The tech industry is changing quickly. And, of course, when it comes to the dimensions of diversity like race or gender, the pay gap, or anything else, most people would agree that we should allow everyone who participates to have a fair experience. But, if we put fairness aside for just a moment, it also pays from a strictly business dimension to have a diverse set of people who have a diverse set of perspectives, who bring a wide range of experiences and a broad set of voices to the table. I think that in and of itself, that’s a familiar refrain even though it’s not a common refrain. But here’s the point: the problem we have goes beyond social justice.
At its core, the push for diversity in tech is a push for innovation. When individuals from a variety of backgrounds are brought together on a team, they are able to offer a plethora of unique perspectives. The companies that hire these individuals know that a team composed of imaginative thinkers from diverse backgrounds is more likely to not only come up with but follow through on novel ideas than a team composed predominantly of a single type of thinker.
Being part of a tech industry that is demographically diverse is all the more important to address society’s problems and promote social well-being. Technology can make them worse or, if we use it right, it can bring about some great social innovations and advances in basic human welfare. We need some social innovations in Silicon Valley. We see that unless you’ve got an inclusive society, you’re not going to have an inclusive imagination to bring about the kind of social changes that we’re trying to talk about that serve people who are not now being well served.
Tech needs a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities it serves. Convincing people that tech can be a warm and welcoming profession starts with representing the population. People can’t be what they can’t see, and currently, many are not seeing tech in their future. Tech by itself is often seen as exclusive to a few, because its leadership lacks diversity, and such diversity breeds trust and understanding with the user base. Moreover, diversity is good for business. A 2013 study by McKinsey & Company found that companies with diverse executive teams outperformed their competitors, in both sales and profit margin, by a significant margin.
The workforce of a tech company typically comprises talented individuals from various backgrounds. The blend of experiences and capabilities these individuals bring to the table enables tech companies to solve complex problems. Plus, when navigating the solution, leading them to their next big idea, these companies are better equipped to cope with another critical aspect of the global environment they find themselves in today: rapid change. Assuredly, then, cultivating a work environment that values all voices and perspectives is vital for growing the culture of a technology company that can make it through another breakthrough.
To end this piece, the author wishes to make it clear that diversity and inclusion are not insubstantial tokens that achieve the picture-perfect “brand.” Instead, they are sincere and fundamental aspects that create, even more, vibrant and groundbreaking ecosystems of technology. The author would kindly exhort those in power at this installation, and anyone reading this, to put their money where their mouth is and to bring about real action that leads to tangible results in the kinds of places where it really does matter: not just in Silicon Valley, but in all the other places where tech is happening and where our future is being built.