Promoting the value of diversity and inclusion among young people in the labor market, especially those pertaining to race/ethnicity, gender and gender identity/expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class and disability.

The concept of diversity and inclusion in the labor market have since dominated the policy space and have enjoyed several discussions at both global and national levels. Apart from its economic benefits, it also serves as an important pillar in achieving the sustainable development goals¹and the aim of living no one behind. It embraces equality, acceptance, and fair treatment of all people regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability. While diversity and inclusion are used together to describe fairness, equality, non-discrimination etc, they are interconnected but mean different things.

The terms “diversity” and “inclusion” have no single agreed definition. They are used in various contexts, scenarios and even at various levels including societal level, individual level, and organizational level to describe situations where people from different cultural, socioeconomic and societal backgrounds, belonging to a different race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and disability come together with the same objective(s) of achieving a set goal(s). Both terms are anchored under several United Nations declarations and covenants including, for instance, the UN Universal declaration of human right²and the Universal declaration on cultural diversity³. Both instruments stress the importance of respecting every individual based on the right to exist and associate on an equal basis without any form of discrimination(s).

The EU has strong commitments regarding diversity and inclusion. This is anchored in several instruments and declarations including the charterof the fundamental right of the European Union⁴. Specifically, chapter III of the charter stresses the importance of Equality. Articles 20, 21, 22, 23, and 26 emphasized the principle of Equality before the law, Non-discrimination on any ground including sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation. Cultural, religious and linguistic diversity, Equality between men and women (inclusive of employment, work and pay), and the Integration of persons with disabilities.

“When we’re talking about diversity, it’s not a box to check. It is a reality that should be deeply felt and held and valued by all of us.” – Ava DuVernay

No doubt that the terms “diversity and inclusion” has generated a lot of debate in recent years. While several efforts and commitments at global, regional, and national levels are geared towards ensuring a higher level of diversity and inclusion in workplaces, there is still much to be done to make it a reality. For instance, in the EU, such efforts include the racial equality directive⁵, the anti-racism action plan 2020-2025⁶, the people first initiative⁷ (specific focus on gender equality, antiracism, Roma community, LGBTIQ persons, and persons with disabilities), and commitments from organizations (private and public including NGOs, employers, etc) towards the diversity charter⁸, and the EU diversity month⁹; an annual event where a month is dedicated towards raising awareness about diversity and inclusion in workplaces across the EU.

Despite of the commitments made by several EU countries toward the realization of diversity and inclusion, discrimination still persists in the region. For instance, a report by Eurofound¹⁰ on working conditions and sustainable work revealed that first-generation immigrants (both male and female) are at least 5 times more likely to experience work-related discrimination based on race, ethnic background/color, religion, and nationality.

Figure 2: Work-related discrimination by migrant status and sex – Source: Eurofound

Persons with disabilities still face discrimination in the workplace in the EU despite several strategies and initiatives to improve their employment situation. Records show that only 50.6 % of persons with disabilities are employed, compared to 74.8 % of persons without disabilities¹¹. This revealed a shortfall of the 75% target set to be achieved by the Union. While efforts are being made by countries to achieve inclusion and promote diversity of persons with disabilities in the region, evidence shows disproportionate statistics across member states. Thirteen countries (AT, DK, EE, FI, FR, IT, LV, NL, PT, SE, SI, and SK) have employment rates of persons with disabilities higher than the EU average of 50.6%, while ten (BE, BG, EL, ES, HR, HU, IE, MT, PL, and RO).

Figure 3: Employment rate of persons with disability across the EU (age 20 – 64) – Adapted from: European comparative data on Europe 2020 and persons with disabilities Data source EU-SILC UDB 2018 and Eurostat

It is important to note that some countries in the EU are taking various approaches to improve the situation of inclusion and diversity in the labor market.  For instance, in the Netherlands, a legislative amendment authorizing the social affairs and Employment Inspectorate¹² to oversee the enforcement of anti-discrimination policies was submitted to the Council of State after the summer of 2019. This makes it an obligation for employers in the Netherlands to implement policies to prevent discrimination in the recruitment and selection processes of candidates.In Germany, the General Equal Treatment Act¹³ (AGG) seeks to eradicate discrimination either in the workplace or civil matters based on sex, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, or sexual identification. The federal anti-discrimination agency (ADS) was established and charged with the responsibility of supporting people who felt or are facing any form of discrimination within the country. In Spain, several actions have been taken by the Spanish government to ensure the inclusion and integration of immigrants and other minority groups in the country. This includes the National Action Plans on Social Inclusion¹⁴ and multiculturalism across several sectors including schools and the media. In Italy, although there is no national policy to promote the economic and social integration of immigrant workers, Italian citizens and immigrant workers have the same social rights¹⁵. Also, various employers in the region have diversity and inclusion statements in terms of “equal opportunity” stating they welcome everyone to apply for jobs regardless of their color, culture, ethnic group, religion, etc. 

Way forward

There is a need to promote diversity and inclusion among young people in the labor market today. The merits of having a diverse and inclusive workforce are enormous, and as a demographic group that is driven by change and courses, young people should be encouraged to push for such an environment. Everyone should be given their dues regardless of religion, ethnicity, sexuality, or disability.

Suggested ways to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace from an employer or executive decision-maker perspective:

Source: author’s note

• Introduce a policy for honoring a variety of cultural and religious practices: Diversity does not mean not seeing the difference but embracing it; acknowledging the uniqueness in the team and respecting the diverse cultures, beliefs, sexuality, etc that exist within the team.
• Build a multigenerational workforce: Building a multigenerational workforce not only ensure the promotion of inclusivity but also enriches the team with multigenerational ideas, experiences, and knowledge, which in turn translates to higher productivity.
• Eliminate bias in the evaluation process and promotion opportunities:This includes fair selection based on merit during employee relations in the workplace.
• Foster diverse thinking: One of the beauties of an inclusive and diverse environment is the flowing pool of thoughts made rich by peculiar adventures. Allowing an environment where thoughts can be different is both interesting and healthy.
• Open a dialogue about gender pay inequality: Create rooms for discussion on inequality and discrimination. There is still a lot of work to be done in promoting diversity and inclusion and we all have to play our path in the process. It is important to remember that problems are solved, and innovations are made when we harness the diversity, energy, and creativity of all people, especially the young ones.

References

1. Sustainable development goals. https://sdgs.un.org/goals
2. UN Universal declaration of human right. https://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf
3. UN Universal declaration on cultural diversity. https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/diversity.pdf
4. Charter of fundamental right of the European Union. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_en.pdf
5. Racial Equality Directive. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32000L0043
6. EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025. https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/a_union_of_equality_eu_action_plan_against_racism_2020_-2025_en.pdf
7. EU people first initiative. https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/a_union_of_equality_eu_action_plan_against_racism_2020_-2025_en.pdf
8. EU diversity charter. https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combatting-discrimination/tackling-discrimination/diversity-and-inclusion-initiatives/diversity-charters-eu-country_en
9. EU diversity month. https://www.eudiversity2022.eu/
10. Eurofound – Racial discrimination is not a thing of the past in the EU. https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/blog/racial-discrimination-is-not-a-thing-of-the-past-in-the-eu
11. Employment and disability in the European Union. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/651932/EPRS_BRI(2020)651932_EN.pdf
12. European commission. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/dutch-government-outlines-actions-fight-labour-market-discrimination_en
13. General Equal Treatment Act.https://www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de/EN/about-discrimination/order-and-law/general-equal-treatment-act/general-equal-treatment-act-node.html
14. National Action Plans on Social Inclusion. https://www.sanidad.gob.es/fr/destacados/docs/PNAIN_2013_2016_EN.pdf
15. Busetta, G., Campolo, M.G. & Panarello, D. Immigrants and Italian labor market: statistical or taste-based discrimination? Genus74, 4 (2018) https://genus.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41118-018-0030-1

Fig1 Canva image – https://www.canva.com/