You Can’t Make a Smoothie Using Only Bananas: A Conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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To be different in a homogenous environment can require wearing an “invisible jacket” – heavy, clunky and uncomfortable. You hide your true self in order to fit in, you code-switch to be accepted and not experience bias, and you return home at the end of the day exhausted from faking it to make it. This requirement is changing, as it should! But the change is a journey, and it requires all of us taking it one step forward at a time. Implementing DEI initiatives in the workplace helps increase creativity, attract talent and help with the bottom line by ensuring that everyone feels safe, supported and like they belong. The ultimate goal of inclusion is allowing us to remove that invisible jacket and be seen for everything we are.
Dima Ghawi engaged an enthralled – and at times foot-shuffling – crowd during her session, “Beyond the Image of Diversity: How to Create a Culture of Inclusion,” with her open self-reflection, passionate guidance, personal anecdotes and actionable steps in the journey of implementing true DEI in the workplace at the 33rd Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference. Some of her main points centered around the fact that you cannot accomplish inclusion without diversity because no diversity means no inclusion for all. DEI gets uncomfortable sometimes, but every step we take is a step forward in the journey. With a DEI initiative, the team itself should be diverse and inclusive. What doesn’t faze you may cause another extreme discomfort, and no matter how good your intentions are, you will misstep without well-rounded input.
Ghawi says DEI needs to be a continuous conversation, not just a virtual seminar once every five years. She mentioned hearing often that DEI training doesn’t work and counters that statement by reiterating the journey of true DEI. Even one small step – such as hiring her but declaring no this, no that and definitely no those to topics in her training – are a step forward. However, she also says DEI training is like a smoothie: If you throw out the things you don’t like, you end up with bananas!
Perceptions of DEI
According to Ghawi, the perception of DEI exists on a scale from one to five. She says most companies currently fall between two and four, and she has never trained or encountered a level five company. (Here’s hoping she will come back in the future saying otherwise.)
1. Reactive – This group wants DEI to go away and sees it as a waste of time or a phase. This is the group that believes a one-hour training, usually in response to an issue, will “fix” everything.
2. Nice to have/a luxury we can’t afford – This group sees the potential in a DEI initiative but doesn’t have the necessary push to move forward.
3. This group is starting to realize the value of DEI, but they don’t know how to implement it in their workplace. They are more curious, they want to learn and they are demanding more training.
4. This group is dedicated to DEI strategy. Their workplace has employee networks, DEI is always part of the conversation and they take intentional steps forward in the DEI journey.
5. This group is the future – DEI is part of the fabric of the organization, essential and ingrained in the culture.
Who is Driving the DEI Movement?
Ghawi says DEI initiatives are spearheaded, requested and desired primarily by millennials and gen Z – under 40 – who are demanding DEI in the workplace, demanding training and wanting to be allies and support others. These are the people who are subject to stereotypes of laziness, lack of commitment and entitled, when, really, they’re the ones who refuse to settle for the status quo.
Ghawi shared a story of Olivia, a young Black woman, who graduated from college and immediately got a job at a bank with a great salary and fantastic benefits. After a few years, their paths reconnected, and Ghawi was excited to hear about Olivia’s growth within the company. She was surprised to hear that Olivia planned to leave her job. That’s because she noticed that, in the entire group of executives in the company, there was no one who looked like her. She ended up finding a position at another bank that highlighted its commitment to DEI - a win for that bank and for Olivia, but a loss for her original employer.
Ghawi also mentioned that the conversation surrounding DEI in the workplace and in the world increased drastically in the last two years, driven by a pivotal event in our recent history: the murder of George Floyd. His death was the catalyst in many organizations, and people in general, recognizing the need for change and taking the first step.
Why Do We Need Dedicated DEI Initiatives?
It may seem like we should just be able to BE diverse, equitable and inclusive in the workplace. However, we are human. We are plagued by unconscious biases and a fast brain that makes split-second decisions. Biases are developed by upbringing and exposure, and these divide us and create fear of the “other.” Having biases is all part of being people, and they don’t make you bad. They simply require you to slow down and engage your slow brain – ask why and truly think about the answer.
These are the most common biases, out of over 180 total, according to Ghawi:
· Affinity bias – You look, act and think like me, so you are on my side.
· Confirmation bias – This is where we cherry-pick information based on what we already believe and ignore anything to the contrary.
· Guilt by association – This is where we judge someone not by who they are but by who they can be grouped with, be it religion, culture, color and more.
You may still be thinking, “Hey, it’s 2022. We’re enlightened and we don’t need this.” Ghawi shared the results of a survey done by one company she later did training at, and its results are eye-opening. The survey asked a group of people whether they feel they have equitable opportunities for professional development and advancement. The survey found that 81% of men felt they had equitable opportunities, but only 66% of women said the same. The survey also found that 71% of white respondents said yes, while only 48% of non-white respondents said yes.
Just because something doesn’t affect you doesn’t mean it isn’t a problem. Surveys like this show just how important DEI is in the workplace.
Implementing DEI Initiatives
In order to create a successful DEI environment in the workplace, the following things are the place to start, according to Ghawi.
1. Executive buy-in – This is the core of creating inclusion, and it echoes the anti-fraud ethos of “Tone at the Top.” A DEI initiative needs dedicated leadership and to remember that it’s a journey. One step forward – even a small one – creates momentum to carry the initiative forward.
2. The organization’s current state – You have to get a baseline for your organization so you know where to start and what steps to take. DEI isn’t a pill that’ll fix everything. You have to figure out what works and what isn’t working. You can do this through surveys and focus group discussions, and you have to look at the demographics of the company, especially in regard to leadership and how it compares to other employees and your membership/customers/clients.
3. Awareness and dialogue – Ghawi shared the reaction of a receptionist after she started a DEI training at a company: “You just told them their baby is ugly!” It’s not always easy to hear that things aren’t as good or healthy as you think they are. You will have to get uncomfortable to move forward. Have the conversations and be transparent about where you are and where you want to be.
With a DEI initiative, everyone who wants to come should come. There should be an open door and the conversations should be inclusive, not exclusive. We cannot promote DEI if we’re excluding anyone, so members and allies should be welcome.
According to Ghawi, a key factor in building the conversation is employee networks. These provide a forum to discuss topics essential for creating an inclusive working environment; highlight current disadvantages precluding specific groups from excelling in the work environment; and encourage learning, networking and building relationships.
Ghawi wrapped up her session by highlighting the following initiatives that are required to successfully implement DEI in the workplace.
1. Internal communication – DEI must be discussed across the board in the company, within the group, and from the top executive to the brand new intern. You must communicate initiatives so that everyone is aware of them.
2. External branding – Ask the question, “what are we sharing with the world?” If you’re committed to the journey, it’s not misleading to share it, even if you’re just starting. Ghawi shared a story about the Cardiovascular Institute of the South and how they were faced with nurses fending off rude comments and discrimination from patients. Instead of telling the nurses to get over it, they implemented a new protocol that requires patients to sign an agreement to not discriminate or be rude, and to be respectful. They made a commitment to take care of employees first and foremost, and they didn’t hesitate to share it.
3. Recruitment – Go beyond stating that you’re an equal opportunity employer; that is federally required. Highlight that you value diversity and are committed to DEI. Shift the mindset of how you define “diverse hire” (it’s not filling a seat - it’s benefiting the whole company). Ghawi stated diversity in hiring means hiring that is based on merit, recognizing qualified individuals for their skills, experience and knowledge, and removing biases.
