Examine Your Workplace

· Take a look around your workplace.

· What do you notice about who holds the power and the authority?

Assignment Instructions:

Create a post in which you share your observations. Provide your answers to the following questions:

1. In what segments of your workforce are certain groups under- or over-represented? 

2. What does this mean in terms of diversity and inclusion in your workplace? Give reasons for your observations.

3. What did you learn from the "Check Your Privilege" exercise?

4. Were there any eye-opening considerations presented there?

5. 200 words minimal

6. Cohesive and detailed answers

7. No plagiarism

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Examine Dimensions

In this module, you will identify the dimensions of diversity that matter most in organizations and determine the reasons for it. You will define critical terms and concepts related to diversity and privilege. You will examine the dimensions of diversity that matter most in your organization. You will also hear from Professor Nishii on what the research says about the significance of diversity within the workplace. You will read a seminal article on privilege and access a helpful, reusable workplace tool on checking your privilege. You will also have an opportunity to participate in a discussion on diversity within the workplace. Finally, you will complete part of a course project in which you examine dimensions by assessing the society and organization in which you're working, determine who enjoys the greatest privilege, and identify what, if any, disruptors there are for each privilege.

Defining Diversity

As you start this course, you want to begin by asking the question, What do we mean by  diversity?

Consider this sample corporate diversity statement selected by Professor Nishii:

"We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics such as personality and personal interests that make our employees unique."

In this video, Professor Nishii will discuss not only what we mean by diversity but also why diversity matters.

Video Transcript:

So, as we start this course, we want to begin by asking the question, what do we mean by diversity? If you look at corporate diversity mission statements, there's actually a bit of a range in how companies define diversity. And there are two main sets of characteristics that might be included. One is what some people call surface-level or demographic characteristics, such as gender and race, ethnicity, age, national origin, religion, disability status, and sexual orientation, and then there are other, what some people call deeper level characteristics, such as people's personality and their values, and the things that they're passionate about. Perhaps their personal interests. And both sets are assumed to influence the way that people approach their work, and the perspectives that they have about work and life in general. In this course, though, we're going to be focusing primarily on that first set of surface level, demographic differences. There are a few reason for this. So the first is that they represent social identity groups that are both culturally and socially distinct in meaningful ways. The assumption is that people have different experiences as they go through life depending on which of these groups they belong to. 

Another reason, that perhaps is even more important, is that these are the different identity groups that are associated, have been associated historically, with differences in status, and access to opportunities and to privilege within society. And we refer to these as arbitrary status hierarchies, and the word arbitrary is in there because the status differences are not based on actual differences in competence or ability, but are based on what somebody happens to be born as, and yet they influence the assumptions that people make about competence and potential. And this is a really big issue in organizations and something that we'll be focusing on. So, if you were to think about doing a mental exercise, and you were to walk down the street, and pick any random sample of people. And ask who has higher status in society, men or women? And in the US we would ask whites or non-whites? And you can ask this about other characteristics like disability status and sexual orientation and religion. And if you can expect that you're going to get pretty consistent responses about which membership is associated with higher status, then we're talking about an identity dimension that is probably also impacting the way that people experience their work, and therefore, is one that we should be focusing on in our conversations about diversity. In the U.S., the social identity groups that would pass this kind of exercise include gender, and race ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability. But diversity is often seen as a buzz word for gender and for race ethnicity here in the U.S. And so, why is that the case? Because it's broader then that. There are a few likely explanations. It's easy to see, it's salient. We have more data and numbers related to gender and race probably because it's easier to count and see. The historical context of slavery is obviously important here in the U.S. And managing race and gender continue to be really big challenges for organizations. So as a result there's a lot of research. Lot more research related to race and gender in the US. And so you are going to hear me use examples, more examples related to gender and race ethnicity in this course. But please keep in mind that it's important not to equate diversity with those two dimensions alone. It is broader than that and the dynamics that underlie a lot of the examples that I'll be giving you do extend to the other dimensions of diversity that are also associated with these arbitrary status hierarchies.

Caveats to Keep in Mind

In this video, Professor Nishii explains that some of the dimensions of diversity that are most critical will vary depending on the part of the world in which you work. For example, race-based issues are critical in the US, but this is not the case in Japan, where the population is ethnically almost completely homogeneous.

Video Transcript:

I wanted to say a few more things about this definition, working definition of diversity that we'll be using in this class. I'd like you to keep in mind that in the U.S., the groups that are protected by equal employment law tend to align with those about which there is this unambiguous evidence about historical discrimination. So the surface level demographic identity groups that I spoke about. But it's also important for you to keep in mind that just because of a particular identify group, is not protected by law in your country or by law in your state within the US, does not mean, that it might not be a dimension about which you need to be mindful within your organization. And sometimes these dimensions of difference, are really not the kinds of things that we usually focus on when we talk about diversity. So an example is in an organization that I recently worked with a dimension of difference that was really important in influencing dynamics within the organization had to do with whether or not an employee was kind-of home grown internally or a mid-career hire from the outside, and it really impacted the access that they felt they had to voice and the information and the way they interacted with other employees within the organization. And was of critical concern to the company but it's also important for you to be aware of major differences across countries. So, for example, although race based issues really kind of take center stage here in the US, this is not the case in Japan where I grew up. Because the population is ethnically almost completely homogenous, but there continue to be much more serious issues related to gender in Japan, as compared to the US. And there are also dimensions of diversity that are important in other parts of the world, in other countries, that might not come to mind for people who have grown up in the U.S. and work primarily in the U.S., for example issues that organizations deal with in India that are a result of the historical caste system, or in China, there are a lot of issues related to regional differences and language differences. So it's just important to be mindful about the types of differences that are really important within the particular context in which you are working.

Understanding Privilege

In this video, Professor Nishii discusses the concept of privilege, which can have significant implications in the workplace. As you continue your focus on disadvantage and bias, it's important to also consider systems of privilege. Privilege has been defined by scholar Dr. Peggy McIntosh as "an invisible package of unearned assets which one can count on cashing in each and every day, but about which one is largely oblivious." Professor Nishii examines privilege here.

Video Transcript:

So in discussions of diversity and inclusion, the most common tendency is to focus on systems of disadvantage and bias within society. But in order to really develop a full understanding of diversity, it's important to also talk about systems of privilege. So what do I mean by privilege? A famous scholar by the name of Peggy McIntosh defined privilege as any visible package of unearned assets which one can count on cashing in each and every day, but about which one is largely oblivious. So I'll give you four examples that she's written about, of privilege that white people in the US can count on. So, one, I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my race, most of the time. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing a house in an area in which I can afford and want to live. 

And I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me. And then the last one, whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color to not work against me and my appearance of financial reliability. And these are things that whites in the US maybe don't even notice that they get to count on. It's not until you hear the experiences of people who cannot count on similar privileges that you start to be able to see these different systems at play. So it's important to develop an awareness of the social identity groups to which you belong that are higher in status within society, and which therefore afford you with certain privileges. But it's also important to be aware of the social identity groups to which you might belong, that might be associated with lower levels, of status, and therefore might result in a lack of access to certain privileges. Most people belong to- maybe all people belong to- both sets. It can help give us really important perspective. The point here is that there are structures that are larger than ourselves, such as structures of power and influence that really have an impact on our daily interactions with others.

Dr. Peggy McIntosh on White Privilege

Key Points

Privilege: "an invisible package of unearned assets"

There are many sources of privilege, depending on social context

Professor Nishii referenced a seminal article on the topic of privilege published by Peggy McIntosh, Ph.D., "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," which was first published in  Peace and Freedom Magazine in 1989. Dr. McIntosh's papers continue to be the ones most cited on the subject around the world.

McIntosh describes privilege as "an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks." Although conversations about privilege associated with one’s gender or race/ethnicity are common, privilege can accrue from a range of factors, depending on the social context. Privilege is not just associated with identities that are the focus of many organizations’ diversity and inclusion efforts, such as gender, race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability status, and religion. Privilege might also be attached to national origin, dominant language or accents, or being a member of the legacy (vs acquired) company.

In her famous experiment as a third-grade teacher in 1968, Jane Elliott showed that privilege could quite easily be assigned to individuals based on an arbitrary characteristic – eye color – and still take on significant social meaning. She divided her students into two groups based on whether they had brown or blue eyes. At first, she told the children with blue eyes that they were better, smarter, and nicer than those with brown eyes and privileged them by praising them, letting them line up first for lunch, and taking longer recess breaks.

On the next day, she reversed the roles and made brown-eyed students the dominant group. She found that the children who were designated as inferior on a particular day were not only criticized and treated as inferior, they also acted less confident and performed worse on tests.     

Consider the workplace and the themes of this course: Who has unearned power and privilege in the workplace? Consider how the privileges that attach to different categories of identity affect full engagement and participation in work.

Dr. McIntosh is the founder of the National SEED Project, a program of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College, which is one of the largest gender-focused research-and-action organizations in the world. Visit Dr. McInstosh's papers, including "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," and other related papers, at the SEED Project website. (Find it by searching using the terms "SEED project" or "Peggy McIntosh" or "invisible knapsack.").

  Check Your Privilege

You may find it helpful to reuse the “Check Your Priviledge Lecture” see pdf. worksheet.

You may choose to check your privilege again in the future. Perhaps you would like to recheck your privilege in six months and compare your perceptions to today's results. Download the Check Your Privilege tool to reuse as you like.

If issues of diversity are of interest to your work group, you might choose to use this as a conversation starter within the group. Professor Nishii suggests these possible conversation starters, if you are so inclined:

1. What types of privileges did this activity reveal that you hadn’t previously thought much about? Were the ones that you noticed examples of privilege that you felt you did or did not have? 2. When there are differences within organizations in whether people can count on having these privileges, what are the implications for:

· Attributions of competence, potential, and/or performance?

· Experiences of workplace strain?

· Interpersonal conflict?

· Experiences of inclusion?

3. In organizations where those in senior leadership positions are members of groups that have enjoyed these privileges, what are the implications for their awareness of, or sensitivity to, the costs associated with not having such privileges?

4. What identity groups are consistently associated with privilege or a lack of privilege within your organizational context? Are these patterns consistent with what you think you would see in other organizations within your society? 5. Are there identity characteristics that might uniquely be associated with privilege or disadvantage within your workgroup or organizational context?

Sources of Privilege in Organizations and Society

Key Points

Arbitrary status hierarchy is automatically assigning greater value to membership in a demographic group

Arbitrary status hierarchies can be invalidated within work contexts

It’s possible that not all of the identity categories that serve as a source of privilege (versus disadvantage) in your organization align with those in the broader society in which you live. There are a few reasons for this:

As Professor Nishii has discussed, the term  arbitrary status hierarchy refers to the nearly automatic assignment of greater social value to membership in a particular demographic category such that members of the category enjoy privileges such as assumptions of competence and inclusion even though the demographic category itself is not work-related per se. It differs from status hierarchies that are based on differences in ability or expertise that are earned and developed by individuals. Some people find it helpful to think of the difference in terms of ascribed status versus achieved status.

Although research shows that the default is for the arbitrary status hierarchies that exist in the broader society to be easily imported into organizations such that those with more privilege in society tend also to have greater privilege in organizations, it is possible for these arbitrary status hierarchies to be “invalidated” within specific work contexts. This is a critical point to remember.

Arbitrary status hierarchies are invalidated when the demographic or social identity category is disassociated from assumptions about social value. This can happen in a variety of ways:

a. Fair implementation of practices and distribution of resources

When access to resources and opportunities are fairly distributed within a work unit and therefore being or not being a member of a social identity category no longer becomes predictive of favored status.

b. Organizational context

1. Salience of an identity dimension to a group or organization’s tasks or goals

Sometimes, jobs and/or occupations have a “type” associated with them based on the nature of the work. Although being older may be associated with higher status in more traditional industries, being younger may be associated with higher status in high-tech firms because younger generations are assumed to be tech savvier. Another example is firefighting, which is male typed, most likely because of the physical strength that is required to perform the job.

2. Organizational demography

The more balanced an organization’s workforce demographics throughout levels of the organization (all the way to the top), the less likely it is that any one social identity category will be associated with greater status.

For example, in Japan, gender differences in access to employment opportunities and leadership positions continue to persist in most organizations. However, in Shiseido, a large cosmetics company, this is not the case. There are many women in power, and as a result, gender stereotypes about competence and leadership are significantly different than in the average company. Of course, this could also be because the underlying organizational mission (selling cosmetics to women) affords women more status than is usually the case.

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