Why technology practitioners should focus on nurturing a diverse, equitable & inclusive workplace culture

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) IS A PROMINENT TOPIC IN THE BOARDROOM IN 2023 – AND RIGHTLY SO.

Jill is the Vice President of Solutions Engineering for APAC at Confluent, she is responsible for identifying, creating and expanding revenue for Confluent. As a senior member of Confluent’s Customer Solutions Group (CSG), she works with customer success, professional services and support teams to ensure a seamless customer journey – from on-boarding, expansion and renewal – and drive consumption of the company’s cloud native services.

AS YOU’D EXPECT FROM ANY WOMAN IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE, I’M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT DEI SHOULD UNDERPIN ANY INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE – WHICH MEANS GOING FURTHER THAN IMPLEMENTING PERFORMATIVE INITIATIVES.

A truly diverse workforce helps to bring fresh perspectives that can help challenge unconscious bias and bring new ways of thinking. There’s a clear link between diversity and a company’s ability to continue to grow and innovate.

Having people from all walks of life helps to move away from groupthink, especially in traditionally male-dominated industries such as technology. A healthy business needs diverse groups to tackle that hegemony – as Confluent has experienced with its Women Inclusion Network, for example.

Business leaders need to ensure that they are laying the foundations when building a diverse workforce – a top-down approach is vital to shaping a purpose-filled workplace culture.

HOW BIAS CAN AFFECT WORKPLACE CULTURE

Firstly, it’s important to recognise how unconscious bias can affect workplace culture. Our own personal experience affects how we interact and collaborate with others, so it’s critical – as both individuals and business leaders – to acknowledge some of the biases that may exist within ourselves.

By understanding and challenging their own internal bias, leaders can begin to identify and counteract the bias that exists within their workplace. This is essential to preserving a variety of viewpoints in the workplace, which in turn is so important to preventing stasis in the long run.

At Confluent, understanding this is an inherent part of our day-to-day – as a business that sets data into motion and helps organisations analyse it appropriately, an awareness of bias is a must. But many professionals or businesses may misinterpret bias as conviction, or experience, without recognising the potential damage.

Perhaps the most effective way to deal with bias is simply by encouraging open conversations. If leaders from underrepresented groups feel empowered to share valued personal experiences and perceptions, this can encourage others to share their own truth.

I’ve personally found that by discussing the challenges I’ve faced as a woman in the technology industry, I’ve been able to create genuine connections with people that have led to more widespread inclusion within my own teams.

Every small step towards diversity accumulates, building momentum towards company goals. They shift employee perception and workplace culture, enabling an appreciation of diversity through positive results.

PURPOSE OR PACE

Redesigning hiring practices reinforces this at the entry point for new employees, too – helping again to move the business forward. Indeed, recruitment must evolve as greater emphasis is placed on DEI.

Due to the fast-paced nature of the technology industry, it is commonplace for companies to hire the first person that can get a job done well. However, it’s time for businesses to reconsider this ‘quick fix’ method.

Although the short-term impacts of hiring quickly can seem tempting, taking time to invest in a diversified workplace will bring a lot to the table in the long run. Investing in a workforce that embodies varying backgrounds and cultural frames of reference will add a huge amount of value in terms of how a company is able to tackle challenges and operate day-to-day.

Having a diverse recruiting panel can help develop a hiring process that is more objective and enables businesses to build these well-rounded teams.

CONTINUE DRIVING TOWARDS DIVERSITY AND EQUITY

The technology industry has made significant progress in DEI since I entered my first role over 20 years ago. At Confluent, our executive team is 36% women – which would’ve been an extreme rarity at the time! But we need to keep pushing forward, and it is business leaders that must take responsibility for the move towards diversity, equity, and inclusion.

By pushing the necessity and significance of DEI, we can ensure that everyone is able to voice their opinion in a safe environment, helping create a company culture that advocates for all ways of thinking.

With a more diverse culture, organisations will be able to take a considered and original approach towards overcoming challenges and achieving success – and that can only be a good thing.