"Break the Bias"

I’ve only really seen any recruitment camlaigns like this (very well publicised) for very specific groups (so I assume they look at their staff demographics and decided that one group wasn’t represented enough - so collecting accurate data is important then).

@KittenKong it's funny you should say that about return to work initiatives. There used to be either lots of them, or a big push around the ones that existed. They were aimed at women coming back after time looking after their small kids. Where did they go?

I know someone who works for a large Borg. They are well into D&I - but this is very much focussed on the rainbow and little else. Apparently it is client demanded and stonewall driven.

So they have people in jobs that are not the best for the job (but they tick boxes), they don’t push to have disabled access/support, or working patterns to support carers.

They don’t have a ‘return to work’ policy, or ‘good neighbour’ policy (we used to do this - sponsor kids clubs, donate our time to charities, go and read in schools, and do tea dances for elderly clubs - this was a large city organisation).

They don’t actually care about such issues but will do what is fashionable, visible and attractive to (noisy and pushy) clients.

As an EDI person my cynical perspective is that my organisation benefits from the current focus on trans rights, as it provides an opportunity for them to appear to be an inclusive employer with very little investment in terms of money/ workload. Changes such as encouraging use of pronouns and changing the signs on toilets to make them gender neutral are relatively cheap but make them look inclusive. I'm not even sure that my organisation actually has many trans staff/ service users.

Making our organisation more accessible for disabled staff and service users is not fashionable at present. It would cost money that they don't want to spend.

Workplaces should increase their family friendly hours and policies, that would do it for me.
Yes - but break the bloody bias when doing so, don't assume women are the default carers.

I find the whole IWD concept cringe and infantilising.

Workplaces should increase their family friendly hours and policies, that would do it for me. I don't need a whoop whoop women day. Sorry.

I've no idea what 'break the bias' is supposed to mean.

It is like one of Boris's three word covid slogans only even more meaningless.

My work has just posted an IWD post. A video made from photos of staff members making the X, and a statement about providing gender equal care. Asking us to join them in breaking the bias. No explanation of the bias or what they are doing about it except making videos. Sigh.

Also in there was Holly (?) Ramsey daughter of Gordon Ramsey celebrating IWD by posing topless (from the back). Does anyone know what she was celebrating?

A day freed from her brassiere? Ladylumps liberation? Lord knows, the ferocity of my sports bra makes me beg for mercy. Perhaps she’s onto something.

Well we will know when the bias has been broken when we can name ourselves, talk and organise together without being accused of bigotry.

I feel really sad that this slogan, hand gesturing organisation has robbed women of international women's Day. I'm sure they had good intentions but it just gives businesses an excuse to say aren't we jolly good without actually doing anything about anything.

Also my local IWD organisers are TWAW so I can't celebrate locally.
Perhaps next year we should reclaim international women's day somehow. Probably easier to make our own day up though.

Interesting looking at that twitter account from gender pay gap bot.

Also in there was Holly (?) Ramsey daughter of Gordon Ramsey celebrating IWD by posing topless (from the back). Does anyone know what she was celebrating?

Thank you for the recommendation. It had brought me much joy.

I had a nice time today as my female team brought in treats for each other and wished each other Happy IWD and had an informal chat about an issue at work we'd like to improve. And then did a day's work.

We had a Break the Bias presentation form female directors. I switched it off when the one said she had never experienced any.

my work has a women's network which I joined. They invited all to a Teams meeting to discuss a few issues. It was full of acronyms and really inaccessible.
At least you’re allowed a Womens Network.. my work has an Equality Network Open to All Genders. And under no circumstances does anyone from that network ever mention SEX. I sent back some comms I to them about cervical cancer screening because they had sent me a whole paragraph without using the words Woman or Female.. one day my head will explode.

This is exactly what I mean though - if you're not breaking the bias it's your fault, try harder! You're just not good enough are you? It's not like a few crappy pictures can undo the patriarchy is it?
it's like it's only celebrating the end product, not helping us with the process.

Also pissed off because my work has a women's network which I joined. They invited all to a Teams meeting to discuss a few issues. It was full of acronyms and really inaccessible. I didn't feel welcome or able to contribute (and I'm not a shy wallflower or unused to large meetings either!) After a lot of thought, I have fed back tactfully to the organisers that if a woman feels unwelcome at the women's network that there might be an issue. Radio silence. I guess that tells me it's all about lip service and not involving any actual women in real improvement initiatives. Feels like a box ticking exercise, which made the IWD efforts feel very hollow.

“I have sometimes cynically wondered if the increase of person-hours going into this kind of thing isn't mainly about providing employment for people who otherwise aren't that useful in the modern workforce.“

We need a B Ark......

Haha - keeps them out of the marketing dept then! This used to be the realm of ‘my friends kid doesn’t know what they want to do - marketing looks easy and fun’