In “Diversity in the Work Place,” Erika Nielsen Brown draws from her vast experience in the corporate arena to offer tangible and actionable advice about managing diversity, leading inclusively and addressing biases. As a Scandinavian who has lived and worked in many parts of the world, Brown demonstrates that she has awareness of cultural & historical dynamics that contribute to persistent racial, gender and other prejudices that hinder advancement and career success among people from diverse identities.
Throughout the book, Brown offers real-world scenarios of workplace diversity challenges and discusses complex dynamics that cause not only interpersonal friction between colleagues, but also uphold systemic inequities. I appreciated that Brown started with discussing how various types of biases impact decisions made about which employees get hired, supported and promoted.
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| Erika Nielsen Brown |
Beyond discussing race and gender, Brown offers insights into addressing diversity along the dimensions of religion, generations, disability and immigration status. For example, she talks about workplace realities for foreign-born workers whose educational backgrounds and credentials from outside the United States may be overlooked by hiring managers.
I read “Diversity in the Work Place” from my perspective as a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practitioner. I recommend it as a quick read for managers who may be new to DEI concepts, and are looking for a place to start their inquiry into inclusive practices. She makes the case for how organizations can benefit from thoughtful and intentional diversity management, and warns against the dangers of “check-the-box” approaches that result in practices that are not effective nor sustainable.