{"id":13678,"date":"2021-02-23T15:30:52","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T13:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powtoon.com\/blog\/?p=13678"},"modified":"2025-07-21T14:22:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T12:22:40","slug":"diversity-inclusion-hr-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powtoon.com\/blog\/diversity-inclusion-hr-communication\/","title":{"rendered":"Diversity & Inclusion: The Unfiltered Truth About your HR Communication"},"content":{"rendered":"Read Time: <\/span> 6<\/span> minutes <\/span><\/span>\n

I want you to picture the following scenario \u2013 the visualization part is important. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Imagine you\u2019re late to an exclusive, 5-star restaurant opening. You rush to the restaurant. You make it through the crowds of people, you get to the restaurant entrance. And just as they\u2019re about to shut the restaurant\u2019s doors, the General Manager steps outside to welcome you in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You enter the restaurant and have the best meal of your life. At the table beside you is a happily married couple that makes you feel slightly envious. Meanwhile, a famous speaker is about to take the stage to speak \u2013 a CEO of one of the world\u2019s hottest tech startups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In your mental image, what race was the general manager? Was the married couple gay or straight? How old, and what gender was the CEO? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The images that first come to us are often riddled with ‘unconscious bias.’ We might be immediately sure the restaurant manager is white, that the couple is straight, or that the CEO is a man. No matter how much we love the idea of diversity and inclusion (D&I), when immediately confronted with such scenarios, our brain will create mental images of what it\u2019s familiar with.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a senior or Head of HR, I\u2019m sure you\u2019re well familiar with the concept of \u201cUnconscious Bias\u201d. The question is, how is this unconscious bias being reflected in your HR communication? And what can you do to outsmart your own biases and make a bigger effort to foster a more inclusive company culture? Keep reading.<\/h5>\n\n\n
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\"This<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

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The Millennial & Gen Z Perspective on Diversity & Inclusion <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In an increasingly hybrid workforce, addressing unconscious bias and building a truly inclusive workplace is more important than ever before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Starting with Millennials \u2013\u00a0by 2025, this generation will account for as much as 75% of the workforce. While Baby Boomer and Gen X employees generally view D&I as a representation of fairness and a diversity of demographics, Millennials view D&I<\/a> as the blending of different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives within a team, also known as cognitive diversity.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, Millennials are more interested in the willingness of a company to embrace a diversity of ideas and perspectives while recognizing that such diversity yields a more engaged and productive culture. Unlike previous generations, for Millennials, the subjective factors of an \u201copen and inclusive culture\u201d is more important than the hardcore stats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then comes Gen Z. The generation that has swiftly entered the workforce and will soon overtake Millennials as the largest generation. Having grown up with a smartphone at their fingertips, they value individual expressions and are deeply passionate about diversity and inclusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the US alone, Gen Z is more racially and ethnic diverse than previous generations. According to a Pew Research (2020)<\/a>, one-in-four Gen Zers is Hispanic, 14 percent are Black, six percent are Asian and five percent are some other race or two or more races. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, the Gen Z perspective on D&I is much broader, spanning diversity of experiences, identities, ideas, and opinions. They also refuse to turn ethnicity and race into a checkbox on a survey form. For the Gen Z employees, a company culture that lacks diversity and inclusion values and initiatives  will sharply stick out more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the most part, Gen Zers and Millennials share similar views on D&I. However, the subtle differences can have a profound effect on your HR communication and the way it makes them perceive your culture and their sense of belonging. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"This<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

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How To Outsmart Your Own Unconscious Bias  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Understanding the assumptions that we make and the errors that we make in our day-to-day communication is the first step. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more you become aware of this unconscious bias, the more you can try to eliminate these potential biases, make better decisions, and broaden your HR communication.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a more practical sense, when you\u2019re creating an HR presentation, video, poster, webinar, or whatever visual medium you may be using, you\u2019re subconsciously making decisions about the type of employees you\u2019re trying to present \u2013 what they look like, what clothes they\u2019re wearing, what height and shape they are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staying objective is hard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Your Existing HR Communication Inclusive? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So next time you prepare an onboarding presentation, a recruitment post, or any piece of visual content, consider these questions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Who\u2019s in my team and departments?\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How would somebody in my company perceive this material?\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Will the visuals make employees feel seen and represented at the company?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Do these visuals tell the story of my diverse company culture?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How many types of cultural and ethnical groups are being represented?\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Answering these questions will help broaden your perspective as to who this presentation, video, or visual medium is addressing. I promise you, that the end product will be much more meaningful and authentic.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Making Sure Your HR Communication is Visually Inclusive <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Inclusivity is not always felt by hard numbers on a paper. Sometimes it\u2019s what you can see and visualize. As more and more companies shift to hybrid environments, visual communication plays a central role in conveying your cultural narrative of D&I.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Through the visual materials that your HR team creates, you can do a lot to help foster a more inclusive culture and address representation gaps. While Clipart and PowerPoint can be convenient tools, if you want to reflect your company’s diversity, then your HR team should be creating videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Video will have a more significant emotional impact on your employees, providing additional room to express and visualize your culture. In doing so, they help tackle stereotypes and address unconscious biases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Check out these two examples: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n