I rushed to the University’s placement notice board. I had been shortlisted for the job. I would work on educational material for children in rural India. Eagerly, scrolling down the list I looked for Rakesh’s name. I was certain he had been short-listed.
In our three-hour conversation between interview rounds, I was amazed by his field experience and knowledge of the education sector in India. “I spoke in Hindi,” he said, staring at the floor. “They continued to question me in English.”
How is this possible?
“Maybe I need to strengthen my English to build curriculum for children in rural India,” he said.
This was the only statement I ever heard Rakesh say that was far from logical.
In that moment, I realised my unearned privilege. I was born in a family that only spoke English.
I didn’t earn my fluency in English; it was handed to me.
Diversity policies are often designed to tackle gender bias in the workplace. One of the most commonly ignored aspects of diversity is class difference. The idea of class is often associated with economic resource base. However, this does not explain the nuanced hierarchical arrangements people find themselves navigating every day. Through extensive tests and studies, author Lauren A. Rivera in Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs explains how subtle hints about the applicant’s class serve as unconscious deciding factors. The study elucidates how a candidate’s hobbies, extra-curricular activities that are mentioned in the CV suggest the class of the candidate. Candidates with hobbies and mentions that are peculiar to an upper class student are presumed to be a better cultural fit for the role and the organisation. This study particularly focuses on top-tier investment banks, consulting firms and law firms in America and it involves highest-paying entry-level jobs.
The story in India is not very different.
Pierre Bourdieu’s Forms of Capital explains these unexplained factors that contribute to the status of an individual — Social Capital includes the individual's social connection and networks while Cultural Capital which include tastes, manners and credentials serve to access different social experiences in and outside the workplace. Both these assist in the expansion of economic capital and vice versa.
Class has many facets that affect employee’s recruitment and promotion in an organisation. In India, language, the accent with which English is spoken, sense of dressing and presentation are likely to influence a recruiter’s decision. Candidates that are assumed to belong to the higher class are thought to be worthy of being responsible for money, excelling at a task or seen as a representative of the best.
How does class affect India Inc?
A big data company with offices in San Francisco and Bangalore recognises the subtle forms of class diversity that are expressed beyond economic capital, in the form of language, food habits and tastes.
We spoke with a manager at the Indian branch who manages a team of 30 to 40 analysts working out of the head office and some from remote locations. His team consists of employees who have moved to a metropolitan city. Over the past few years in the organisation, he has interviewed over 100 candidates from smaller towns for the positions. When asked about his recruitment strategies, his answer was instantaneous.
“There are three factors I look for in a candidate — skill, drive and earnestness”
Many candidates from smaller towns have fears while applying for positions in a big city. These fears are genuine. Some are not confident about competing in the workplace. They feel that their urban peers would be more comfortable talking in big groups or in meetings. Discriminations towards employees from smaller towns, who speak vernacular languages are common in many corporates today. They are often disguised as comments on language, food, clothes or even etiquette.
In our professional experience, responsible management can help in multiple ways. Targeted mentorship of employees has shown to bear excellent results. Taking a cue from the ‘amplify movement’, started by Obama’s female cabinet, co-workers can be sensitised to make the workplace inclusive enough for everyone’s voice to be heard.
How does one identify discrimination and create an equitable space?
The first step to creating an inclusive workplace is to recognise that diversity exists in many forms. Making all employees and managers aware of the unconscious bias beyond gender could be the first step towards an equitable environment.
In a day-to-day workplace, achieving a class-equitable culture may seem daunting, but a few small steps can go a long way. For the manager we interviewed, looking for skill and hard work before cultural fit has proven to be useful in finding good talent. He also suggests spending time during the initial two weeks, giving honest and objective feedback. Like the Obama cabinet’s amplify campaign, he suggests that with a simple prod during the meeting — “Hey aren’t you working on that project? What do you think of this idea?” he manages to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable to talk about the projects they are working on and a sense of ownership for tasks that they have excelled in.
Here’s the conclusion of the matter. We have all experienced both sides — earning more privilege than we deserve or gaining less than we have worked for. One shouldn’t feel guilty for being born into privileged groups, but instead take responsibility by being aware of how these advantages taint our view of other people and in turn our professional decisions.
(ChryslynnD'Costa heads the Diversity and Inclusion section at Serein Inc. You can write to her at chryslynn@sereininc.in).
