PagerDuty Summit: New Relic’s Rachel Parrott on the Neuroscience of Inclusion

PagerDuty emphasizes Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (ID&E) as core values, highlighted by their inaugural ID&E report and a session at their global conference featuring Rachel Parrott, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at New Relic. Parrott discussed the challenges of achieving inclusivity due to unconscious biases, such as the brain's tendency to favor similar individuals, which can lead to homogeneity in the workplace. She emphasized the cumulative impact of exclusion on marginalized communities and how it affects performance, advocating for individuals to challenge systemic favoritism and use positive communication to foster inclusivity. Parrott highlighted the importance of intentional efforts to create a culture of belonging, noting that prioritizing ID&E is not only ethical but also beneficial for business, particularly in the context of increased remote work, which could level the playing field.