Avoiding the Inaction Trap

Whether to start a new DEI initiative at your company or with a client can sometimes feel like a game of chicken.

The leadership team might be saying, “Well, employees aren’t asking for it.” Or “No one seems unhappy.” Or the classic, “III haven’t heard anyone complain. No one’s said anything to ME.”

And then on the other end, there might be whispered frustrations in the lab or in the break room: “I know we changed our logo on social, and I read the email, but what else are we doing?”

There were lots of good nuggets coming out of this month’s Comm Convo with LGBTQ advocate Lex Clay, and here’s another one: “Inaction acts sort of as a vacuum for something worse to fill it.”

Avoid the trap.

Regardless of where you sit in your org, comms touches everything.

And we can use that–as an excuse if need be–to catalyze change, even if it means doing it covertly. We have that power.

Maybe it’s a meeting of the minds and you don’t call it an ERG yet. Maybe including optional pronouns in email signatures is part of the next brand resource refresh.

The most effective DEI programs are going to be those where leaders walk the talk, YET employees feel empowered to start–and to lead–grassroots initiatives.

It’s when those two things meet in the middle that we see progress.

Creating Safe Spaces

We as communicators hold ourselves to high standards and because of that, often feel the weight of our orgs’ and clients’ stances on our shoulders.

Slow or lack of DEI-related progress can be frustrating.

Last week’s Comm Convo with LGBTQ+ advocate Lex Clay reminded us, however, of the power of leading by example to create safe spaces – which we are usually in a position to do as comms practitioners.

Those actions that you might perceive as little could make a world of difference to someone in an underrepresented or marginalized community, he said.

Visible examples here are wearing a small pride pin, having a sticker in your office, or adding pronouns to your Zoom name and email signature.

He also pointed out that how we typically comport ourselves and being sensitive to the issues, showing compassion, does not go unnoticed.

Lex spoke of a world in the future when maybe we no longer need awareness days and months because we as a society have built the infrastructure to truly support representation, and also integration, of diverse communities.

Until then, though, yes, while we can continue to do our part to advocate for systemic change, we can still make an impact by creating safe spaces for friends and colleagues, and not taking for granted those so-called small actions.

This week, we challenge you to think twice about those day-to-day actions that could facilitate safe spaces. Use your position as a face of the company or a speaker for leadership to model and inspire inclusive behavior.

As Lex said, “The people who need the help or the comfort will know that you’re safe.”

Inclusive Language

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

Is that really true? We think not.

As communicators, we labor, we deliberate, and sometimes we have to debate with others the words we use–from websites, to social media posts, to corporate decks, to employee emails… the list goes on.

Words matter.

Here are a few lightbulb moments we’ve had recently and would like to ask you to consider as well:

Gendered language: Hey guys. Chairman of the board. Manpower.

Violence and gun-centered turns of phrase and idioms: Shoot you an email. Kill two birds with one stone. I’ll die on this hill. Beat a dead horse. More than one way to skin a cat.

Racially or ethnically biased language: Lowest on the totem pole. Gypped. Grandfathered in.

When taken all together like that, it’s hard not to cringe. As communicators, especially practitioners in the human health space, we have a responsibility to weigh whether these are truly the most appropriate ways to convey our message.

Our job to translate complex science is hard enough. Let’s say what we mean the rest of the time.

We’re dropping a few resource links for you all, but please do share what other words or phrases have you started to think twice about using? And on the flip side, what are examples of inclusive language that have emerged in your lingo?

Non-Performative DEI

It’s the first week in June. As I speak, almost all biopharma logos will have turned rainbow.

Love to see this.

And now with Juneteenth being a federal holiday in the US, orgs would be remiss not to acknowledge its significance.

That’s all well and good, too.

But come June 30th, all of us communicators who manage our orgs’ social media accounts will notice that calendar reminder to flip those rainbow logos back to their normal colors and to coordinate with HR and Operations to take down the Pride flags and Juneteenth commemoration materials from the office.

What happens on July 1st?

That’s the question we are challenging you to contemplate NOW.

Throughout this month, consider how you’re setting up your teams, educating your leadership, and creating awareness among employees and other stakeholders to foster SUSTAINABLE progress toward a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and world- beyond June 30th.

Extending Industry Impact

Everyone we know in the life sciences is here because they want to make a difference, improve people’s health, improve lives.

Although most orgs’ missions focus on that, there are plenty of other complementary opportunities to extend our impact.

Look at how to elevate corporate values beyond the nice posters in the hallway. Assess which causes can help you walk the talk and meet stakeholder priorities.

Whether you’re an office of 5 or 50,000, your org is operating in at least one location. In all likelihood, each location was carefully selected for the support it offers the business. Think about how your org can embed itself in the local ecosystem and what you uniquely can contribute to ensure its long-term sustainability.

Consider your current talent pool and what the gaps are. Determine how you can support preparedness for a robust talent pipeline well into the future.

Diversity is critical, full-stop, but research also shows that diversity is good for business. Although many companies are making strides in the right direction, very few, if any, can say that they’ve achieved gender parity. Keep taking that hard look in the mirror and challenging yourself to build infrastructure that facilitates all kinds of diversity and at all levels, from the boardroom to the bench.

There’s much to be said about DEI and broader impact issues like health equity, but we’ll leave you with another actionable nugget that’s applicable, regardless if you’re just entering the clinic or are an industry behemoth: Be proactive about running diverse clinical trials that as closely as possible reflect the actual target patient population makeup.

This list here comprises only a few of the many ways we can amplify the good work we in biopharma do every day.

What are you doing to seize the opportunity to achieve greater good, and as communicators, how can we support these efforts?