What DEI and Babel Tower Have in Common
Looking back at HR trends in recent years such as data-driven HR, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, remote work, and strategic HR, it’s apparent that they have been changing rapidly one after another. This can be attributed to two main factors: either they have been widely embraced, driving significant transformation in the industry and professions, aligning with their intended goal of advancing support for people and catalyzing positive changes in businesses; or, alternatively, in some organizations, they may not have gained traction due to a lack of recognition of their value by the business, leading to insufficient support or a lack of resources to implement them effectively.
Written by: Tanja Trajkovic
I find each of these trend’s intriguing, especially considering the tendency for them to not reach their full potential in terms of understanding and implementation before being replaced by new ones. This trend within the HR profession is likely not immune to broader technological trends, where one framework replaces another and evolves or does not alongside them. In this instance, I’m particularly drawn to the DEI concept and believe it warrants special attention.
While the concept of a Babel Tower envisions an idealistic scenario where people of diverse nations and languages collaborate towards a common goal, there are certain elements that taints this vision. Put simpler, like every coin has two sides, this concept, even when grounded in the best intentions of humanity, comes with its challenges and a less favorable side that we often deliberately overlook. This may be because acknowledging it is unpleasant or because we tend to focus solely on the positive due to a lack of critical thinking.
The concept also harbors a certain level of contradiction.
Corporate culture, with its set values and behavioral norms, can sometimes constrain and inhibit this diversity of expression as each human trait encompasses various forms and expressions
Targeting less privileged regions, individuals with different backgrounds, or promoting women in leadership positions inherently also implies a form of discrimination against other regions and more competent individuals
How can we be certain that DEI initiatives represent a genuine progression in human rights, rather than a more sophisticated form of workforce exploitation with a veneer of dignity and advancement
Keeping this in mind, questions that need to be examined more closely before determining whether the organization has the capacity for its implementation and following maturity framework include:
Does DEI exclusively revolve around attaining numerical diversity and offering support for women in organizations, or does it encompass more comprehensive aspects?
How can we assess our preparedness for DEI?
Is it merely a way to demonstrate open-mindedness and a desire for progress, lacking substantial actions?
What foundational conditions must be met before launching a DEI initiative, and what key components are crucial for a prosperous DEI strategy?
Some cultures with strong legal frameworks in labor relations have already integrated and implemented DEI principles even before the concept existed, making them more advanced compared to others. This includes concepts such as zero tolerance for discrimination and harassment, the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace, respecting individual identities, and acknowledging differing opinions. Furthermore, these same cultures serve as a objective mirror to those where the mentioned categories of human rights were clearly neglected, suppressed, and had been basic, requiring a special movement like this one to highlight and restore them. Good or bad, early or late, looking at it positively, it is certainly a step forward and in the right direction.
Leaving aside everything that has been said about the concept in various ways, the aspect why the concept has never been fully implemented, despite various tools, movements, approvals, and support, is how truly we are able to understand diversity in actions, genders, words, and behaviors, and not to be lost in translation and judgmental about it.
Pragmatically, through a few examples from daily work and interactions with and among employees, at first glance, it may seem like a misunderstanding, but on a deeper level, it reflects a lack of understanding of diversity and looks like this:
Person A: How are you doing? You look exhausted—everything okay?
Translation:
If we reduce layer of hurt ego because someone pointed that doesn’t look nice, there is a misunderstanding that person A was showing care for others wellbeing coming from culture where such questions are normal. Meanwhile, Person B took it very personally, coming from a culture where care is not typically expressed in that manner.
Person A: She can’t say that to me, I’m the boss here.
Translation:
The educational system used to place a strong emphasis on nurturing critical thinking skills, aiming to produce individuals who were not only knowledgeable but also global citizens with robust personalities. As a result, specific behaviors in a work environment were often interpreted as displays of boldness, strong opinions, and occasionally, an air of arrogance.
As seen from the examples, it is linked to active listening, the courtesy of refraining from commenting on things we don’t understand or for which we lack facts and evidence, avoiding hasty conclusions based on subjective perceptions and assumptions, and the goodwill to seek understanding with someone even if their perspective differs. This difference should not be a reason for disregard. The movie Wicked highlighted that we haven’t made significant progress from previous stages and that fully embracing all layers of diversity remains a persistent challenge.
It will be interesting to see in the coming years, knowing all this now, together with power of AI, the new frameworks of maturity within the concept that go beyond policies and training—assuming that we, as individuals and work environments, have progressed enough to see beyond them. Good luck to the HR folks!
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