Companies that excel in their diversity and inclusion efforts and companies that don’t do so well both struggle with the same silent saboteur: othering. As society makes strides to become more inclusive and expand the language of diversity, BIPOC and LGBTQ communities are often further marginalized within even the most well-intended environments.
Othering is the practice of exclusion based on particular identities that don’t fall in line with the “norm” or dominant culture. It’s a biased perspective capable of eroding morale and company culture and can be a roadblock to new employee and company opportunities.
Othering manifests itself within the workplace in two common ways:
Us vs. Them. Viewing your team and their identities as categories in which they fit, i.e., “They are Black, Asian, Muslim, LGBTQ, etc..” Viewing people through this narrow and limited lens compartmentalizes people and strips them of their humanity. “Othering” can occur by how a company defines “diversity.” Suppose you define diversity as everyone who isn’t a part of “your” particular group or the majority. In that case, you create a defining line that places you, or your group, on one side and the “diverse” people, or “the others,” on another side.
Relying too much on diverse staff. When a company attempts to increase its diversity and inclusion efforts, unfortunately, the first thing they often do is rely solely on their diverse staff – usually their BIPOC and LGBTQ staff. This places the burden of education and representation on the already marginalized staff members, which is an unfair responsibility and reduces their contribution to only that of their identity group.
There are solutions. This isn’t a catch-22. In fact, these solutions are straightforward and easy to implement: Observation and practicing inclusion.
Observe the group dynamics, how work cliques are created, and if anyone is silent or shows signs of discomfort or isolation. Then, create mechanisms that foster inclusivity and togetherness, like team projects where the groups are randomized and group exercises that allow for engaged open interactions.
Creating solutions doesn’t have to be complicated. Just as Plato believed virtue has to be practiced, inclusion has to be practiced. And with a bit of sincere practice, you can create an inclusive environment where no one feels “othered,” and everyone can be themselves.