Ask HN: How diverse is your workplace?

[woodstar]

Hi there, Some companies claim that they value diversity.But the workplace reflects nothing but homogeneity. So,how diverse is your workplace viz-a-viz White/Black/Hispanic/Asia and Male/Female?

[griffinheart]

I work at a Start up in Japan with about 10 people, we have:

1 Japanese, 1 Portuguese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Filipino, 1 Canadian, 1 Australian, 1 German, 3 Americans (although 2 of them have been in Japan for a really long time).

1 Female 9 Male

2 Asian, 1 Latin American, 7 White.

Although its very fun to have so many different cultures together and an immense learning opportunity, I subscribe to the view of getting people based on skill only.

We'll probably be on-boarding Japanese for the next 2 hires since, well, we're in Japan and its a tricky place to do business with big, old Japanese companies.

[woodstar]

Oh Dear Lord.I will love to work here.Your workplace sounds like a mini-United Nation.

[clinq]

I always feel confused when people say diversity in working place, esp. now in IT. I am totally fine with a company that hires people based only on their professional skills. Bringing race/color/gender etc into account, no matter inclusive or exclusive, is discrimination IMO. Talking about diversity in work and increasing diversity in work are also discrimination IMO.

[saluki]

I admit my workplaces as an engineer haven't been very diverse.

Over the years I would say:

White 97% Black 1% Hispanic 1% Asian 1%

Male 97% Female 3%

University was great because there was a huge mix of people from all over the world. I generally don't think about someone's ethnic background though.

I think everyone should be hired based on their ability and being a good fit for the position. I don't think hiring a person because they are or are not a demographic is necessary.

Perhaps aligning percentages with the population sounds like a good idea but hiring the wrong person for a position just for the sake of meeting a quota is a bad idea. I expect some demographics are probably less likely to be in engineering just because of their school systems or engineering is just not something they are pushed to get in to as they come up through Jr. and High School.

So I think diversity is great, but I don't think it should be something that drives your hiring practices where you're following a quota/percentages.

Just be fair and hire the best person that fits the position regardless of their demographic.

[fedora007]

My previous company was founded by an upper-class white female, and the hiring mantra was "cultural fit". While we had lots of female employees in non-technical roles, everyone was white (some were Western Europeans). Company had < 40 people.

My current company was founded by upper-class white males, whose hiring mantra is also "cultural fit". We have no foreigners and everyone is white (company is < 30 people).

[chimmychonga]

I work for company based out of Spain. Our US office is pretty small with only about 30 people, while there are about 300 in the entire company.

In our us office there is only 1 girl and only about 6 native English speakers. I think its pretty cool as I get to talk and get a peek into the culture in Spain.

[woodstar]

Good point.

[freakono]

This has lots to do whith your location.

You won't see the same diversity if you work in Idaho vs working in LA.

From my experience, companies that hire candidates based on skills and performance do better than companies that hire based on ethnicity/sex (whether inclusive or exclusive).

[woodstar]

Let me start.Where i work,it is 95% white males.2 Asian males, 1 white woman.No black(male or female).No Hispanic(male or female). Honestly,i don't find the environment thrilling at all.

[SayWhatIMean]

You may be a racist.

[woodstar]

No.I am not a racist.I am a white man who likes to see diverse groups anywhere i find myself.I live in a mixed and diverse community.I went to a diverse University.You can learn a lot when you are inclusive than exclusive.The tech community is all white males demography.If you have spent some time with other races,you will appreciate the richness of seeing things from different point of view.

[ksherlock]

Would you be thrilled if they fired you and hired a transgender black hispanic eskimo?

[woodstar]

You missed the point.It is not about firing me.It is about say what you mean and mean what you say.Various start-ups say they want diversity but the reality is they are just rhetoric. Just talk.They say one thing and do another.I have seen a situation where someone whose name sounds like minority was not called for an interview as a software engineer even though,he has all the other requirements. So,it is a systemic alienation as far as i am concerned.