81: Diversity and Inclusion - EGOS 2021 Special LIVE - Talking About Organizations Podcast

Mirjam van Praag

A topic that has gained renewed interest through the COVID-19 pandemic is diversity and inclusion in organizations. Systemic social problems left unresolved during ordinary times were exacerbated by the stresses and strains that the pandemic put on workplaces and the workforce. The effects of racial and gender inequalities in the workplace became more apparent and the cries for change grew louder in many circles. But, how to change and to what end is a complex question that eludes simple answers.

An important step is to open active conversations on matters of diversity and inclusion, therefore it has become a prominent theme among academic conferences in 2021. An example is the 37^th Colloquium of the European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS), hosted virtually in July 2021 by the Vrije Universiteit (VU) in Amsterdam. The Colloquium established as its theme, “Organizing for an inclusive society: Meanings, motivations, and mechanisms.” The following statement from EGOS explains the theme:

A society is considered to be inclusive when all its members have access to relevant information and resources and, at the same time, demonstrate a willingness and capacity to develop rich and meaningful lives for themselves, and for others. In its pursuit of ideals such as equality and respect for diversity, inclusivity lies at the core of contemporary visions on modern democratic societies. Yet, we do not need reminding that inclusion is inextricably linked with exclusion and therefore may demand that we address difficult questions, trade-offs, and conundrums. Inclusivity depends on an ongoing effort to create and maintain organizations, institutions, and environments, as well as practices and languages, in which and through which these ideals find their expression, but which can also be contested. The ambition of a society that enables and fosters participation – one in which no one is left behind – may, paradoxically, never be fully accomplished. (EGOS, 2021)

We are grateful to offer the keynote address for the Colloquium by Dr. Mirjam van Praag, President of the Executive Board of VU. The address was titled, “The Value (Drivers) of Diversity: A Perspective from Research and Management Practice,” and provides insights from her research on the added value and imperative of sustaining diversity in the workplace.