Diversity in the Workplace: Between Speechlessness and Willingness to Learn

People from the LGBTQIA+ community are often hesitant to show themselves and express their needs, it was stated during the presentation of the results on Tuesday. On the "other side," however, there is a great deal of ignorance, and discrimination often arises from the fear of making mistakes.

After a quantitative survey on the acceptance of people outside binary gender identities or non-heterosexual orientation in Austria was conducted last year, this year's focus was on the attitudes and motives behind the numbers: For the study by the research institute comrecon brand navigation, an "ethnographic forum" was set up for seven days with 55 participants aged 18 to 65. There, they could, among other things, describe and reflect on their everyday experiences. The composition of the sample was based on diversity in terms of gender, sexual orientation, and professional status.

Less "Moral Bludgeons" and Better Error Culture Needed

It was found that people on "both sides" experienced the problem of lack of dialogue: People from the LGBTQI+ community often wanted to avoid being pigeonholed or attracting too much attention. At the same time, a label is often needed to signal that one is different and has different needs.

On the other side, colleagues would often like to engage with these topics, but they do not know how and do not want to offend anyone. "This is not meant to be an excuse, but there needs to be an understanding of this lack of dialogue," said Hager. Many discriminations do not arise intentionally but from ignorance or the fear of saying something wrong. For companies, this means, for example, relying less on "moral bludgeons" in training and instead establishing an empathetic learning culture where mistakes are allowed as long as there is a willingness to develop.

Beyond Tolerance

In the forum, curiosity and engagement with other life realities had positive effects. The keyword tolerance is often more of a pretext to avoid thorough engagement and usually contains a judgmental element. Hager therefore advocated for a shift towards acceptance, recognition, and active understanding.

If employers can create such an atmosphere, all employees would benefit from the opportunities for self-development. "It's about everyone being seen in their daily work life as they are - no matter in which direction," said Hager. This would be accompanied by a cultural shift towards a more resource-oriented attitude.

Refocusing on Educational Work

"The study confirms what we have been experiencing throughout the year," said Katharina Kacerovsky-Strobl, organizer of the human rights event Vienna Pride and managing director of Stonewall. Especially since the election of Donald Trump as US President, we have been struggling with the issue of "Diversity Fatigue." This affects both companies and social groups - previously supportive attitudes are slowly changing.

There is also a noticeable massive increase in hate based on ignorance. "As negative as everything is right now, it can also be seen as an opportunity - now people are listening to us again," said Kacerovsky-Strobl. In light of this political shift, the focus must therefore be strongly placed back on educational work.

It is a genuine concern that Nivea conveys a message of diversity and acceptance, added Alvaro Alonso, managing director of Beiersdorf in Austria and Eastern Europe. The aim of the initiative is to "encourage dialogue, give space to different perspectives, and promote respectful coexistence."

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.