HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DIVERSITY

HORIZONTAL DIVERSITY IS “LETTING PEOPLE IN” AND VERTICAL DIVERSITY IS “LETTING PEOPLE UP”

[WE HAVE SEEN HOW YOU CAN LET PEOPLE IN TO SOCIETY OR AN ORGANIZATION WITHOUT LETTING THEM UP è “GLASS CEILINGS” AND “STICKY FLOORS”]

A HUMAN RIGHTS CONTEXT CAN HELP FACILITATE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DIVERSITY IN SOCIETY AND THE WORKPLACE.

HOW?

HUMAN RIGHTS PRINCIPLES AND PROVISIONS ADVOCATE THE MUTUAL RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF EACH PERSON

BY INSTITUTING PROVISIONS FOR:

1) ELIMINATING DISCRIMINATION [DIRECT AND INDIRECT, ADVERSE AND CONSTRUCTIVE, HARASSMENT AND POISONED ENVIRONMENT].

2) BONAFIDE OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS [RULES AND PROCEDURES HAVE TO BE (A) RATIONAL, (B) IN GOOD FAITH, AND (C) LEGITIMATE WORK-RELATED PURPOSE].

3) THE DUTY TO ACCOMMODATE DIVERITY/DIFFERENCES SHORT OF UNDUE HARDSHIP [è POSITIVE OBLIGATION TO PROMOTE SUBSTANTIVE EQUALITY AND THE FULL CONTRIBUTION OF EVERY MEMBER OF SOCIETY è AND/OR è TO TAKE THE NECESSARY MEASURES TO REMEDY SUBSTANTIVE INEQUALITIES]

THESIS: SUPPORTS AN INCLUSIVE DIVERSITY.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMATIC ASSUMPTIONS IN MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKPLACES TODAY IS THAT HORIZONTAL DIVERSITY [LETTING PEOPLE IN] HAS A NATURAL PROGRESSION TO VERTICAL DIVERSITY [LETTING PEOPLE UP]

HORIZONTAL DIVERSITY [LETTING PEOPLE IN] IS A “SUFFICIENT CONDITION” BUT DOES NOT NECESSARILY RESULT IN VERTICAL DIVERSITY [LETTING PEOPLE UP].

[ARBITRARY] POWER IMBALANCES TURN WORKPLACES INTO CONTESTED SITES.

ONLY BY ACTIVELY ELIMINATING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON ARBITRARY POWER IMBALANCES PAVES THE WAY FOR DIFFERENCES TO BE INCLUSIVE.

LIMITATIONS: HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTIONS CANNOT ADDRESS WHO MAKES THE HIRING/ PROMOTION RULES AND PROCEDURES OR WHO EVALUATES.

THEREFORE, ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES THAT ‘ENGAGE’ AND ‘EMPOWER’ WORKERS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT

HOW DO WE EXERCISE THE ORANIZATIONAL [AND PUBLIC SERVICE] VALUES OF 1) MERIT, 2) INTERNAL MOBILITY AND BELONGING, 3) PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT, 4) TRANSPARENCY, 5) ADAPTABILITY AND 6) REPRESENTATIVENESS?

CONCLUSION: ALL OF THESE, WHEN ACTUALIZED, BRING TOGETHER A SENSE OF BELONGING WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CONTRIBUTING TO BOTH INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY.