5 Ways to Fight Diversity Fatigue in the Legal Profession
/Diversity fatigue can threaten the success of a legal organization’s diversity efforts unless it is proactively managed and mitigated
The issue of diversity has been a hot topic in the law for many years, and while progress has been made to increase diversity ratios in an otherwise “white male” profession, the forward momentum is still slow going.
According to the ALM’s Diversity Scorecard, the share of diverse attorneys has increased from 10.3 percent to 16.1 percent in the last decade and a half. This change includes all diversity categories, including women, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ attorneys.
The slow growth in the legal profession is still an issue despite many law firms and corporate legal teams creating and adopting diversity and inclusion efforts over the past decade. Because large-scale change has yet to be realized, some in the industry are reporting high levels of “diversity fatigue.”
This term refers to the frustration, cynicism, and exhaustion that legal professionals feel as a result of overall efforts, or from the baby steps being taken to create a more diverse profession. But although meaningful progress has admittedly been slow, the notion of diversity fatigue threatens to set the law profession back even further. Therefore, it is up to the partners and senior managers to address the issue and encourage their workforce to push past it.
Here are 5 ways to help the legal community fight diversity fatigue:
1. Recognize the small victories
Diversity fatigue is known to set in when diversity advocates are solely focused on achieving the larger goals, instead of also recognizing the smaller victories or milestones along the way. For example, if advocates are working to bridge the gender pay gap, instead of only focusing on the end-game, the emphasis should first be placed on getting more women on the compensation committee. That would be a significant, celebration-worthy stepping-stone toward achieving the bigger objective.
2. Weave diversity into the DNA of your organization, instead of merely executing individual initiatives
Working toward true diversity is so much more than launching an initiative. The term “initiative” suggests that there is a nuclear group of people working to achieve a singular goal when, in fact, working toward diversity is something that will affect every person and every aspect of an organization.
Diversity is unattainable when operating as its own function. For it to be successful, it must be integrated into the day-to-day operations of recruiting, talent development, professional development, mentoring, compensation, etc. When this priority is woven into the DNA of an organization, success happens. When it is considered an isolated initiative, fatigue may ensue.
3. Let go of the yellow-brick-road mentality
It is the human condition to desire a roadmap for success; a linear blueprint to help us get from point A to point B. But working toward diversity is anything but linear. There will be highs, and there will be lows.
For example, some years may be better than others in areas like recruiting and attrition. To cut down on the frustration associated with varied year-to-year results, the achievement should be viewed as a movement in the right direction over time.
4. Reward those leading the charge
One of the best ways to attract and retain leaders who will fight to keep diversity fatigue at bay and keep these efforts engaging is for management to fully support and reward those leading the charge. Whether it be monetary incentives, public recognition, or administrative support, recognizing the efforts of those doing the heavy lifting will not only help prevent the likelihood of them suffering diversity fatigue, but it will also keep the rewarder’s fatigue at bay, too.
5. Seek feedback and allow “vent sessions”
People who are given frequent opportunities to provide opinions and feedback on meaningful company causes are much more likely to remain engaged. Formally seeking the perspectives and suggestions of others is one of the best ways to foster a sense of ownership in diversity efforts, especially when constructive feedback is as welcome as praise. It is also an effective way to engage people who may have been disinterested or even opposed to the company’s diversity efforts in the past.
In the same vein, it is important to create safe opportunities for individuals to vent their frustrations if diversity fatigue does, in fact, hit. Create transparent, offsite annual meetings where diversity leaders can blow off steam. And for others within the organization, you can provide regular opportunities for anonymous feedback within all diversity-related communications, or create smaller training sessions where interaction between attendees is possible.
While diversity fatigue may be an inevitable byproduct of actively engaging and expecting your workforce to play a hands-on role in pioneering a diversity movement, it is a circumstance that can be managed—and mitigated before it stalls progress.
Carrington Legal Search is a woman-owned business that is committed to providing a diverse slate of candidates for each of our search assignments. To make our nationwide network work for you, get in touch at 512-627-7467 or email carrie@carringtonlegal.com.