iscover
While pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices may not be as prominent Down Under as in the United States right now, it is still incumbent upon companies to reflect on the extent to which said practices are “fit for purpose”.
In a recent conversation with HR Leader, Kylie Fuller – the managing director of Fuller Potential – discussed the need for companies across the country to realise that, whether they have set out to become diverse or not, they almost certainly are by now.
The conversation with Fuller came ahead of her appearance at Bold Ideas in HR, being hosted by Captivate Q, in Sydney on 15 September. To learn more about that event, click here.
Such evaluations of the success or otherwise of DEI practices, she explained, are necessary because companies “have come to realise that they are diverse, whether or not [they] intended to set out to become so”.
“They employ people of many genders, of many ages, many cultural backgrounds, religions. So, the reality is that we are diverse. And, the question is, how do we create an environment where all our diverse employees can contribute and thrive, can feel valued, and can help us to respond to changes? Because we’re living through a time of unprecedented change,” Fuller said.
“When you think about political disruption, economic disruption, technological disruption, the rise of artificial intelligence, all of these things are changing around us, and so, right now is a moment in time when we need innovation more than ever before.”
“We need fresh ideas, we need a range of perspectives, and the best way to get a range of perspectives is to make sure that all of your people feel that they belong, that their views are valued, that they can speak up and that they can contribute.”
To this end, she said, companies “absolutely” must ensure that their DEI practices are “fit for purpose”.
“If we are seeing resistance, and we are hearing that people are finding it difficult to buy into the concept of DEI, it’s really important that we listen to that, because we don’t want a paradigm where only people from underrepresented or marginalised groups are buying into this,” she said.
“DEI has always been reliant on allies. I’m not saying that it’s not a good time to think about our language, think about whether we have been approaching this in an inclusive way that encourages people to be allies. But the answer, or the next iteration, is very much about making sure that all voices are heard.”
Australia, Fuller observed, has a “completely different context” to that of the United States, where there is significant pushback against DEI, being led by the Trump White House. Down Under, we have ASX corporate governance guidelines, a Workplace Gender Equality Agency, and a suite of anti-discrimination laws.
However, she added, “I think what the American context has done is it’s emboldened people who don’t agree with DEI.”
“So, there’s certainly a segment of Australia, people who have felt frustrated with DEI or excluded from the conversation, or even somewhat threatened, saying that this evolution of DEI may have taken away opportunities for themselves in their careers,” she said.
“The US changes have emboldened some people who have been against DEI to be a little more overt and open about that.”
When asked out optimistic she is that Australian companies will be able to have constructive and meaningful conversations about what the future of DEI should look like, Fuller responded: “I’m most confident and optimistic that we are mature enough in Australia to have productive conversations.”
“I think that it is important that we listen to a range of perspectives and that we make sure that we’re not just defending the way things have always been done. I think it’s fine to acknowledge that there have been some mistakes along the way that, in our efforts to include and listen to marginalised groups, there have been maybe some times when we haven’t always included and listened enough to people in majority groups, and that’s where some of the resistance is now coming from.”
“So, I do think it’s an important inflection point, and I am very optimistic that the conversation can be more productive and more inclusive moving forward.”
To register to attend Bold Ideas in HR, click here.
