Diversity in the workplace is an on-going issue but it’s an issue with solutions. To build diversity, it takes forward-thinking initiatives, a reexamination of the hiring philosophy, and the support of the company’s decision-makers.
One such supporter of diversity in the workplace is Net Health’s CIO, Jason “JJ” James.
Recent social movements like Black Lives Matters have put race relations and equal opportunity under a microscope, and executives supportive of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are wondering how they can drive change. In the article, Vanguard CIOs Share Why Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Matters and How to Deliver It, James offered his take on DEI and the challenges underrepresented groups have in technology.
“DEI is the aspiration to build a more complete representation of society within one’s organization,” James said. “In a way, it’s the ultimate democratization. Our embrace of DEI means building an organization that is part of societal improvement – something larger than just our business. The challenges start with access and opportunity. One of the challenges remains the digital divide. Not having access to computing and broadband not only impacts the careers of underrepresented groups but the education opportunities. COVID has shown how impactful this can be.”
In addition to lending his views on DEI, JJ recently penned the article, How to build a more diverse IT team, where he outlines how an IT leader can increase diversity in their organization. This includes taking measures like:
- Re-evaluating job descriptions and term usage
- Encouraging hires outside of industry
- Removing arbitrary college requirements when possible
Watch as seven Black Net Health employees discuss the Black experience in America in our first-ever Fireside chat about race.