Equity in Action

Joanne Lockwood

Tags: Intersectionality, Inclusion, privilege, Employee Engagement, Meritocracy, DEI, Employee Turnover, Equity in Action, Systemic Inequalities, Employee Resource Groups

Moving Beyond Meritocracy and Systemic Inequities

Sharita Marshall delves into the intricate financial implications of employee turnover, the relentless push for true equity over meritocracy, and the necessity of strategic Employee Resource Groups to foster a deeply inclusive workplace culture.

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood and guest Sharitta Marshall delve into the financial and emotional implications of employee turnover within organisations. Sharitta, a seasoned expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion, questions traditional decision-making processes and advocates for a deeper understanding of why employees leave, urging companies to focus on keeping them engaged. Joanne and Sharitta explore the tangible costs of poor employee experience and high turnover, stressing the importance of making a compelling business case for human experience, especially in a capitalist-driven world.

Sharitta Marshall, founder of Visionary Development Consulting, is dedicated to fighting for workplace equality and liberation for all. Her consultancy focuses on providing strategies for businesses to empower Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and develop equity within organisations. Sharitta's advocacy reaches beyond the boardroom; she is committed to challenging systemic inequities, addressing the often overlooked individual impacts of DEI, and fighting against late stage capitalist resistance to equity. With her experience as a global ERG leader, Sharita brings a wealth of knowledge on aligning ERG initiatives with organisational goals to drive meaningful change.

The conversation touches on the ongoing challenges and resistance faced in driving DEI efforts, with Sharita highlighting the influence of the impending US election and the broader political climate on DEI funding and initiatives. Joanne and Sharitta also delve into the concept of meritocracy, privilege, and the challenges of addressing systemic inequalities. They discuss the role of ERGs as strategic business units and the importance of executive sponsorship for ERGs, underlining the need for clear roles, responsibilities, and alignment with business objectives.

The episode concludes with a powerful message on the interconnectedness of societal issues and the necessity of shifting towards understanding collective global impact. Joanne encourages listeners to subscribe to Inclusion Bites, share their journeys, and reach out with thoughts and stories for future episodes.

A key takeaway from this episode is the pressing need for organisations to prioritise DEI initiatives and understand their cost implications, not just financially but also in terms of human experience. Listeners will gain valuable insights into effectively engaging employees, addressing systemic inequalities, and leveraging ERGs to drive business success and foster an inclusive workplace culture. This episode is a call to action for leaders to re-evaluate their DEI strategies, ensuring they are meaningful and impactful.

Published: 19.09.2024

Recorded: 24.06.2024 Episode Length

Duration: 0:55:07

Shownotes:

AI Extracts and Interpretations
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Other Links
SEE Change Happen: The Inclusive Culture Experts
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Clips, Quotes and Hooks

Creating Equity Through Employee Resource Groups: “Well, I start from the the lens of them looking at the employee resource group as a strategic business unit. Not an Infinity Group, not a community group, not a club, or just a checkbox, but program of individuals that are underrepresented typically within the organization and setting them up to create equity throughout the organization.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:09:58 → 00:10:24]

**Equity vs. Capitalism**: “Equity is the antithesis of capitalism. And wherever equity thrives, capitalism dies a little bit.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:12:34 → 00:12:38]

Ensuring Equity in the Workplace: “You can impact your bottom line in a positive way, but you don’t have to continuously traumatize people to pay bills.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:13:07 → 00:13:13]

Strategic ERG Development: “It is not the ERG’s responsibility to handle all of the DEI objectives.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:16:37 → 00:16:41]

Empowering Middle Managers: “When I say leadership, I just don’t mean, like, c suite. I mean, middle managers. They need to understand that they’re directly tied to the ERG success because they need to make sure that leaders have the support and ability to get those objectives done.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:17:14 → 00:17:28]

“Diverse Leadership Development”: “They haven’t been able to be seen by directors in higher level management because they’re individual contributors, but now they’re doing presentations around the program goals to to date.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:23:35 → 00:23:49]

“Pushback Against DEI Initiatives”: “And the pushback around DEI, to be quite honest with you, is coming from white supremacists and Joanne black sentiment.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:25:40 → 00:25:48]

The Importance of Inclusive ERG Programs: “And if you have an ERG program and you see that you don’t have any executives, you don’t have any directors, you don’t have anybody that is in any of these ERGs, then maybe you need to look at that because they should represent the entire organization.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:37:07 → 00:37:22]

The Power of Storytelling in Organisations: “There is power in storytelling, and there’s power in having the ability to share your lived experience from your lived experience Jo that people can have an insight and maybe create empathy around that.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:41:16 → 00:41:32]

The Longevity of the Struggle: “I do believe we’re gonna be fighting this for years to come. I think it’s gonna get to the point where when late stage capitalism is no longer in the position to sustain itself, when it has completely worn out the the working class and it can’t continue to propagate and expand upon itself, that that’s when very widespread impactful change will happen.”
— Sharita Marshall [00:50:20 → 00:50:48]

Definition of Terms Used

Employee Turnover

Definition: Employee turnover refers to the rate at which employees leave an organisation and are replaced by new employees.
Relevance: High employee turnover can be costly for organisations due to hiring and training expenses, and it often indicates deeper issues within the workplace environment.
Examples: Firms frequently hiring new employees to replace those who resign, retire, or are fired.
Related Terms: Attrition, Retention, Employee Engagement.
Common Misconceptions: Many assume that employee turnover is solely due to poor employee performance, overlooking systemic issues such as lack of engagement or poor leadership.

Late Stage Capitalism

Definition: Late stage capitalism refers to the period in the capitalist economic cycle characterised by intense concentration of wealth and power among a small elite, often leading to societal and economic inequalities.
Relevance: It highlights the resistance to equity initiatives due to the fear among wealthy capitalists of losing control and profit.
Examples: Cases of excessive CEO compensation amidst low wages for entry-level employees, monopolistic business practices.
Related Terms: Income Inequality, Neoliberalism, Wealth Gap.
Common Misconceptions: Some may believe late stage capitalism is a recent development when, in fact, it is a phase that has been building over decades.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Definition: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups that foster a diverse and inclusive workplace aligned with the organisation’s mission, values, goals, and business practices.
Relevance: ERGs play a crucial role in advocating for diverse voices within organisations and in driving DEI initiatives.
Examples: Groups focused on gender equality, LGBTQ+ communities, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities.
Related Terms: Affinity Groups, Diversity Councils, Employee Networks.
Common Misconceptions: ERGs are sometimes seen only as social groups rather than strategic business units that can significantly impact organisational success.

Meritocracy

Definition: Meritocracy is a system in which advancement within an organisation or society is based on individual ability and achievement rather than on social class or wealth.
Relevance: The belief in meritocracy is often challenged in DEI discussions, as systemic inequities can hinder equal opportunities for success.
Examples: Promotions based purely on performance metrics, academic admissions based on test scores alone.
Related Terms: Egalitarianism, Equity, Opportunity Gap.
Common Misconceptions: Meritocracy is often misunderstood as providing truly equal opportunities, while in practice, various forms of privilege can skew outcomes in favour of certain groups.

Intersectionality

Definition: Intersectionality is the study of overlapping or intersecting social identities and related systems of oppression, domination, or discrimination.
Relevance: It acknowledges that people can face multiple, interconnected layers of discrimination and disadvantage, which must be considered in DEI efforts.
Examples: A black woman may experience both racism and sexism, which intersect to create a unique set of challenges distinct from those faced by black men or white women.
Related Terms: Cross-Discrimination, Multi-Faceted Oppression, Social Identity Theory.
Common Misconceptions: Intersectionality is sometimes oversimplified, seen as a catch-all term for diversity rather than a complex analysis of interlinked social categories.