Understanding Equality and Equity

Premier Talent Partners posted a great short read on the differences between equality and equity in the workplace.  They used this picture as illustration, and it worked well for me.  It’s overly simplified, but also spot on. 

As they said, let’s break it down:  “On the left, each individual is given the same box to stand on to watch a baseball game over a fence. But because the individuals on the left are taller—a privilege—they’re able to see what the shortest individual cannot. In the image to the right, we’re shown what it looks like to employ equity instead.  When the less privileged are armed with resources that offer the same opportunities as their peers, fairness is achieved. In other words: Equality is the end goal. Equity is the means to get there.”[1]

At work, we are called to work on being active anti-racists at the organizational and personal level.  Part of the solution lies in top-down, system-wide, cultural transformation.  But, perhaps there is room to look at individual employees who may feel disengaged and marginalized, and provide a supportive boost to re-energize their path forward. Individualized career coaching may be the complimentary individualized, bottom up proven strategy to re-ignite engagement and performance.   

[1] HOW EQUALITY AND EQUITY ARE DIFFERENT  (AND WHY IT MATTERS IN THE WORKPLACE)

https://www.premiertalentpartners.com/how-equality-and-equity-are-different/

Jul 29, 2019