/ DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION
The Reality of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion By Keith Hutchings
D
ISCUSSING DIVERSITY in the parking and mobility industry may seem cumbersome,
creating a reduced urgency to address the challenge. The industry is still working toward normalcy and revenue generation as the pandemic catapults us into fast-track implementations of technology and adjustments to survive. But this urgency for change keeps the topic of diversity and equity inclusion as a high priority. An organization lacking diversity and equity inclusion may render itself incapable of shaping its services and products to meet shifting expectations.
Each team member must consistently remind themselves that while we are all similar in our humanity, we are different in our selfexpression. Failure to understand migrating consumer demands may potentially limit the future performance of the organization. Without improvements, many companies, organizations, and municipalities may experience the inability to adjust to industry trends.
Motivation To properly position your organization, first examine the cultural motivation and appetite for diversity. Ask yourself, does the organization have team members who react negatively to differing political opinions? What is the leadership position on embracing cultural and ethnic groups outside the majority segment of the workforce? Is the workgroup comprised of individuals who reflect the age and gender demographics?
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If the answers to these questions prove challenging, the first step must be to address them. Ask yourself if organization members feel the need to maintain the current culture even when it does not make minority members feel comfortable? A diverse and inclusive environment requires that attitudes and interactions change.
Attitudes and Behaviors No workplace will be welcoming if organizational attitudes support a position of cultural superiority towards minority and gender populations. We must all be honest about attitudes and behaviors that can make the workplace closed to minority groups. The first task in creating diversity is to address the organization’s tolerance of multiple people groups not in the majority. Only when the organization has
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