Empathy at the heart of professional inclusion with Charlotte Butler of Altogether Different
In an increasingly diverse and interconnected world, fostering empathy in the workplace is no longer an option, it’s a necessity. “ Altogether Different ,” founded in 2016, has positioned itself as a pioneer in transforming the workplace based on empathy. The company’s mission is to create inclusive environments where everyone feels valued, understood, and respected.
Such initiatives have become necessary due to alarming statistics. In 2021, 51% of full-time UK employees from an ethnic minority group reported experiencing microaggressions in the workplace*. This highlights the critical importance of tackling subtle biases and fostering real understanding within diverse work environments.
Since its inception, Altogether Different has expanded its reach globally, offering specialized training programs designed to help organizations embrace diversity and inclusion with sincerity and depth.
In this interview, we sit down with founder Charlotte Butler to discuss what inspired her company to start, how her impactful training programs have evolved, and how empathy can serve as a powerful tool to foster inclusion in diverse teams.
In 2016, I felt a lack of empathy in the conversations around inclusion in the workplace. By putting ourselves in other people’s shoes, we can better understand their motivations, their obstacles, and what they experience on a daily basis. This understanding is essential to effectively promote diversity, especially within companies. That’s why we launched our empathy-based training programs, and we’ve been growing ever since. Today, we operate globally with a small, passionate team, offering our flagship programs: “Leading Inclusively”, “Inclusion with Empathy” and “We Can All Be Allies”.
In 2020, the world was upended by the pandemic, leading to unprecedented change. It sparked a heightened awareness of global inequalities, including those related to race, gender, and socioeconomic factors. This increased awareness led to a greater focus on diversity and inclusion within businesses, with a greater understanding of privilege and bias. For the first time, many people were asking themselves, “What can I actually do to be more inclusive?” The killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement intensified this thinking, pushing businesses to take diversity and inclusion more seriously. Altogether Different played a crucial role in facilitating deep conversations and offering practical advice to drive authentic change.
Empathy is a dynamic process that prompts us to constantly ask ourselves: 'How might this person, with their unique experiences, values and beliefs, interpret this situation?' Characteristics such as age, sexual orientation, gender or ethnicity are just a few of the many filters that color our perception of the world. Each of us carries within us a unique story that shapes our vision of things, sometimes making us subject to unconscious biases.
Yet beyond these differences, we all share a common experience: that of having been, at some point, in a situation where we felt different, misunderstood or judged. This universal experience can be a bridge to empathy, allowing us to connect with others, even when our life paths are different.
Imagine yourself, even just once, in that person's shoes: the only gay person in a room where homophobic jokes are being made, the only person of color who is constantly asked to speak for an entire group, the woman who is constantly objectified... To feel it is to understand it, and when you understand it, you can take action to change things.
Many of us have had to quickly adapt to remote work. To foster inclusive conversations on platforms like Zoom or Teams, it’s essential to respect the need to turn off your camera. Everyone has different home setups and preferences for communicating—some prefer email or even an old-fashioned phone call. So it’s important to find a balance and adapt to each person’s needs.
Another way to stay connected is to create virtual networks, such as a Pride network for LGBTQIA+ people or a network for underrepresented ethnic communities. These spaces allow members to support each other and share their experiences. These informal conversations, without a set agenda, can take place monthly, providing an opportunity to connect on a more personal level beyond the daily grind of work.
Being an ally means using your voice and actions to support a community you are not a part of. True allies move beyond token gestures when they begin to make authentic connections to their own lives. For example, being a true ally should not require recognition or praise; it involves educating yourself about the minority experience and taking a stand in a meaningful and engaged way.
My partner and I have always tried to encourage our children to ask themselves the question: “How would the other person feel in this situation?”
To cultivate their ability to see things from different perspectives, we emphasize the importance of kindness, honesty and compassion towards those who are different or who feel isolated.
As a family, we discuss the history of oppressed peoples, explaining that some people unfortunately continue to experience oppression today, simply because of where they are from, what they look like, or what they sound like. We avoid gender stereotypes, given our own experiences in the workplace. It’s a way to start addressing issues like the gender wage gap from a young age. We aim to teach our children that differences are valuable and enriching. If everyone were the same, the world would be a much less interesting place.
As a family with two mothers, we know this feeling of being a minority well and hope to show our children that difference is a source of pride.
*according to Dynata's Global Consumer Trends Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report
