Diversity is one of the hottest buzzwords for companies right now. But how do they make sure it’s more than that?
It will be a long time before the topic of diversity becomes irrelevant. Tech companies in particular are fighting to prove which one has the most inclusive work environment in order to attract the best talent.
But how can organisations ensure they are being diverse enough and that their policies aren’t simply paying lip service to give off a certain impression?
InterTech Ireland is an informal network of LGBTQ employees in the Dublin tech sector. “We exist mainly to promote and discuss diversity as an issue,” said Daniel Tóth, a member of the organisation.
InterTech Ireland was at Career Zoo last month for a panel discussion entitled ‘Diversity is Dead’. Tóth discussed how companies can promote diversity properly, ensuring it’s more than just a buzzword.
“I think [companies] just need to be clear on what exactly it means to them. It’s one thing to say it once someone is in,” he said, referring to companies who aim to have diverse people on the team. “But then, are they also heard? Are they also included?”
InterTech Ireland uses free means to promote inclusion, such as community discussions and fun networking events. It raises annual funds for ShoutOut, a charity that runs LGBTQ workshops in secondary schools around Ireland.
“We want to demystify diversity a bit, we want to talk about what it is or how different companies can see it differently,” Tóth said. “We basically want to discuss how diversity can sometimes be a bit of a buzzword when it comes to corporate initiatives.”
Tóth spoke about how diversity in a company could be something as simple as organising a day out and ensuring it is accessible to the disabled person on the team.
“But then, more broadly, it relates to your hiring pipeline as well,” he said. “So it’s one thing to say, ‘Once you’re in, then we enable you to grow’, but does your pipeline have all those diverse candidates available and do you look out for them?”
