How to Embrace Diversity in the Workforce Diversity Resources

The face of the modern business landscape has changed drastically over the past few decades. Thanks to advancing technology, companies are finding affordable, time-saving solutions to everyday tasks. Additionally, most businesses now operate in a much more relaxed, informal setting than the buttoned-up companies of yesteryear. However, the diversity we now see among employees remains one of the biggest and best differences in today's workforce. People of all colors, religions, genders, ethnicities, and belief systems now work side-by-side in offices across America.

The dramatic increase in diversity within the workplace is indicative of how far we've come in the past fifty years. However, it can also come with a list of big questions for employers seeking the most effective ways to create an inclusive, harmonious office environment for all staff members. A number of organizations are finding success in conducting regular diversity training sessions for their employees. Here are some real-world examples that illustrate how diversity training can help people in all areas embrace each other's unique characteristics and arrive at a place of true respect and understanding.

Starbucks Coffee

For a coffee retail giant like Starbucks that has promoted concepts like inclusivity and social awareness since its initial rise to popularity, any incident involving implicit bias at the hands of an employee can be a major black mark on its reputation. This was the case in April 2018, when employees of a Starbucks Coffee location in Philadelphia confronted two black men for asking to use the restroom. The men, who were occupying a table without making a purchase, told staff that they were waiting for an acquaintance to join them before ordering anything; however, the manager of the Starbucks location called the police and had them escorted off of the premises. The type of unconscious bias that the employees displayed through their actions caused a great deal of outrage not just within their community, but throughout cities across America. The company quickly responded to the incident by mandating a one-day shutdown of 8,000 Starbucks locations across the U.S. on May 29, 2018, in order for all employees to attend compulsory racial bias diversity training. While the swift response by the Starbucks corporate team was commendable, the need for such a drastic and affecting shutdown would perhaps not have been necessary had such training already been conducted, as the employees at the Philadelphia location would have known how to detect and prevent unconscious racial bias. Starbucks' response to the incident demonstrated that they are committed to making sure that nothing similar ever happens again.

Papa John's Pizza

John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's Pizza, found himself at the helm of a major controversy due to racist comments and slurs he made during a company call. When confronted about these comments, Schnatter asserted that it was "OK" to have made them, as he was quoting someone else. The racist comments made by John Schnatter, as well as his defense of them, are a classic example of unconscious bias. Unlike the CEO of Starbucks, Schnatter made no attempt to undergo diversity training for racial bias and instead resigned his position at the company. Despite severing ties with Schnatter, Papa John's reputation remains tarnished to this day, and the company's stock has reported losses as a direct result of this PR nightmare.

Uber Technologies LLC

In February 2017, former Uber site reliability engineer Susan Fowler blew the whistle on the sexist treatment and discrimination she and her fellow female employees received at the hands of the rideshare giant by posting on her personal blog about some of her experiences with the company. Her post went viral, causing Uber to hire a law firm to investigate the claims made by Fowler. This investigation led to the termination of 20 employees, as well as the resignation of CEO Travis Kalanich. Incidents detailing both implicit and unconscious bias against female Uber employees, such as an incident recalled by board member Arianna Huffington in this Time Magazine article indicate a need for mandatory diversity training that could have helped Fowler's male co-workers recognize and correct their sexist attitudes, rather than treat her and her fellow female colleagues inappropriately.

Workplace diversity has come a long way over the past few decades, but there is still much to be done before everyone can truly feel equally respected. As a business owner or manager, it's up to you to ensure that your workplace environment is inclusive and safe for your entire culturally-diverse staff. Creating a diversity calendar for training sessions that address implicit or unconscious bias is the first step in creating a harmonious place where people of all backgrounds can work together.