Inclusion & Diversity Competency Flashcards
Refers to a workforce that approaches problems using different conceptual thought approaches that may stem from atypical brain structure, for example, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anything categorized as existing on the autism spectrum (autism spectrum disorder, or ASD).
Neurodiversity
A feeling that one’s success is due to luck, not hard work or skill; can lead individuals to feeling unfit for their current role.
Impostor syndrome
The similarities and differences between individuals, accounting for all aspects of one’s personality and individual identity.
Diversity
Extent to which each person in an organization feels welcomed, respected, supported, and valued as a team member.
Inclusion
Voluntary group for employees who share a particular diversity dimension (race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.); also known as affinity group or network group.
Employee resource group (ERG)
Defensive behavior that occurs when an organization recruits a diverse workforce but, consciously or otherwise, promotes assimilation rather than inclusion. Affects appearance, affiliation, advocacy, and association
Covering
Additional workload that is generated for members of an underrepresented group due to their requested participation in I&D efforts.
Cultural taxation
Generally, traits that are easily recognizable and visible, such as external physical characteristics. Culture, ethnicity/race, nationality, gender, physical attributes, age, and language are all examples of legacy diversity traits.
Legacy diversity
Diversity based on lived experiences, for example, where an employee grew up, where they went to school, and other life experiences (family, hobbies, interests). Employees with similar or shared experiences can form connections and work well together. At the same time, these bonds can result in the formation of cliques, which can have an exclusionary effect in some cases.
Experiential diversity
Diversity based on different perspectives, resulting from education and socioeconomic background. Introducing thought diversity can help guard against “group think,” inject new insights into decision making, and help identify prime candidates to tackle urgent problems and issues.
Thought diversity
In hiring, this means providing additional resources to those who need them to take fair advantage of opportunities within a company.
Equity
Different generations bring different skill sets and perspectives, each of which can provide value.
Partnering employees from different generations can help generate innovative and creative solutions and ideas.
Provides opportunities for cross-generational learning and mentoring and knowledge transfer.
Different generations require different engagement strategies (benefits, career path opportunities, management style).
Multigenerational
Organizations have access to greater diversity of thought and experience and can therefore benefit from more innovation and creativity in decision making.
Can gain valuable insights into other cultures for the purpose of market expansion and finding and appealing to new customers.
Opportunities to appeal to diverse talent and customers.
Multicultural
Environments can help foster greater inclusion and diversity and therefore more innovation and creativity.
Environments can attract top talent and new customers.
Employees can provide opportunities for organizational growth and are able to bridge certain gaps in understanding and communication (with customers, vendors, other employees).
Employees can help provide language support in-house—for example, in customer service or with overseas branches and offices.
Encouraging this can also benefit the workforce, as they acquire new skills and ways of thinking, which in turn can help engagement and retention.
Multilingual
Workforces are flexible and able to adapt to fast-paced, changing situations and work environments.
Workforces can be more collaborative, which can enhance team building and engagement.
Can lead to challenges with retention if multitalented employees feel dissatisfied or unchallenged.
Multitalented
Gender diversity leads to more innovative thinking and encourages diverse idea exchange.
Organizations are able to attract top talent (especially top non-male candidates).
Can signify a forward-thinking organization and leadership, which can attract more and diverse customers.
Multigendered
Results in intentional behavior and may manifest in the form of physical and verbal harassment or other deliberate actions such as exclusion.
Conscious bias
May not result in overt and deliberate action, but it still informs decision-making processes and behaviors, though an individual or organization isn’t aware of it.
Unconscious bias
