Skirts and Ladders 'Computing is too important to be left to men' — Karen Spärck Jones

“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry.” – Maya Angelou

I get asked why the continual focus on diversity is so important, especially when, as a young professional, it's easy to see that the big companies have got the message and are hiring increasingly diverse candidates. Unfortunately, it's sometimes to the point of being too diverse, with the majority of the population barely being represented.

So what is diversity? Hiring enough women / minorities / LGBT / disabled individuals so that no one's moaning anymore? And why is diversity so difficult to achieve? Why do we have whole departments within HR devoted to diversity, inclusion & equality? How are diversity consultancy firms making so much money from helping companies make the baby steps along the way?

Main Entry: di·verse

1. Differing one from another.
2. Made up of distinct characteristics, qualities, or elements

In business, diversity is about representing the population, because that's the target market. Obviously, the niche that a product or service is aimed at will be distorted from the general population, but minority groups always find their way in, and it has to be shown that you can cater to their interests better than anyone else.

It's not about hiring a certain number of individuals that fit a certain box. It's about hiring a lot of different people so that you have knowledge of all the boxes.

What's so difficult about doing that?

It is a simple fact that people hire people that are like them. Your employees are the people that you will interact with day in and day out, and at the end of the day, you want to hire someone you have something in common with.

Unfortunately, that doesn't make a great team. No individual excels at everything. We all have annual objectives and development plans that try to overcome the greatest issues, but ultimately there are areas that are lacking, and this is where someone needs to be hired with contrasting viewpoints and experiences that can enhance the team's collective credibility.

The business case for diversity goes beyond that, as numerous studies have shown that employee satisfaction, productivity and retention need to be improved as diversity increases. This is where HR and the consultants come in, because hiring the right people is only the first step. It's pointless if they don't stay. Unfortunately, the traditional methods of doing this tend to be at the exclusion of the so-called non-diverse individuals, through specific employee networks, events, etc. They do all claim to be inclusive, but that message hasn't sunk in yet.

There's clearly a long way to go. And that is why we need to keep working at it, because the job is done when this is seamless: when the right people are hired without having to go to the conscious effort of hiring someone different; when they fit into the firm naturally and their talent is leveraged by all without a special forum needing to be set up; and when none of that is a reason for them to consider leaving.