Why unconscious bias training alone can’t fix your diversity and inclusion issues

When organisations get started with their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy, their first port of call is usually unconscious bias training. It’s a totally logical place to start — because we all need knowledge to help us understand what causes bias at work, and how to be more inclusive towards others. The problem is, […]
Why international organisations fall short on inclusion

Managing diversity and inclusion strategy in an international context will always feel like a challenging task. With so many different office locations, time zones, and languages, your organisation needs to operate across a range of geographical and cultural boundaries to create a cohesive, thriving company that operates to its full potential. But one misconception we […]
Why some words are gender biased — and how to use language to build inclusion

We often hear the phrase ‘words aren’t biased’. And in many ways, that’s entirely correct — they’re not. A word like ‘ambition’, or ‘kind’, for example, viewed by itself is… just a word. But when we view them through a sociocultural lens, things get a bit trickier. The word ‘ambition’ is more likely to bring […]
Why hiring for culture fit won’t help you build an inclusive company

As humans, we’re biologically programmed to like people that are most like us. It’s an unconscious shortcut our brain makes. And it’s exactly the same in the hiring process. All too often, organisations unconsciously make hiring decisions that mean they pick the person that fits in best with their existing environment. This is known as […]
How we define and identify ethnically marginalised ethnic stereotypes in the Develop Diverse platform

As a society, we all share a natural desire to be part of a collective identity. We attach labels to ourselves that help us make sense of who we are, and carve out our place in society. But often, these labels come with a whole set of biases, stereotypes, and discrimination attached — especially when […]
How stereotypes harm inclusion at work

Right from a very early age, we’re all surrounded by stereotypes. Whether it’s a nurturing mother figure, a cartoon character, or the famous ‘draw a scientist’ experiment, these generalised beliefs about the world around us shape our worldview on a conscious and unconscious level. We’ve often accepted them as just being part of how our […]