Recently, I conducted a leadership development training and posed a question to the audience. The question evoked some subtle but audible “oooohs and ahhhhs” from the participants. It was clear these leaders were wrestling with this phenomenon in the workplace, whether it was them or others. The question was:

Organizations that desire effective diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging must be aware of the ways bias can threaten their pursuits of a healthy workplace.

The word “multigenerational” is often one of those words we like in theory, but when it comes down to it, we expect more of the challenges than the benefits in our organizations.

There is great power within the words we use–for better or worse. Whether it’s intentional or not, your organization is setting a tone and a culture through the vocabulary you use.

Equity and inclusivity don’t begin at the team orientation meeting. They begin with the hiring process itself. In a society where distinctively Black names on entry-level job applications are showing a 2.1% less chance of getting called back, and where white Americans are consistently surpassing Hispanic applicants in higher paying management positions, and where 25% of women say they are being unfairly compensation in comparison with their male co-workers, there is work to do as we desire to promote equity and inclusivity in our hiring practices.

Diversity is a hot topic in today’s culture. There is a growing interest in diversity within organizations, and it can be challenging to understand not only the path to get there successfully but also what diversity is in the first place.