The 'B' in DEIB - Is 'Belonging' the Answer to a Happier Workplace?

Where does the ‘B’ fit alongside DEI?

Diversity refers to the range of differences and similarities that individuals bring to the workplace, including origin, underrepresented groups, race, gender, age, gender identity, mental and physical ability and sexual orientation. Healthy, diverse teams encourage employees to feel accepted and valued for their unique contributions. Equity ensures fair treatment, pay parity, and advancement for each person with access to learning and development opportunities. Inclusion makes people feel welcomed and valued by those around them and the environment, including physical and psychological safety, flexible work options, employee resource groups, nursing rooms for new parents and celebrating diversity. Belonging at work means being rejoiced and admired for being unique by peers, social opportunities to connect with colleagues and regular check-in sessions with employers. An employer needs to nurture each of the four pillars to ensure they all succeed and positively affect employees. 

There are concerns that introducing belonging is a way to manage resistance to power and the conversations it generates. The addition of 'B' – belonging helps individuals feel that they are part of the change and the company's dialogue. Business for America, an independent non-profit organisation, found a common theme that exacerbated divides by introducing DEI with resentment and hostility. Whilst organisations want to have conversations about how individuals can thrive, many people with a zero-sum mentality believe that for them to succeed, they have to give up something. 

Has 'belonging' become the next new obsession by allowing employees the flexibility to work whenever they want and have the freedom to discuss political and social issues that matter to them, giving them the feeling that they 'belong'? In 2022, the Society for Human Resources Management conducted its first survey on corporate belonging. Over 60 per cent of the respondents cited that their employers are either investing in or prioritising a sense of belonging by introducing employee resource groups instead of mandatory diversity training. 

Incorporating Belonging into DEI programs

Jonathan Haidt, a professor and social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business, explained that at a time of rising political division, sometimes people don't fit with the whole selves of their colleagues. Managers are frustrated with the constant conflict over people's identities. In 2017, Haidt and his colleague Caroline Mehl started the Constructive Dialogue Institute, which includes the educational platform Perspectives, an online tool using modules and workshops to explore where DEIB values come from and why people from different backgrounds may have opposing values. Perspectives is available to companies with a comprehensive menu of live training options for a fee. 

Founder of the Moral Courage Council, Irshad Manji understands that there is an ever-present problem with mainstream diversity, inclusion and equity efforts; she believes that it compels people to stereotype each other and that the introduction of 'belonging' is an acknowledgement of the failings of traditional DEI definitions. 

The Uber and ‘Karen’ Incident

Interestingly, Uber has recently placed Bo Young Lee, its diversity and inclusion officer, on enforced leave after employees complained about her 'Don't call me Karen' session. She's well known for advocating gender-neutral bathrooms, LGBTQ rights and Black Lives Matter. She intended to explore the white American women's experience, but instead, created a new movement, 'Black at Uber' in revolt. Panellists in the discussion included Head of People Nikki Krishnamurthy, Director Meghan Musbach, Senior Director Kelly Seeman, and Director of Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Initiatives Diane Krieman, whilst Lee moderated the conversation. The discussion inspired a complaint from a black female employee who found the entire episode tone-deaf, triggering and offensive. Lee defended her dialogue by stating, 'while the conversation may have been uncomfortable, sometimes being pushed out of your own strategic ignorance is the right thing to do'. 

Who is Karen? On memorial day in 2020, a keen black bird watcher was in central park and ran into a woman who had let her dog off its lead in a 'leash-only' area. He requested that she put the dog back on its lead, but instead, her response was to call 911 and tell police operators that an African-American man was threatening her life. The entire incident was filmed, uploaded to social media and went viral; she was then known as 'Central Park Karen'. It was the same day police officers killed George Floyd, meaning people began to link the racism of 'Karen' to the broader issue of systemic racism. The meme has become increasingly popular, particularly with black Americans, to deride the class-based, racial hostility they frequently face. 

Whilst Lee’s discussion was well-intentioned, it fuelled anger amongst people of colour that a ‘Karen’ is a privileged white woman who has no empathy towards people of colour. People typically stereotype a Karen as having a blonde bobbed haircut and demanding to speak to retail and restaurant managers to voice complaints or make demands. The pejorative slang term is for an angry, entitled, obnoxious and often racist middle-aged white woman who uses her privilege to get her way or police other people’s behaviours. 

Some of the comments following the meeting include, 'I just don't even understand the premise of the meeting’ and 'I think when people are called Karen's, it's implied that it is someone that has little empathy for others or is bothered by minorities and others that don't look like them’. Uber has taken the allegations seriously and understands that Bo Young Lee’s Moving Forward session was intended to be a dialogue to discuss issues, not to cause much pain and upset or for those that attended did not feel heard. 

Clearly this space has yet to evolve as corporations try to find ways to implement Belonging into their cultures.