Increasingly, it’s become a big, uncomfortable, exciting, utterly unavoidable topic of conversation with regard to the workplace – diversity. 

A surefire way to get a swift, decisive response out of a group of professionals is to bring up the topic of diversity (especially of race, age, gender, sexual orientation and ability) in the workplace. A conversation about concepts and practices like DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), disability access or representation seems to bring out some of the most polarized opinions among both business owners and employees alike. 

This divide was starkly evinced in a recent survey conducted by KBDN – 153 individual responses poured in over less than two days, most of which included at least one written comment on the topic in addition to the multiple-choice selections. 

Some responses detailed successes and benefits of diversity initiatives in respondents’ own companies, while others turned a critical eye on what they see as a relatively homogenous industry. Another outspoken contingent of responses panned formalized diversity and inclusivity practices as overly “woke” and irrelevant, with many insisting that hiring and promoting are and should always be done on perceived merit alone. 

While the intent of the survey was not to chum the proverbial waters, this was certainly the outcome. So what conclusions and comparisons can be drawn from the data and provided opinions?

Hiring and Promoting Praxis 

Many responses critical of diverse hiring initiatives expressed ire at the implication that the respondents’ hiring decisions are anything other than fully merit-based. 

One respondent declared, “DEI has gotten out of hand. I would never discriminate against a qualified individual for hire no matter their race, but society is suggesting [that we] only hire for DEI, and that is wrong and un-American.”

Another respondent said, “We evaluate everyone on their experience and education. Nothing else,” and yet another response was couched in recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions: “We hire the most qualified individuals for the specific roles for which they are applying. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Affirmative Action is against the law, and we do not make race, gender, culture, etc. a factor in hiring. Discrimination against any race, gender, ethnicity, etc. is against the law. Interesting that with our ‘most qualified’ approach to hiring, we have quite a ‘diverse’ staff in the office and in the field.”

Yet another respondent claimed, “As a nation we need to focus on highly qualified candidates when hiring. Focusing on things people can’t control, such as race, gender, ethnicity, etc. is divisive and serves no one. Self-worth is gained through meaningful work. Helping people get education and training to qualify for careers they wish to pursue is what’s fundamental. It’s up to individuals to work hard to achieve their goals.”

On the other end of the spectrum, respondents expressed either satisfaction with their company’s DEI-informed hiring decisions or disappointment in perceived lack thereof. 

“I always give equal attention to the resumes with education outside of the U.S.,” said one respondent. “I promote diversity in the job listings with our recruiter and in online spaces so POC [people of color] feel comfortable applying to a welcoming environment. I am the director of our showroom division and I also am a female POC. While there seemingly were not many POC in our industry in previous years, I have noticed more diversity in applicants 35 or younger, so it is changing.”

Some respondents expressed disappointment at what they view as a largely exclusive industry: “I would like to see less talk and more walk regarding diversity. I see companies making big statements, but then you go to their staff page and you see the homogeneity. Kitchen and bath users are generally from all walks of life. We serve all of these users. It is time we act like it.”

For still another contingent of respondents, there was a prevailing sense that while the industry is not necessarily discriminatory in its hiring practices, there needs to be more effort made to appeal to more diverse applicants: “The kitchen industry as a whole lacks diversity,” declared one respondent. “In 30 years, I can count designers of color that I have worked with on two hands. As a former rep to big box stores for a national manufacturer, that screams to the void of diversity in the industry….I do not think this is because people of color are excluded. I have never seen any discrimination. It is just rare that we see diverse applicants. Maybe as STEM classes and woodshop skills are taught in more schools, this will change.”

Inside and Outside

For some, encouraging frank discussion and diversity training in the workplace ought to be front and center. “We have created a diversity committee to oversee initiatives to ensure quality outcomes for all in our company,” said one. “We could improve by having meetings where we go more in depth with struggles of heretofore marginalized employees and if they think progress is being made in the company.”

Another related, “We have adapted the workplace to ensure that any staff member’s physical and emotional needs can be accommodated, and we benefit hugely from a truly neurodiverse workforce. All of our recruitment activities, HR policies and actions also embrace diversity and equality – in a ‘no judgment, just respect’ environment. We fully promote inclusion in the workplace, and this fosters a wonderful working environment. Our approach has enabled us to successfully recruit, retain and promote from within – all hugely valuable for reinforcing our family business brand values and our determination to deliver an exceptional customer experience.”

For respondents on the other end of the spectrum, diversity is a topic that can and should be considered private and never brought into the workplace. “That is not our business,” said one response. “We focus on our business and our business only. Social and political activities have no place in the work environment and are not allowed.”

Designing Diversely

Intriguingly, some respondents pointed to a more holistic approach to the idea of promoting diversity in the industry – namely, that such practices are inextricable from the act and art of designing. 

“Our company travels regularly and reads publications that touch different cultures,” one respondent said. “We play videos and watch shows in different languages and cultures in order to get a broader understanding of people in general. We hire based on skill and mental flexibility in this respect. We are very aware of the limitations that a homogenous racial, ethnic and physical environment creates on thinking and creativity….We have become a bigger success using the inclusive approach. We have clients and staff from so many walks of life. Each time we engage a new culture, we die and come back to life.” 

Another respondent agreed: “We also need to showcase more work from designers and contractors that show diversity in our publications – from Houzz to magazines to social media. Our designs also need to be more diverse. I am in New England, and it can’t only be white inset kitchens in multi-
million-dollar coastal homes. Let’s bring everyone to the table – all styles, all sensibilities, all iterations of the home.”

Still another respondent summed up their thoughts thusly: “Diversity [in the workplace] offers a diversity of thought and inspiration, and what could be better in a field that is about ideas?” ▪

Inclusive Insights

In order to provide further thoughts and insight on the topic of workplace diversity in the kitchen and bath industry, KBDN consulted two designers based on opposite coasts and in very different locations,
both of whom have spoken and written extensively on the subject:

• Ebony Stephenson, CLIPP, CAPS, owner of Newport News, VA-based Designs by Ebony and VA State NKBA Chapter president
• Nureed Saeed, owner of Berkeley, CA firm Nu Interiors and Northern California NKBA Chapter president

Embracing Discomfort

Saeed, who has spoken on the topic of diversity in the workplace at events such as the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, is intimately familiar with the experience of feeling like the “other” at work. While proud of her Muslim and South Asian heritage, she has experienced a sense of isolation being one of the only women of color in the workplace. 

The discomfort she has experienced through being “othered” (however intentionally or unintentionally) has become a starting point for understanding the points of view of other marginalized people. In fact, in the past she has referred to discomfort as her “superpower” – a source of courage and empathy. 

That’s not to say that she can speak for everyone, she cautions, especially in her capacity as an NKBA chapter president. “It’s a really complex topic – just because one person is in an ‘other’ category does not make them a representative for everyone in every category,” she says. “I think there’s a want and a desire from the majority community to bucket everyone in one place, to make it easy, and it’s so much more complicated than that.

“What I try to do in my work is be incredibly sensitive about the fact that I can’t speak for everybody and I don’t intend to speak for everybody,” she continues. “I try to bring a community together from a place of understanding that we’re all incredibly different and have different needs and have otherwise been discriminated against or segregated in different ways.”

Saeed’s frank and open acknowledgment of the discomfort inherent in the complex tangle of diversity has, in fact, benefited her business – her client base is listening. “My clients are overwhelmingly people of color,” she says. “What I will tell you is, most of my clients come to me and say, ‘I like the fact that you say this about your belief system, and that you are actually out there saying these things and believing these things, and it makes me want to hire you because I feel like I can trust you in my home.’”

Embracing Empathy

For Stephenson, the discomfort she has experienced in professional settings as a Black woman has come in many forms. “I had an employer years ago who had a group discussion – not just one on one with HR – with myself and all of the other men who did not have textured hair. They wanted to have a conversation about the texture of my hair and how they believed I should do my hair in the morning before coming to work.” In addition to such direct issues, she says she has seen resumes discarded time and time again because the applicants’ names were too “ethnic.” 

In recent years, Stephenson, who lives with physical disabilities, has also found herself experiencing sources of discomfort that are perhaps not intentional, but no less of an obstacle in her workday. “I realized in this industry – say something as simple as me going to pick up tile samples in a showroom – some do not have simple things such as a table and a chair. We’re holding heavy pieces of granite, heavy door samples, heavy tiles – we just need something to lay them on.”

For Stephenson, inclusivity comes down to thoughtfulness and empathy – actively thinking twice about not only implicit biases, but also about what colleagues might need to succeed. “Those biases hinder a lot when it comes to inclusivity in the industry. And, unfortunately, it does make people not want to be in our industry. And we do need to be attracting those younger crowds right now.” ▪