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The word ‘diversity’ has become commonplace in most workplaces.
But according to a local expert in the field, the definition of that concept may be difficult and even confusing to pin down.
“Diversity is like the big buzz word right now and it’s a big topic that’s on everyone’s mindset,” says Dr. Nada Basir, Assistant Professor at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business at Waterloo University. “Companies are putting money into it because we all know that it’s important. But business leaders, when they think about diversity, tend to think of it on the surface level.”
As a result, she says the deep level of diversity, not just the observable points relating to gender, race, and nationality, often get overlooked.
“While we understand diversity is about differences, we sometimes narrowly focus on one type, and I think that’s where there is confusion and that’s where we need to think a little bit more outside the box.”
Dr. Basir will delve into this subject even deeper at our Women Leadership Collective Series event entitled: ‘Collaboration Between Men and Women to Empower Each Other, Inspire Each Other, and Lead Together’. During this in-person event Oct. 21 at Langdon Hall, she will explore what kind of diversity matters when it comes to producing benefits in the workplace.
“But I don’t want to make a case as to why diversity is important because we already know it’s important,” she says, noting introducing diversity in the workplace is not just about hiring or collaborating with diverse people. “It’s about the context that diversity is in and how do we make sure the teams or companies we are building are harnessing that diversity. What does it mean to have people come to the table and feel engaged and welcomed, and how do we tap into their identity-related knowledge?”
Dr. Basir says many companies may have a 50/50 split between male and female employees and feel they are doing well when it comes to promoting diversity, but this is not always the case.
“Who is making the decisions in that company? Who are in the leadership roles?” she says, explaining research surrounding motherhood show that women tend to leave the workforce more than men because they may not feel supported enough when it comes to such things as childcare or fertility issues. “We can have a diverse workplace but if the environment does not cater to it and leverage it, then what’s the point?”
When it comes to creating a diverse and collaborative workforce in a post-COVID-19 environment, Dr. Basir says companies have learned about the importance of being more agile.
“The world is complex and complicated, and things change very quickly in business since customers and stakeholders are involved in everything that’s happened and we have to keep them engaged, and it can be really costly if we don’t pay to attention to diversity,” she says.
Dr. Basir says relying on different perspectives and lived experiences can help the decision-making process at any company and hopes to convey that to participants at the Oct. 21 event.
“I hope it’s a workshop of reflection in terms of what people thought diversity was and why it’s important and maybe when they leave, they’ll have a different perspective on what diversity should look like,” she says, referring to the research she will also introduce to build a business case for diversity. “I want to talk about what do we know about diversity in terms of ROI (Return on Investment).”
To find out more, visit our Events Calendar. |
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Brian Rodnick 235 March 9, 2025 |
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Greg Durocher 41 July 28, 2023 |
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Canadian Chamber of Commerce 24 January 29, 2021 |
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Cambridge Chamber 2 March 27, 2020 |
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Phone: 519-622-2221
Fax: 519-622-0177
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