The clamour for greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace continues to rise. The concept of D&I may have started as personal initiatives against the homogeneous tendencies of society. The idea was for people to recognise and accept individual differences. It was a social movement that favoured the organisation of diversity over the propagation of uniformity. New and forward-thinking companies, many of them in the tech arena, have come to realise, however, that adopting D&I in the workplace not only affirms the individual’s right to self-expression but also represents a largely untapped competitive advantage.
But here’s the strange thing about it. It may seem that society and business are picking up on a novel idea that shines a bright new light on human relationships and helps us better understand how organisations should work. It’s like the world is only now waking up to the dawn of a promising new day. But really, D&I have been with us from the dawn of human civilization, even from the very beginning of life on this earth. It is a new idea that is rejuvenating more and more workplaces and offers a competitive advantage to startups in the tech arena. But the idea is not new. It has been demonstrating its power and practicality to us for the longest time now. We just never had a clue.
Cues from Language
When we talk about “exploring all options” or “doing everything possible” to get something done, we are really talking about inclusion, aren’t we? We’re acknowledging that every possibility is valuable and must be part of the process to realise the outcome we desire. We also often use phrases such as “breaking the monotony” and “standing out from among the crowd.” When we do so, we acknowledge that being different is advantageous. Aren’t we saying that diverging from the norm is good?
We often use these and other similar phrases in the workplace. They communicate actions or processes that provide some tangible benefit if we pursue them. Tech startups are increasingly aware that there are possible benefits associated with embedding these progressive ideas into the new venture. And because, as earlier mentioned, these concepts are elaborations of D&I, in our subconscious we already accept that D&I are useful and beneficial. Unfortunately, the power of the concept has remained muted by its failure to make the jump from the level of action to the level of organizational dynamics. Or perhaps, more accurately, it has remained undiscovered because of our failure to comprehend the importance of our words and make the connection that could have changed our mindsets much earlier than when it did.
D&I as Business Strategies
Just as we missed the cues from how we communicate with each other, we have also overlooked D&I clues from how we conduct business. Of course, we expect businesses to always aim for control, efficiency, and competitive advantage. More so for startups. Many of the strategies employed are based, partially or entirely, on D&I. Let’s take optimisation as an example. At its core, optimisation is simply a process that builds on the concept of inclusion. You identify every possible component or process that can make the business run more efficiently and economically.
Diversity may be even more easily spotted in business practices. It is the foundation of many strategies that include differentiation, setting price points, product diversification, and cross-selling. These are areas of concern that new ventures focus on, for obvious reasons. But somehow, it takes more effort to connect the D&I roots of these strategies to the overall workplace culture. Startups, by their very nature, tend to be more open to adopting D&I while they are forming. It’s more difficult to pivot the workplace culture once the company has become more established and set in its ways.
Lessons from Mother Nature
Biomimicry is an interesting field of study that offers many surprising answers to problems that challenge businesses and industries today. It involves adopting the strategies found in nature and emulating them in our designs and processes. And one of nature’s most powerful lessons, and probably THE most important one, is biodiversity. Biodiversity is, in fact, the reason that life on earth continues to endure. It is, without a doubt, the template upon which D&I is patterned.
In his powerful and somber documentary, “A Life on Our Planet,” the eminent broadcaster and naturalist, Sir David Attenborough, expresses his concern about the dwindling biodiversity of species. He warns that if this continues at its present rate, the entire planet could be in peril. Natural food chains, which rely on the abundance of multiple organisms, could destabilise the balance of life on Earth.
What holds true for Mother Nature can also be said for business. Companies need to mimic this most precious natural design and cultivate D&I in the workplace. Failing to do so denies them the advantages offered by the interplay of multiple perspectives and the cross-pollination of diverse ideas. The effects may not be instantly evident, but through time, as they contend with better-equipped competitors in the marketplace, the consequences could prove fatal to them.
Once again, it’s easier to build a D&I culture at the start, when a new company is still in the process of forming itself. When the culture has been firmly rooted, changing it, even if it is for the better, becomes more difficult.
Rediscovering a Vital Idea
And so, we’re back to where we are at present, at a crossroads for business and industry. Choices have to be made and made soon. Startups need to build D&I, not only encouraging it in the workplace, but also embedding it every aspect of their business. The lessons from all around us throughout history, civilisation, and evolution are clear. That we have failed to realise them earlier is baffling, but at least it brings us face to face with the opportunity to change our trajectory and set off along the right direction. D&I is a sound idea whose value has been proven in culture, in business, and in the persistence of life on earth. Just imagine what it can do for a new business venture that is just starting up.
Written by our Head of People, Mustafa Shreet