Being Smarter Together: Diversity is not a Zero-Sum Game

By Audrey Murillo

The topics of diversity and inclusion have been in the spotlight for a few years now, and although the two concepts are interconnected, they are not interchangeable. Diversity is about representation in a given entity. Inclusion is about how well the contributions, perspectives and presence of all the individuals from that entity are being heard and valued. Or in the words of Vernā Myers: “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.”

If we get past the buzzwords and look at the data that has been collected over the years, we quickly see that there are many reasons why diversity and inclusion bring business value, whether centred on fairness or company performance. If we look at performance, we see that entities are more successful if they are diverse. But diversity without inclusion is not enough: without fairness, respect, a sense of safety and belonging, employees will not speak up or do their best work. The people from an outside group will bring fresh ideas, perspectives and ways of solving problems. Their presence will also push the majority group to think twice about their assumptions and the solidity of their own way of addressing issues. In other words, we get smarter as we work together.

Being smarter together and bringing the best out of each other is critical in demonstrating that diversity and inclusion is not a zero-sum game where one person’s gain is equivalent to another’s loss. Everyone gains something and is able to pursue continued growth.


Minority Report

In the transportation and warehousing industry, women currently represent less than 25 percent of the workforce. According to McKinsey’s 2022 Women in the Workplace report, in 2021 women leaders left companies at the highest rate in years, and the gap between women and men leaving was the largest it has been. In today’s market and global economy, the stakes are high, and companies cannot afford to not be at their best, which means they cannot afford to lag in their commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Employers have a huge role to play in ensuring greater awareness and understanding of what a diverse workforce and inclusive culture can bring.

In recent years, Bechtel has approached its diversity and inclusion strategy with a heightened sense of urgency. The company further institutionalized leadership commitment to diversity and inclusion, strengthened resource groups dedicated to supporting underrepresented groups and career development, and implemented programmes aimed at strengthening inclusive culture.

One of the programmes we have implemented that resonates across the company is Catalyst’s Men Advocating Real Change, or MARC. The programme challenges all participants to take a deep look inward to identify unconscious bias and helps them develop the tools to interrupt non-inclusive behaviours. We have seen more and more colleagues implementing the tools offered by MARC and committing to being the change they want to see happen at Bechtel. The commitment to being smarter together is present across the enterprise.

Change takes time and requires getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. What I have seen at Bechtel has been nothing short of amazing.

Audrey Murillo is a senior estimator at Bechtel and a member of Women in Breakbulk, a networking platform that brings together female professionals from across the supply chain to share their experiences and talk about the challenges they have faced while building a successful career in the breakbulk, project cargo and maritime industries.