Super Diversity Has Landed
Attention: I recently read with much interest; the outcome of the census undertaken last year. The details announced by the government made for interesting reading and will be relevant to anyone living, working, or visiting cities like Birmingham.
I recall years ago having discussions about the UKs changing demographics and the need to plan ahead for this. It’s interesting to know that those conversations took place over 10 years ago and the anticipated changes spoken about then, is upon us now.
A key finding from the census is that cities like Birmingham, Leicester and Luton are now regarded as “super-diverse” cities. This means that more than 50% of these populations are now from a black, Asian or other ethnic group. The white population is no longer the majority.
The revelation of the census shines a beam of light on all of our organisational structures. Are you ready for that challenge organisationally, in your teams or individually? The time has arrived to seriously think about the cultural needs of your customers, services and your workforce in a meaningful way. This has to be a consideration in everything we do – when designing our workforce; producing products and services; writing policies, procedures and plans; and also when designing forms and questionnaires. You get the idea. There is clearly lots to think about and to act upon to avoid being left behind.
Out of date processes can inadvertently impact on those with protected characteristics. Consider how this can influence your performance and profit.
If you are a leader from any sector I do hope that you will consider this. It is important to reflect the city that we serve. A key consideration is to ask whether there is good representation from diverse backgrounds at all levels, including Board level. Research has shown that racially diverse teams are more creative; perform better and lead to better overall outcomes – in every sector. So, look around you and if you don’t see a good level of representation from black and Asian groups consider what you can do to change this.
I hope, like me, this is something you will be keeping a close eye on in your organisation.
Lorraine Olley B.A. (Hons), M.e.EDI
Director, embraceEDI