Creating More Diverse, Equitable, And Inclusive Workplaces

Research from the Canadian Marketing Association reveals new insights

We have all experienced challenges and successes molded by our individual stories. It is now much more widely understood that the challenges faced by people in marginalized communities can change the course of their personal lives and careers.
 

Looking back, it is easy to pinpoint experiences that profoundly shaped my personal and professional journeys. I grew up as a first-generation Canadian in rural Ontario – an area that was not at all diverse, I often searched for people who looked like me or who had similar experiences to me. As you can imagine, I rarely found them.

That search continued all throughout post-secondary school and as I started my professional career. There were few teachers and leaders who looked like me and even fewer who were ready to share their paths to success.

We now know that sharing those successes and pathways is how people can help harness the skills and talents of others from similar backgrounds.

The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) recently completed its second annual DEI research report about the marketing industry in Canada and the findings continue to solidify the importance and value of diversity in leadership positions. The research revealed that well-diversified leadership prevents staff loss, leads to significantly higher employee engagement, and reduces micro-aggressions.

When presented with opportunities to expand diverse leadership internally, some organizations may say something along the lines of we don’t have those skills within our current diverse staff. The solution I pose is to demonstrate allyship and develop diverse leadership internally by investing mentorship time and professional development dollars in existing employees. Leaders need to understand the challenges that their employees are facing in order to retain them and help them grow.

Once you do this, all staff will see their future with your organization and begin visualizing themselves as the next leader.

Each individual experiences the workplace through their own lens. Our research uncovered some striking differences between the experiences and perceptions of people from different demographic groups.

For example, nearly all (94 percent) of non-marginalized men believe their organization will take appropriate action in the event of a discriminatory incident, compared to 80 percent of marginalized women. A strong majority of non-marginalized men (78 percent) are far more likely than marginalized women (33 percent) to believe that people from BIPOC communities rise to senior positions at the same rate as individuals who are not from these communities.

We also know that more than half (52 percent) of non-marginalized women believe that once you reach a certain age, you have no chance of getting hired or promoted. Women are less likely than men (13 percent versus 25 percent) to believe that they would be praised if they challenged someone in leadership who made a racial, ethnic, or gender-based joke. It is imperative for leaders to understand these complexities and challenges that their employees are facing in order to retain and nurture their talent.

Always, but especially now, in an increasingly competitive labour market, employee engagement and retention should be key areas of focus.

By bringing staff into discussions through town hall meetings, anonymized surveys, and coffee chats, leaders can learn more about what employees are experiencing in the workplace, and address their specific concerns. The best place to start is by asking yourself how you are supporting and embracing diversity, both in your organization and your industry at large.

Leaders are in their positions to draw upon synergies within the organization and marketplace. They are also there to ensure they are creating safe and collaboratively accessible environments for their teams. Be an ally and leader and take a moment to determine how you support the next group of diverse leadership within your industry and your organization.

Author Bio

Sartaj Sarkaria is the Acting Chief Operating Officer, Chief Diversity Officer & Chief of Staff at the Canadian Marketing Association, where she leads the strategy and execution of the CMA mandate and steers the diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy and efforts of the association. Sartaj also oversees the professional development offerings of CMA including the Chartered Marketer designation. She has a proven track record of developing and delivering programs and services aligned with strategic business plans while balancing innovation and risk. Connect Sartaj Sarkaria