Editorial
| Published date | 11 June 2018 |
| Pages | 109-109 |
| Date | 11 June 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-04-2018-0029 |
| Author | Javier Bajer |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour |
Editorial
Javier Bajer
Why ‘diversity’might be missing the entire point
Most organisations have a diversity and inclusion agenda, trying to get their numbers right and
making sure there is enough representation of skin colour, gender, background and age.
Unfortunately, many are missing the point, struggling to get the value that comes from true diversity.
Originally from the Latin divertere, “to turn in different directions”, diversity is about being able to bring
together different ways of thinking. Far from a box-ticking headcount exercise, it is about benefiting
from having a range of perspectives and opinions. This, and only this, is what feeds an organisation
with the right culture of innovation, an openness to change and a capacity to drive the markets.
The traditional approach to diversity often fails to add much value. People that look very
different on the outside can still fall into unavoidable group thinking, quickly agreeing to
ignore the elephantin the room and to leave the boat un-rocked.
In this issue of Strategic HR Review, we have collated a range of “diverse” opinions on
diversity and inclusion. Do not look for patterns, but let ideas challenge your thinking,
encouraging newways of truly building diversity in your organization:
nIn Metrics of the Glass Ceiling at the Intersection of Race and Gender, Buck Gee and
Denise Peck look at hard datato examine the (largely unsuccessful) corporate efforts to
increaseracial diversity in management andexecutive levels at Silicon Valleytech firms.
nIn How Diversity (That is Included) Can Fuel Innovation and Engagement –and How
Sameness Can be Lethal, Stephen Frost makes the case that diversity must go hand-in-
hand with inclusion if organizations are to truly reap the benefits of it.
nIn The Dividends of Diversity: The Win-Win-Win Model is Takin g Over Business and it
Necessitates Diversity, Donald Sheppard demonstrates concrete ways in which diversity is good
for business, good for clients, good for customers and, ultimately, good forthe larger community.
nIn Turning Expatriates’ Cultural Intelligence into Strategic Advantage, Aideen O’Byrne
draws on the experiences of a diverse group of individuals to highlight the importance
of cultural intelligence in expatriates’ work performance.
Sometimes diversity has to feel uncomfortable, unsettling and inconvenient. When choosing
teams, look for people who bring differentexperiences to the table, who are more committed
with the idea of addingvalue than with their own need to “fit in” and survive a job.
If you cannot do this, feel free to getdistracted by the diversity agenda, making sure you find
like-mindedpeople who look rather different on the outside.
Regards,
Dr Javier Bajer
Editor-in-Chief
Strategic HR Review
DOI 10.1108/SHR-04-2018-0029 VOL. 17 NO. 3 2018, p. 109, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 jSTRATEGIC HR REVIEW jPAGE 109
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