It’s Time To Retire the Term ‘Diversity Hire’

More brands are starting to focus more attention on building a diverse team that is representative of the customers they serve. {snip}

But building a diverse team doesn’t automatically guarantee that you will reap the benefits of one. You need to cultivate an environment that makes it ripe for everyone on your team to thrive, especially those who are part of underrepresented groups.

A simple way to start laying the foundation for that inclusive environment where everyone feels like they belong is getting rid of the term diversity hire.

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There is a negative stigma asociated with it. Whether said out loud or not, people who are perceived to be diversity hires are often treated differently by both their peers and others within the organization. People assume this talent was hired, not because of their merit, but because of their race, ethnicity, gender, or other criteria. Others assume that standards were lowered to make it possible for diverse candidates to meet job requirements. Thus people labled diversity hires are often resented, rather than respected.

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Don’t diversify your team just for the sake of having a more diverse team, hitting a quota, or for public opinion. {snip} Bring on new diverse talent with the expectation that they will not give you more of the same of what you already have, but usher you into a more robust and evolved way of being.