Creating an Inclusive Work
Environment
Rafael Ortega, MD
Peter S. Cahn, PhD
May 7, 2012
Learning objectives
• Define the benefits of a diverse work
environment
• Identify strategies to effect organizational
change
• Recognize and neutralize unconscious bias
Mission
Boston University School of Medicine is dedicated
to the educational, intellectual, professional, and
personal development of a diverse group of
exceptional students, trainees, and faculty who are
deeply committed to the study and to the practice
of medicine, to biomedical research, and to the
health of the public. We, as a community, place
great value on excellence, integrity, service, social
justice, collegiality, equality of opportunity, and
interdisciplinary collaboration.
Faculty at BUSM and peers
Racial diversity of chairs
Chairs by sex
Unconscious Bias
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
U.S. men over 6 feet tall
Corporate CEOs over 6 feet tall
Mahoney MR, Wilson E, Odom KL, Flowers L, Adler SR. 2008. Minority Faculty Voices on Diversity in Academic
Medicine: Perspectives From One School. Acad Med 83(8):781-786.
• In my experience, they … I call it … there’s a
“paradigm person.” So if you fit this kind of
paradigm, then you tend to excel. And I hate to
say, I think it’s here and everywhere else in the
United States, that if you’re a white male … it is
unspoken, but there’s clearly … you see who is
rewarded. [African American woman, junior rank]
• There’s definitely … the “old boys network,” they
hang together and that kind of thing and … I
don’t hang with them, you know what I mean?
[Latina woman, senior rank]
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
Stereotype threat
Language change
• Distinguished senior
scientist
• Risk taker
• Chairman
• Male nurse
• Faculty wives
• I don’t feel comfortable
with the applicant.
• She is a role model for
women.
Shifting assumptions
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Minorities speak for all members of
their background.
Minorities are interested in serving
on diversity committees.
“Where are you from?”
Minorities and women need to be
overly praised for small
accomplishments.
Diversity takes away opportunities
from majority faculty members.
Everyone has a traditional family
structure.
Colleagues speaking a foreign
language are talking about you.
Students and colleagues feel
comfortable with self-promotion.
• Build a concentration of minority
or female colleagues.
• Shield early career faculty from
too much service.
• Pronounce names correctly.
• Reward everyone equally for
outstanding performance.
• Explain the benefits of diversity.
• Use gender-neutral pronouns.
• Engage colleagues in scientific
conversations.
• Provide mentorship.
When you see unacceptable behavior
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Name it, claim it, stop it
Use humor
Ask questions
Focus on behaviors, not the person
Develop problem-solving options
Role play
• After returning from maternity leave, a female
colleague works just Mondays through Thursdays,
but your group always holds a mandatory
meeting on Fridays. How do you include her?
• Three researchers from China work in your lab.
They are very quiet in lab meetings but talk
animatedly to each other. How do you engage
them with the entire group?
• You notice that a colleague is suddenly wearing a
wedding ring. You know nothing about his
personal life. Do you say anything? If so, what?