Fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace is not just a buzzword anymore; it’s an imperative. Organizations around the world have realized that a diverse workforce brings forth a barrage of perspectives and ideas to the workplace. The amalgamation of different mindsets is extremely helpful in driving innovation, enhancing decision-making abilities, and eventually leading the company to greater success.
One of the easiest ways to celebrate and nurture diversity within the workplace is to organize events that can serve as a platform for employees of various backgrounds to come together and engage in meaningful conversations. However, if you want to organize a successful diversity event, you have to consider more than just finalizing the date and sending invitations.
There are several key aspects that you must reflect on to create a meaningful and impactful experience for your team members. Fret not, because I’m here to talk about a few simple elements that can bring people of various backgrounds together to enjoy and share their outlooks and make your event a success.
Food
There are two kinds of people in the world – those who eat to live and those who live to eat. Now, if you ask me, I’ve hardly ever met anybody who belongs to the first category. Food is not just a part of any event, it is essentially a deciding factor in the success or failure of the gathering.
It’s quite easy to follow a caterer’s menu and be done with it, but then you’ll be making a huge mistake. Food has the ability to transcend language and cultural barriers, and there’s no reason why you should not use this to unify people of various backgrounds in your organization. Hosting an event with multicultural food options will definitely spark conversations and stories of various cultures, which will make it a positive interactive experience for everyone.
You can approach this in many ways. You can ask the employees to put together a potluck so everyone can show off their culinary skills and educate others about their gastronomical world. But if you don’t want your employees to go through the hassle, you can ask your employees to place orders on a group ordering site for meals of their choice.
CaterCow mentions in a blog that ordering for a large and diverse group can be overwhelming for any one member of the team. Group ordering allows people to choose what they want without bothering anybody while ensuring that all dietary preferences are met.
However, if you want to take matters into your own hands, you have to make sure that you consider everyone’s dietary requirements. Some of the factors to consider would be vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, gluten-free, and allergies. You should also make sure that each dish is labeled appropriately so that employees are well-informed before consuming any food. But irrespective of your approach, you can expect some foody discussions among your team members.
Movies
What’s the next best thing after food that sparks conversations? Well, I know it’s debatable, but I’m gonna go with movies. Movies have the power to evoke emotional discussions while promoting empathy for cultural differences. But when it comes to Hollywood, we still notice that non-white characters are underrepresented on the screen.
For example, if you consider the top movies of 2022, 15.9% of characters were represented by Asians, although it’s an immense increase from 3.4% in 2007. While in real life, 41.1% of the US population is non-white, only 38.3% of characters on screen are shown from other ethnic backgrounds.
It shows the importance of including international movies if you consider such a theme for your event. You can showcase movies that reflect the importance of diversity and inclusion. Consider selecting movies of various themes, such as race, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ+ issues, disabilities, and other topics.
Try to combine education with entertainment by choosing documentaries, historical dramas, or socially relevant films that offer valuable insights into other cultures and provoke thoughtful discussions among peers. Always consider your audience’s demographics and ensure the movies are appropriate for the work environment. You should also consider the accessibility options of the movies and check for captions or audio descriptions as required.
If you have the time and budget, you can consider organizing a mini film Festival at the workplace and screening multiple movies over a day or two. You can also incorporate interactive activities in the festival so employees can reflect on the subjects discussed in the movies.
It can be a good idea to pair food or snacks from the regions depicted in the movies, which can elevate the overall experience. Also, make sure that you clearly communicate any content warnings to the audience well in advance.
Travel
Who doesn’t like to travel or exchange stories from their travel experiences, right? Now everyone has different priorities when it comes to travel expectations. However, there is no doubt that involving travel for a theme in a workplace diversity event can be captivating for your employees. It will give them a chance to share their thoughts and experiences about various global backgrounds that they come from or have met during their trips.
Travel-themed events will enable the members to exchange cultural knowledge while broadening their appreciation for diversity. You can set up exhibits where employees can showcase artifacts, photographs, videos, or information from different countries or regions they belong to or have visited in the past.
Organizing various contests related to traveling can also be a good idea. You can ask people to submit their best travel photos or perform traditional musical or dance shows they might have learned during their trip. It can be a friendly way to entertain and educate your attendees.
These contests can also be accompanied by games for quizzes related to the cultures that are being showcased. I would also recommend a discussion on sustainable travel practices and responsible tourism so employees can understand how to minimize the environmental and cultural impact of their trips. There can be discussions about travel priorities for various groups among your team members.
For example, members of the LGBTQ+ community still face a lot of discrimination from the local population of certain destinations. A report by Booking.com surveyed 3000 LGBTQ+ travelers from 3 continents. 58% of the surveyed members believe that some destinations are off-limits to them, while 52% feel that their preferences to present themselves in public can impact their travel experience.
However, 87% of the surveyed travelers felt that most of their travel experiences have been positive, apart from a few instances of discrimination. Addressing such issues in your event can help your team members understand which destinations are friendly to their communities so they can plan their travels accordingly. It will also highlight such issues to other team members so they can empathize with the concerns and address them to their best possible abilities.
Travel is also incomplete without food, isn’t it? That means you can easily combine the two elements and arrange for a diverse array of international cuisines from various backgrounds while highlighting the cultural significance of each cuisine.
Invite your team members to exchange stories about their culinary experiences of their trips so others can learn what to try when visiting culturally diverse destinations.
So there you have it. These are the three elements that I think can be the key to organizing a successful diversity event at your workplace. You can also combine themes like books, sports, fashion, art, or languages along with the ones I discussed.
Whether you’re an experienced event planner or hosting your first one, incorporating these elements in an event can help you promote diversity and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging in your organization.
Published by HOLR Magazine.