E – Equity – Recover our wellbeing

Recover outlines seven conversations you can have with your teams. Each topic is evidence based, so simply having these discussions will improve the well-being of the team. The E in Recover is for equity, or rather tackling inequity, because we’re still far from achieving that for so many groups. Why equity? Well, firstly, because it’s just the right thing to do to give everyone equal opportunities to thrive, to succeed. Yet still, they don’t. Take the NHS for example, even today, a white person is more likely to be hired after being shortlisted for a role than someone from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background, who we know is just as skilled and capable because they’ve also been shortlisted for the role. Secondly, because it’s better for the organisation. Evidence shows that diverse teams always produce better results. They’re more innovative because they can bring in more diverse perspectives. And one study showed they make better decisions because diverse teams consider and process facts more carefully. And thirdly, if you do things to improve equity for others, it will improve your own well-being. As studies show that someone with high inclusiveness activity, is four times more likely to have good wellbeing than someone who doesn’t support equality and diversity. Across all measures of wellbeing, including health, happiness and relationships. Improving equity, diversity and inclusion is good for everyone. And when you start to talk about what you can do to help, you might want to consider some of these things. Educate yourself and your team about the existence of inequity, what it looks like for different people. Read studies. Look at the data. Listen to other people’s experiences. Make an effort to get to know people from different backgrounds to your own. Practise active and empathetic listening. Hear what people tell you and accept it is their experience. You may be surprised by what you hear. Support people to have their voices heard. Ask how you can best be an ally, and speak up about discriminatory behaviour whenever you see it. Actually, when someone displays biased or intolerant behaviour, studies show that impacts negatively on their own well-being. So by speaking up for equality, you’re supporting everyone because none of us can truly thrive until all of us thrive.