Identifying exclusionary factors

There has been a lot of discussion on diversity and inclusion – and hence, it is only natural that we look at why this is such a big issue. One answer is that diversity is lacking in the sector, especially at senior levels. The other answer is that there are exclusionary factors, which need to be tackled to ensure inclusion. I would like to focus on the latter.

In my experience as someone who has sometimes been at the receiving end and speaking to others, there are different types of exclusionary factors. Some are personal (as felt by the individual), some are contextual (where some specific settings can be exclusionary), some are structural (caused by how organisations are configured, and their own processes & systems) and some are systemic (that has roots in behaviours and culture). In the real world though, it is not as neat and clear categories. There are all inter-linked. So instead of going into each type of exclusion (i.e. those caused due to gender, race, religion etc.), let me take you through what some of the exclusionary factors may look like – and I would like to highlight four of them.

1.    Recruitment : People face different types of entry barriers. Some of them could be because of gender, race, religion, class, education, i.e. factors that are more identifiable when someone applies for a role and provides a full CV. In case one passes through that if one is fortunate, there may be exclusions on the basis of some physical or cognitive disabilities, introversion or linguistic grasp, which may not be very significant or relevant to the role the person has applied for.

2.    Hierarchy : Hierarchy can be often about power and authority. While some form of hierarchy exists in all organisations, these structures sometimes result in some voices not being heard, some views being marginalised because it is expressed by a person who are relatively more ‘junior’ in the hierarchy of the organisation. There could be a power struggle between different departments and teams (e.g. based on who has more staff and finances) that could result in some teams feeling more marginalised and hence excluded.

3.    Behaviours : We all relate very differently in different situations based on several factors including our own temperament, attitude and resilience. And while that may be quite legitimate in many situations, what we often do not realise is the impact it has on others. We may come across as being passive aggressive, intimidating or even bullying. People draw their experiences of us from the verbal and non-verbal expressions that form part of our behaviours.

4.    Culture : The culture of the organisation is something that a person experiences when they step in to the organisation. It is broadly described as ‘how things are done here’. Even if organisations seek to build an open, vibrant culture, some people in some situations experience the organisation very differently, and they feel that the culture results in them being excluded and discriminated against.

In discussions on diversity and inclusion, we often talk about intersectionality which is about factoring in the overlapping identities of an individual to understand the impact of the disadvantages or prejudices they experience, which could be, but not limited to, gender, race, religion, class, disability, sexuality etc. Equally, the various factors mentioned above can further aggravate exclusion that individuals face or further perpetuate these when organisational processes collude with individual identities to create a web of powerful exclusionary factors. And it is really important to understand this because while individual identities very often cannot be changed, organisations can certainly change systems, processes and culture that are within its sphere of influence and control.

The purpose of laying some of these factors out is because addressing diversity and inclusion is extremely complex and it is very hard to get it right for all people across all contexts. I do believe that it can be quite a utopian quest. However, that should not stop us from understanding factors that cause exclusion and exploring various options to mitigate or eliminate these factors completely, because it is the right thing to do – especially for the not-for-profit sector that prides ourselves in being mission oriented, working around some core human values that are liberal and progressive, and for our collective commitment to a world that is safer, more just, more equal and more tolerant.

In my subsequent blogs, I will aim to explore each of the factors above with some examples that I have seen or experienced. And I will try to explore these through different forms of diversity in trying to follow a more intersectional understanding.

(Originally publised in the Third Sector, February 2020)