My heart sank when I read that NHS organisations are to be forced to increase the representation of ethnic minorities in senior positions or face contractual and regulatory consequences. I shudder when anyone talks about enforcing race equality standards and, reading this, I was transported back to the early 1980s when ‘quotas’ and ‘targets’ seemed to be the panacea to all inequality challenges.
Did it work then? Clearly not or it would not feel like déjà vu. In the early ‘80s I was a young, passionate, equality activist and remember talking in reverent tones about countries or organisations that aggressively tried to address the race imbalance in the workforce. I applauded places like Chicago where the Fire Service introduced different pass marks for entry depending on which ethnic minority background you came from. Their ambition was to have a workforce that reflected their communities.
But the scheme failed hugely. Did it help race relations or race equality? Did it support and help promote the self-image of people from those ethnic minority backgrounds? Did it make them feel like they were competing on an equal footing or that they were as competent and capable as their white colleagues? No it didn’t. What it did, very successfully, was to cause resentment from white Americans, defensive behaviour from BME groups who felt they had to justify their positions, a deeper schism between races and a lack of desire for developing understanding between people. It set up those it was supposed to support to fail spectacularly, but even more profoundly, it caused discrimination to become intentionally covert and to be forced underground. People did not feel they could talk about their concerns or question and challenge for fear of being labelled ‘racist’. It enabled prejudiced white Americans to say that even when opportunities were handed to ethnic minorities on a plate they couldn’t be successful because they weren’t capable.
The motivations of Simon Stevens and NHS England to do the right thing is unquestionable, and they may think are making a brave move. No one disputes the unacceptability of so few BME people being in senior positions in the NHS. However, it makes me sad to acknowledge that over the last 40 years – we don’t seem to have moved the discussion on or to have learnt from past mistakes. The focus is yet again on punitive measures if targets are not achieved.
The low levels of BME representation at senior level is unacceptable. But I am certain that these measures will stray far from engaging or motivating a workforce that is already contending with enough change. Where is the focus on engagement, dialogue and the need to nurture all talent in our organisations? We need some positive action initiatives, but not in isolation and certainly not the major strategy plank for addressing under representation.
If we want genuine and sustainable change, we need to have brave and honest discussions in our organisations. Let’s begin to engage those who feel threatened by change and start some open and authentic conversations. We’ve failed to do this over the last four decades in a meaningful or systematic way.
Only by creating genuine advocates from the most threatened and powerful groups in our organisations can we begin to have any meaningful discussions that create tipping points and genuine movements for change.
My dejected prediction is that by enforcing standards, we are only stockpiling problems for further down the track. We have the opportunity to change – through new leadership, new structures, existing change – so let’s take that opportunity.
