While NASA and Facebook bask in the glow of their best places to work status of “be like us,” their inclusion narrative says exactly the opposite. According to the latest 2017 data from the Partnership for Public Service Best Places to Work in the Federal Government Beauty Contest, males make up 65.6% of the NASA workforce and whites constitute 72.2% of NASA employees. Facebook according to their latest 2017 diversity report did not fare much better. At Facebook, males compose 65% of their workforce. Whites and Asians comprised 89% of this most coveted workplace. Their senior leadership is also predominantly white (70%) and male (72%). Of women in the c-suite, 68% are white.
To borrow the 1992 Gatorade marketing pitch starring Michael Jordan, “I want to be Mike,” in this case “Mike” is NASA and Facebook.
According to a 2014 Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT) study, NASA and Facebook may be on to something by delinking job satisfaction from diversity. The report’s findings found that:
- Diversity of abilities, backgrounds, viewpoints and concepts drive positive results.
- Transitioning from a completely male team or female staff to a mixed gender organization improved income by 41%.
- Job satisfaction was much lower in a mixed gender workplace.
Essentially what the authors of this report, Sara Ellison and Wallace Mullin are saying is while gender diversity can make an organization more productive it simultaneously reduces job satisfaction.
The study which focused on a large USA white collar organization, confirms that social capital in the shape of things like trust, collaboration and job happiness, trump inclusive workplaces who are trying to recognize and embrace differences.
The die has been cast. Should an organization pursue a diverse workplace guaranteed to produce high results and revenue, or should a company chase a less diverse place of work for the sake of job satisfaction?
Ellison says the jury may still be out and more research should be done on this issue that should go beyond the examination of one organization. Maybe they should look at Facebook which defies the findings of the MIT study. They are making tons of money without racial or gender diversity. Who said to be profitable you must look like your customer. Facebook has put this notion to rest.
Are there any real surprises here? We have known for a long time that a knowing and doing gap for inclusion exists. People like the concept of diversity and inclusion more than they like the reality of diversity and inclusion.
We can continue to play this game of the blind leading the blind by following the examples of the NASAs and Facebooks of this world with their high job satisfaction and low inclusion rates, or we can start building inclusive workplaces where folks are both satisfied and fully accepted regardless of their differences.
Is job satisfaction and inclusion mutually exclusive? If we listen to NASA and Facebook, the answer may be a resounding yes.
