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Can we birth an egalitarian workplace?

Published: 04 Jul 2020 - 08:26 pm | Last Updated: 01 Nov 2021 - 05:29 am
Peninsula

By Kanwal Ali

While diversity and inclusiveness are great terms to hear and agree with, it’s more a game of truth-or-dare when corporate and societal cultures are tasked to define a true egalitarian society of equal opportunities and equal rights. The success rate is often quite high when its merely a matter of publishing  company values on posters and brochures, but the going gets tough when a society or workplace truly starts seeing each individual as harbinger of a new revolution.

In today’s world, rife with protests against George Floyd’s unjust and untimely killing, there are some who will be tempted to justify, perhaps even rightly, the coercive force and brutalist strategies employed by a workforce employed for his protection as a civilian. Though this argument may be a weak condiment for some, one cannot overlook how it has been damaging the social thread and edging an agitated population towards a revolution inspired by rampant systemic racism and lack of social justice.

For some amongst us, the debate hits closer to home when we see racism and bias where it undeniably exists in its most covert yet dangerous form: the workplace. Locally or elsewhere, we are seeing huge numbers of workers being laid off, some due to truly operational difficulties faced by firms but a few also sacrificed to the whims of a biased and racist management. And while its harder to fathom reactions in a world which is amplifying social injustice, there are few ways in which individual vigilance and building distinct patterns of self-awareness can becomes an emerging value of the changing world around us. There are some covert but sure ways in which we can create more cognizance over identifying and eventually eliminating discriminatory behavior patterns from our collective conscience:

Perfect your “Speak” - the virtue of patience and art of competence acts as a dam for even the most gushing forms of abuse and prejudice. Don’t underestimate the power of good work and intentions. It is an intentional and learned behavior to ensure that all interactions are managed with the mindfulness and lack of bias to strive towards a decision based on facts and not pride.

Underline the value of Equity vs. Equality in the workplace - it’s not enough anymore to be seen as “Equal opportunity employer”- at times it is absolutely vital to overall growth of an individual group or an organizational whole to be seen as especially empathetic and considerate towards a under-represented or highly-valued clusters.

Rhetoric needs to change - the lesson will repeat itself until not only do we learn it but also teach others. The patterns of discrimination and voices raised against racism are not new to us; in fact, they are  age-old chants and mantras, only getting deafeningly louder with each generations passage through time. And before they push barriers (of both sound and morality) a shared and whole-hearted effort is needed to soothe the victimized and re-build the confidence in processes and the people running them.

Give in to real knowledge - not just the one that benefits materially and subjectively, but also knowledge of rituals, customs and phrases that may be seen as derogatory or racist. In the world being formed, scum will always be seen as scum, even if it rises to the top.

Establish the source - Racism does not always come from the “opposite” race- watch out for those closest to you and perhaps probably the same race as you. It is often the repetitive fable of Cain and Abel that we tend to forget the fastest.  

A conscious effort is needed to recognize the face-lift that an egalitarian workplace and society will do to the longevity and heartiness of the workplace. And the risk that, if not done soon, in spirt and practice, the costs of social and systemic injustice will be too high and the price of redemption unimaginable.

The author has extensive functional experience in HR & Talent Management practices in global organizations, and has been advocating better practices and processes for nearly two decades.