When drawing up a job profile, have you ever thought about the kind of person you unconsciously have in your mind? Prof. Dr. Jojanneke van der Toorn of Universities Utrecht and Leiden explains: "We are looking for people who we think are going to do a good job, in that you are looking for someone who looks the same and there lies the problem."
Inclusive workplace
As associate professor of Inclusion of Lesbian, Homosexual, Bisexual and Transgender Workers at Work, Jojanneke knows better than anyone that many people think they work in an inclusive workplace, yet many people fail to be fully themselves at work.
Think about your questions
As a manager, you will probably think you are open to everything, but how do you find out if this is true? Above all, don't go asking your people; you won't get a reliable answer. What you can do is check whether your actions and the questions you ask give everyone room to recognize themselves in them. The NS already went ahead of you by no longer speaking of ladies and gentlemen, but of "travelers.
Also listen | Entrepreneurs' Desk: 'Positive trend in appointing women to the top'.
https://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/economie/10412262/positieve-trend-in-benoeming-vrouwen-aan-de-top
So how do I create an inclusive business?
Jojanneke outlines a step-by-step plan to get you on the road to an inclusive business. 'Map out where you are now. What differences can you see in your people? Then consider what invisible differences there might be. Then discuss these differences and highlight the perspectives you are missing if certain groups are less represented. Finally, develop a systematic and organization-wide policy, especially seek the help of an outside expert in that step.'
Also in the podcast
In the podcast, Jojanneke explains the business case behind the importance of knowing each other's sexuality in the workplace. Finally, she and Wendy van Ierschot discuss the differences regarding inclusivity policies at small and large companies.
Links
Read more about Jojanneke and her research here:
Information about the Dutch inclusivity monitor to which Jojanneke is affiliated
Harvard Business Review reading list on racism in the workplace
https://hbr.org/2020/06/confronting-racism-at-work-a-reading-list
Contact
Do you have questions or input? Please contact Wendy van Ierschot at wendy@viepeople.com.
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