Ethical Dilemma More and more frequently there is discussion about the need for women to sit on boards, as well as greater inclusion of First Nations Australians and those with diversity needs. However, throughout this chapter we have discussed how attitudes and perceptions, including stereotyping, influence behaviour. When we link such discussions to why senior management and boards continue to have large underrepresentation of women and other groups, it is easy to understand how boards recruit in their own image seeking more of the same, yet the deep bases for attitudes are often left unexplored. It may be also quite simply that they believe they need more people like themselves, or just have a lack of understanding about how to work in diverse situations. If we are to create more inclusive workplaces, we need to look at what (invisible) barriers may be occurring. These barriers may include stereotyping that women cannot do heavy lifting or need time off to care for others; that disability in one area impacts a person’s ability more broadly; or it could also be that something as basic as the height of the countertops excludes a person with disability from being able to make their own coffee. From setting remuneration to working from home, to be ethical, organisations need to look at how to create greater inclusivity. This will often mean uncomfortable conversations, but through exploring what perceptions and attitudes have shaped the behaviour of the organisation and by supporting difference, stereotypes can and will be broken.
Question
Can you think of a time when you have been uncertain about how to deal with a colleague’s religious or background beliefs or needs? How might you frame your questions to reduce stereotyping? What sorts of questions can you ask?