I’m a diversity hire
My colleagues refer to me as the ‘diversity hire’. I don’t know whether I am allowed to be offended or not. I have valuable skill and knowledge to bring to the team outside my race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
The phrase ‘diversity hire’ is a modern workplace phrase that stems from political change from the mid 1960’s. A time where people of colour and women were fighting for their place to work (source).
The phrase refers to an employee being hired not because of their skills or performance, but because of some attribute that fulfils a quota. Enabling a company to label themself as ‘diverse’. That may be hiring outside of a certain ethnicity, religion, or gender. There may be a visual component where the company aims to hire someone ‘ethnic looking’ from a promotional point of view.
Discrimination and micro-aggression in diversity hire
This form of diversity hiring can be seen as a form of discrimination and micro-aggression. Discrimination in the workplace is legislated on a state level. However, each state has adopted essentially the same definition and protected attributes. Per the Fair Work Commission discrimination is when an employee is treated worse and less favourably due to having a certain protected attribute. Each state lists their ‘protected attribute’, however some of the most common include:
- race
- colour
- sex
- sexual orientation
- age
- physical or mental disability
- pregnancy
- religion
- political opinion
A micro-aggression is typically a more subtle form of discrimination, often excused via ‘jokes’.
It can be argued that a ‘diversity hire’ is a form of discrimination. There is a nuanced idea that the employee would not have gotten the job due to their skill and merit alone. But due to (for example) their ethnicity and ability to check off the diversity quota.
The employee is inherently treated worse and less favourably by the assumption that they do not have the skills for the job. This may bleed into their work life if colleagues assume they will fail, or are not capable of certain tasks. Particularly if an employee is told or ‘joked’ at being the diversity hire and it is used as a form of justification.
Eg. “of course you do not know how to do this task you’re just a diversity hire’
Unfair practice to represent an entire demographic
The practice of a ‘diversity hire’ is inherently biased and can perpetuate harmful stereotypes. However, on the alternative this may be an opportunity for an employee to break misconceptions the employer may have. All employees should be judged on their work and skills. However, realistically internal biases can affect the hiring process. By giving someone a chance even as the ‘diversity hire’ there is an opportunity for positive workplace relation. Allowing growth of the company despite the discriminatory roots.
The unfair risk that may occur is that the ‘diversity hire’ underperforms due to extenuating circumstances. Solidifying the discriminatory bias in the employers mind. The underperformance will not be related to that individual’s race, ethnicity, age (etc,). However, in the employers mind they are interrelated. It is not fair that the employee has to navigate a new workplace, but also act as a spokesperson and sole representative of their subgroup.
‘Personality hire’
Similar phrases have been gaining attraction online, such as the token ‘personality hire’. People are being hired due to having a positive, upbeat, or attractive personality more so than for their work experience. It has been intended to be a positive attribute and play a key role in a team dynamic that is meant to promote supportiveness, positivity, and leadership. And may mean that the individual has greater ‘soft skills’.
Some people have found offence to the phrase as they believe it indicates that the employee is less hard working or does not know how to do their job. Additionally, that they get away with doing less/provides less quality to the company.
If a coworker or manager is making similar comments or pushing the idea they are less hard working then the employee may want to consider discussing this situation with a senior member of the company. To make disparaging comments intended to make someone feel worse about themselves may be a form of bullying and could require intervention.
What should a diverse workplace look like?
Each company should be mindful of diversity and have implemented steps to ensure respectful practices for all types of people. What diversity looks like will change drastically from a small to large type of business. Small businesses will only employ a certain number of people, therefore it is harder to have a variety of people. Most small businesses will start off hiring people they know and word of mouth.
However large businesses, particularly those with hundreds of employees have no excuse for a lack of hiring diversity. Diversity is not a quota to fill, but an objective to genuinely enrich a business with different perspectives and skills.
There are also extenuating factors that will affect diversity. For example, some industries are predominantly a certain gender so there is a less diverse pool to hire from. Furthermore, the location of the business may affect how they hire. Some businesses prefer and aspire to hire locally, which may skew ethnic diversity.
Signs of a good workplace
There is no precise measure for diversity, however there are positive signs including:
- Both men and women in managerial positions or positions of power.
- A range of ethnicities from all continents
- No department comprises of a single gender
- There are a variety of age ranges within a business. Keeping in mind that older employees typically hold more experience and will be in more senior positions. However, this is not always the case.
Furthermore, diversity does not necessarily mean that every single type of person, ethnicity, or sexual orientation (etc,) is hired within the business at all times. Companies are constantly changing, staff are constantly moving in or out of the business, etc. What is important is that the company does not openly exclude any one type of person. Training modules use inclusive language, policies and procedures take into account all types of people including disabilities or family responsibilities, and so on.
These types of business models are what will indicate whether a company is truly diverse or not.
Examples of a toxic workplace
Some companies will faux diversity and may exhibit underlining discriminatory tendencies. These may be more obvious to some or harder to identify for others. Some examples may be that there is just a blatant lack of diverse hiring. Whether that be that there is only one type of ethnicity or gender.
Sometimes there may be a power dynamic where the only people in power are men, whereas all entry level or less senior positions are female. This may be the case where all assistant or secretary work is done by women. Perpetuating an idea or bias that women serve men.
There may also be discriminatory rhetoric told by the owner or senior management that may indicate their beliefs about others. It is not outside the leap of logic that discriminatory views will and can flow from the top of the workplace hierarchy down to hiring processes. These ideas may permeate through a business without there being specific examples of blatant discrimination.
Diversity programs under heat in America
In the cases of Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, No-20-1199, and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. University of North Carolina et. al, No. 21-707, 600 U.S. 181 (2023), an American judge had found that some Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives were fostering discriminatory hiring processes.
The argument was that these programs are usually designed to target certain types of people, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of colour). And that anyone who was not BIPOC were excluded and therefore discriminated against. There had been growing unease that employers were fulfilling race based quotas rather than naturally hiring diversly.
In an attempt not to be caught up in negative publicity many companies have reduced the staffing for DEI programs or ceased them all together. Which in itself does not inherently improve diversity, but may indicate that companies or any admissions staff (including universities etc) should remove the focus off of race or other attributes. Strictly focusing on the priority that is skill, work experience, and opportunity for growth.
Other companies have retained their DEI programs that were specifically designed for Hispanic or African American individuals, however changed the parameters so that anyone can apply regardless of race. With other companies retaining the original programs but removing any description that they were intended for specific parameters of diversity.
These disputes have raised important messages that companies who hire with diversity of experience or training will naturally create more diversity. To artificially hire people with a certain attribute in mind may lead to discriminatory practices whether it was intended or not. Therefore, it is more efficient to ensure equal opportunities for everyone and hire within the parameters of that specific role or skill set required.
Shame diversity interviews
In recent news, the American multinational bank, Wells Fargo, has been under scrutiny after conducting scam interviews in order to fulfil DEI requirements.
In March 2020 the bank had introduced a new policy that stated ‘at least 50% of candidates interviewed for jobs paying at least $100,000 be minorities, women or people in other disadvantaged groups.’ However, the policy did not specify that the interviewees had to be hired for those roles. Furthermore, deceiving shareholders that the bank was committed to diversly hiring.
After some time a recurring pattern emerged. Candidates who fit the category of ‘minorities, women or people in other disadvantaged groups’ were receiving interviews for positions that were already filled. Alternatively, the candidate was not qualified enough for the position and could not receive a job offer.
The bank has now been asked to take part in a lawsuit by a U.S judge. The bank has since defended themselves and their commitment to diversity. However, it will be some time before a formal verdict is out on this dispute.
What to do if I am a diversity hire?
If you believe you are a diversity hire, or have been told you are, then you may want to discuss this with a manager or with Human Resources. If the phrase is offensive to you then the company should be aware of what is happening in order to intervene and promote friendly relations within the company.
It is important to note that even if an employee is the minority then it does not automatically mean they are a ‘diversity hire’ or that they are not as valued in a business. Diversity does have to start somewhere, particularly for smaller businesses. And there should not be less incentive for businesses to hire diversely in fear of being called discriminatory.
Where issues may arise is when there are other events or factors that may contribute to how the employee sees their worth in the company. This may be being left out of important meetings, being talked down to, being given junior work under their skill set, or discriminatory commentary.
If this is the case that employee may be a victim of bullying or discrimination and may be eligible for financial compensation for their pain and suffering. However, the first step is to complain to the company and work collaboratively to resolve the problem first. In some cases there may have been genuine miscommunication etc,. If that does not resolve the problem then further help may be required, or look towards a claim such as General Protections.
Conclusion to: Diversity hire or hiring diversely
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