Treat Me Differently

As a business, do you strive for equality? It is a noble and valuable goal. It may even be the cornerstone of your business.  

You might have felt pressure from employees or customers. You might think it is simply the right thing to do.  

But, before celebrating efforts to achieve equality, think about whether you are actually striving for equity.

There is a difference. Equality provides a level playing field for everyone. Equity recognises people’s different situations, and then alters the playing field to address this difference.

Let’s say you were hiring for a role and set two candidates the same task. One returns the task the next day. It has been done well. The other returns it a week later, no better or worse, but the tardiness bothers you. You offer the job to the first candidate – after all, both have had an equal opportunity to impress.

In this scenario, however, you haven’t taken personal circumstances into account. The second candidate may have spent the week caring for a relative. They may have been working an additional job or required technical support.

Create a level playing field by recognising people come from different places. Establish an environment where employees feel they can make this information known.

The second point here is critical. One of the biggest barriers to workplace equity is employees feeling they aren’t included. People often aren’t forthcoming with personal details, particularly if they feel it may lead to them being excluded.

A recent report from The Fawcett Society and The Runnymede Trust entitled Broken Ladders shows that every stage of the career journey, from entering work to senior leadership, women of colour are being locked out of reaching their true potential. Every stage.

Fostering greater inclusion can be difficult and it can feel uncomfortable. Whether a business leader or a head of diversity, it can be a juggling act balancing the concerns of different groups within the workplace and attempting to look at problems through multiple lenses. But you have to do it.

Strive for equality but do so by promoting equity more broadly. An intention to do the right thing does not cut it anymore. You might not know what the right thing is.

Do not treat everybody the same. Treat everybody appropriately to set them up for success and play your part on that playing field.