Inclusion : Diversity’s Tramp, Step Sister

We’ve all heard it before: Technology companies are under immense scrutiny to exercise ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ (D&I) as they pledge their allegiance to equitable workplaces. Why? Because increasing number of employees expect a fair, equitable workplace and believe D&I will get them there. In a series of studies conducted by Deloitte, D&I has repeatedly emerged as a topic of global importance (with emerging economies rating it higher than their established counterparts).

Percentage of respondents rating D&I as either ‘important’ or ‘very important’

Despite the expectations, organizations’ response can at best be described as underwhelming. Solutions often include creation of a new department called ‘Diversity & Inclusion’, typically headed by a Chief Diversity Officer. Also typically sitting under the the aegis of HR, this department often invites diversity experts for talks and holds mandatory trainings for people managers. It also regularly sends blasts of D&I information and equitable workplace regulation trainings (in addition to the existing pile of Ethics, Gifting, Software Coding, Harassment and Privacy policies’ trainings). In addition to that, the department also pro-actively sponsors more female employees to women-empowering conferences, works to have a visible organization representation on pride parades and pushes upper management to create a pro-D&I image on social media. And yet, employees don’t feel their workplace is inclusive. In a…