IT Pros Are More Equipped to Address Diversity Than You'd Think
Diversity and inclusion require problem identification and problem-solving, two skills that IT professionals are actually really great at.
Nicole Sanchez is a diversity and inclusion champion. She's spent more than two decades tackling these issues and helping build more inclusive organizational cultures.
As she walked out onto the keynote stage at Interop ITX, one of the longest standing IT industry events, she looked out onto a sea of predominantly white males. But instead of homogeneity, she saw potential.
"I speak to a lot of crowds [about diversity and inclusion], but not often to people in the problem solving and problem identification solving business,” said Sanchez, CEO and Founder of Vaya Consulting as she opened the Interop ITX keynote panel on Wednesday, “Building an Equitable Workplace.”
“Problem identification and problem-solving are what diversity and inclusion are about," said Sanchez. Thankfully, these are the exact skills IT professionals excel at.
The presentation looked at three different aspects of diversity and inclusion: hiring, sponsorship or day-to-day advocation, and remote employment and exposure. All the presenters shared how inclusion is not only good for society, but for business as well.
Beyond inclusion, Sanchez said that there’s a strong business case for diversity even beyond revenue growth, “If you mostly work with people that have a lot in common with you, you’re going to miss your opportunity for innovation in the next generation,” said Sanchez.