organizations can respond to this by utilizing assistive technology across the workplace, e.g., transcription and subtitling features and text-to-speech apps.
Considering DEI in upskilling and reskilling
Employers should also consider the diversity implications of their moves toward automation and digital transformation. Women and minorities are more vulnerable to layoffs since they work jobs that are more likely to be replaced by the adoption of technology and are often newer hires than their white male counterparts. Maintaining equity and opportunity in organizational roles can hence be done by leveling up existing skills and introducing new ones. However, programs for upskilling and reskilling must still be flexibly designed in order to accommodate different schedules, learning gaps, and work-life priorities.
It must always be emphasized that DEI goes beyond recruitment; it must be integrated across areas of employee engagement, communication, and career development to avoid tokenism. As explained in a previous article on data gathering for diversity and inclusion, it always helps to gain valuable feedback on DEI initiatives and the overall work environment to identify what can be improved and acted upon. Feedback channels enable two-way communication between the management and the employees and can be set up through anonymous surveys, periodic reviews, and employee resource groups (ERGs).
Prepared by: Janice Beijin
