Why Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Must Be A Priority For CIOs

Between the Covid-19 pandemic, the ensuing economic disruption, and the social unrest triggered by the killing of George Floyd, this has been a year of continuous challenges. One glaring fact from these crises is the ongoing presence of race, gender and class-based disparities in our society and the undeniable truth that the burdens of 2020 have fallen heavily upon already-disadvantaged groups.

Addressing these disparities in the workplace must be a priority for CIOs and other leaders within government and in critical industries like IT. Studies show that minorities and women are severely underrepresented in those fields; equally concerning is that some of these studies identify pay and promotion gaps which originate at hiring and persist throughout life-long career paths. Government and private employers can only address these gaps by expanding their own awareness of them and having open and honest discussions about what can and should be done to encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the workforce.

Despite its name, the new White House Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping (EO) runs counter to these facts. For example, the EO asserts that the “civil service system is based on merit principles.” While the federal merit system aspires to build a qualified and diverse workforce, the ongoing pay and promotion gaps for women and minorities—especially within executive ranks—suggest that merit determinations are not applied equally. Hiring managers through the public and private sectors must be willing to both self-reflect and examine ways in which the “system” itself may be failing the U.S. workforce. Only through honest conversations about these issues will we truly close the existing gaps. The EO would undermine those efforts and chip away at the progress many companies have made toward making the workplace more inclusive and equitable.

Improving diversity, equity, and inclusion is imperative, as a matter of basic human decency. It is also a core value for the technology industry and critical to America’s economic growth and competitiveness. In the U.S., current demographic analysis shows that the under 18 population is the most diverse ever, and that the country is one generation from becoming a majority minority country. Businesses hoping to succeed in this emerging world must embrace that reality today by accelerating changes to ensure that your workforce represents and understands the communities that you serve.

Embracing those changes in workforce will provide a new source of disruptive ideas that enable companies to stay creative and competitive. That can be as simple as providing ready access to tried and tested ideas sourced from around the world. But it can be as complex as building a representative management team empowered to foster and amplify the innovative ideas of a diverse workforce.

Self-reflection and commitment to improve are hallmarks of leadership. Many leading technology companies have made these commitments to improve and better uphold these principles, and a common feature is their transparency about the current state of their workforce, and the positive impact of their diversity and inclusion programs. While these efforts are important steps, and provide insight into progress as it is made, our industry has more work to do to encourage meaningful change.

These changes are generational, not transitory; they require ongoing support and commitment from leaders of all backgrounds. At the same time, you should be regularly asking what you can do as a leader. It’s easy to nod affirmation, provide abstract support, and say aspirational things in public settings, but those actions often fail to bring about meaningful change. Instead, participate in discussions and decisions in a real way to appreciate and learn from experiences different from your own. It’s easy to hire or mentor someone who looks and sounds like you. Instead, set expectations for yourself and your peer senior leaders as cross-cultural mentors and hiring managers to build a workforce and environment of different experiences, backgrounds and opinions.

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