The distinction between diversity and inclusion
Diversity is about awareness of difference and accounting for it. In many ways, it’s a numbers game. The result is creating a balanced workplace representing society’s different groups. Organisations know, at least theoretically, that diversity is ‘good’. Indeed, they are 35% more likely to have a better bottom line than others in their industry.
However, where diversity poses a problem for absenteeism is the inability to turn those diverse numbers into an inclusive reality, on the ground.
Inclusion is about how we actively include our diverse workforce. And the problem is, if we don’t, we run the risk of alienating different individuals and creating an atmosphere which, unintentionally, causes stress.
'Inclusion’, unlike its twin ‘diversity’, is incredibly difficult to measure. It’s much more subjective. It comes down to how individuals feel about how diversity really works in the daily activities of the organisation.
What happens when inclusivity is lacking?
To understand this, it is useful to imagine examples. A tangible example is women at board level. There’s the old adage that there are more CEOs named David than there are women. Yet, even if a board is diversely representative in terms of the number of women present, this may not be enough to benefit from genuine inclusion. Those women, making up the diversity numbers, may struggle with feelings of imposter syndrome, sexism and unconscious bias, childcare issues and more, which all contribute to a greater sense of stress in the workplace.
Unless the board is inclusive of women, it doesn’t benefit from its diversity – even if the numbers are there. Inclusivity in this case would include things such as flexible working, mentorship, and dedicated training opportunities.
The same applies for minority groups. Examples include the disabled employee who doesn’t feel comfortable about asking for accommodations, the Muslim board member who is marking Ramadan needing different considerations, or the parent who doesn’t want to appear uncommitted for asking for their child’s Sports Day off.
Employees encountering a lack of inclusion will tend to keep these issues quiet. They build as stressors in the workplace, and potentially result in absenteeism. All the while, the employer is unaware there’s even a problem.
How employers can reduce absenteeism due to inclusivity issues
The solution lies in a proactive approach. Inclusivity doesn’t just happen. It is a culture which takes a dedicated approach to create. Leadership needs to be guided in how to lead an inclusive culture. This then needs to filter through to awareness throughout the organisation. There then needs to be a focus on communication which fosters openness.
Don’t let hidden reasons like inclusion lurk in your absence statistics under generic terms like ‘workplace stress’. Instead, work to uncover what’s really going on, and solve the problem.