I don’t believe that hiring for the best talent and hiring for diversity are opposing behaviours.
Every day, I look at the faces around the table with me at Blue Barracuda and I see diversity in gender, age, ethnicity, and even neurodiversity. But this isn’t because we have a quota or a checklist to hire against.
Today, working in Dubai, in a multicultural society, in an agency that collaborates with clients across all sectors, each with its own objectives, target audience, category codes and tonality, not to mention varying language needs; how could we require anything other than diversity in perspective and thinking?
It’s hard for me to believe that hiring the right people for the right jobs doesn’t lead to diversity. Maybe this sounds too utopian, or maybe I’ll be accused of being naive, or even too politically correct. But in the case of Blue Barracuda, if we want to build a team that makes for good business, diversity makes sense. And it happens without even trying.
I’d guess this is true of many agencies based here. But, often, conversations about DE&I stop at D, while diversity alone isn’t the whole picture.
Equity and inclusivity are areas where we all – across the region – need to put in more effort.
I try to make it a priority to focus on these aspects. I look at our company culture and policies to gauge if everyone on my (diverse) team is benefiting and feeling included. Here, I’m looking beyond the standard markers of diversity — race, age and gender.
The topic of DEI is obviously more complex than demographics. I consider the impact of our expectations and practices on parents and non-parents; on those who live near the office and those who aren’t able to do so; on the big extroverted personalities and those who are quieter. I even include Gen Z as a consideration.
The workplace and workspace are evolving. As an older Millennial, I can’t deny the transformation of how we work, where we work, and what we expect from work, brought about by technology, the pandemic, generational influences and a heightened commitment to diversity.
Even before Gen Z began to enter the workforce, we anticipated their impact on the workplace. They joined while hybrid work models and DEI initiatives were gaining traction, and have shifted traditional norms. (And it’s true, many of us in the generations that have preceded theirs, are known to grumble and complain about the changes they’re driving.)
I’m very curious as to what the workplace of the future will look like. I don’t think we’ve scratched the surface of the changes that will take place to fully embrace and incorporate DEI.
We have a lot of work to do to get there, and we’re happily doing it. But we need the voices of everyone around the table, and so I say to those who are just starting out, claim your seat and don’t be quiet. The workplace of the future is shaped by the perspective of all.
By Dina Saadeh, Managing Director, Blue Barracuda
