The term tokenism comes from the English token, which means symbol, and refers to those merely symbolic acts that fail to promote an organizational culture that truly includes diversity of gender, culture, age, education, religion, sexual orientation.
“Many times we come across organizations that believe they are inclusive because they have made a declaration of intent to work with certain pillars of diversity,” says Anabella Capetillo, Manager of Diversity and Inclusion at Manpower Group Chile.
How to avoid falling into tokenism?
Better said: How to carry out acts that allow the inclusion of diversity without falling into the merely symbolic? Anabella Capetillo indicates that it is necessary to begin by understanding that diversity and inclusion are not synonymous.
"Diversity represents the differences in a particular subject and when we refer to people, the distinctions we can make are endless," says the Manager of Diversity and Inclusion of the human resources company.
"The word inclusion, meanwhile, Blockchain Development Service means not only distinguishing people based on a certain criterion, but also implies that all of them, without distinction, feel equally respected and valued," adds the expert.
To advance to an inclusion of diversity, it is not enough to establish metrics to increase the number of people from minority groups, but rather it is necessary to promote an inclusive organizational culture.
"Diversity and Inclusion is an equation that requires the genuine intention of establishing labor relations where respectful treatment is without exception and in a sustainable manner over time, integrating the needs and feelings of people of diversity," says Anabella Capetillo.
Promoting a real inclusion of diversity is an important challenge for companies in the world today. And that implies starting with a self-assessment that allows us to move beyond what is merely symbolic and promote respectful and inclusive labor relations.
