Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace

While it is true that organizations need to learn new ways of thinking and talking about diversity, this will not have any effect unless individuals within an organization learn these habits as well. People in leadership positions can facilitate this by enabling diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, through scalable methods that ensure initiatives are sustainable. These also ensure that common mistakes are avoided, reinforcing their impact and encouraging employees to accept new best practices.

Any organization can benefit from utilizing these methods, and by promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within your workplace you can expect the same benefits. We elaborate more on this below.

How employers can promote DEI in the workplace

Methods and suggestions for promoting DEI in your workplace include:

Acknowledging a lack of diversity

The first step in promoting diversity within any organization is to first acknowledge the lack of diversity in the first place. This may at first produce a “walking on eggshells” feeling, as many employers won’t be sure of what to say or how to react to certain situations, but going through this stage is necessary to begin the process of change.

The opposite of all of this is to take a colorblind, culture-blind approach, meaning that an employer chooses not to notice differences. This is not the approach that should be taken if you want to foster a truly diverse and inclusive workplace; it does not promote change and employees are less likely to feel respected and understood as individuals.

Identifying areas for change

Building on the acknowledgement of a lack of diversity, it’s then important for employers to look to gain awareness of the types of diversity within and across their organization. This involves looking at the facts; sharing statistics of said organization’s diversity within roles, teams, and hierarchies. The hard data will help to identify areas where change is required.

As a part of this, leadership should be looking at how diversity, equity, and inclusion play out for individuals, teams, and organizations as a whole. This should also encourage employers to:

Evaluate their individual and collective perspectives (in terms of identity, culture, and values)
Compare these individual and collective perspectives to that of others
Consider how experiences of power and privilege may affect their approach and effectiveness
Evaluate how dynamics of DEI may affect their marketplace and the organization’s business strategy overall

By exploring the specific context in greater depth, employers, management, and others in positions of leadership can engage with others within an organization and identify the most relevant opportunities for change. Experts recommend selecting 2 to 3 strategic actions that will drive desired results once implemented.

It may be (and is often) the case that leaders will also have to take explicit, public accountability for the lack of diversity in senior positions and board-level management. This may mean that not every individual in a senior or board-level position will be able to remain exactly where they are if systemic change is to take place.

Actions related to this may be difficult, but organizations which do not do this often miss out on the benefits of promoting diversity within the workplace.

Emphasizing the importance of equity

Professionals within this field will often highlight and stress the importance of equity in the process, sometimes by putting it before diversity and inclusion in terms of the listed order. This is because diversity and inclusion as concepts are not sustainable without equity. Equity here means the provision of fair and contextually appropriate opportunities, as well as the resources that allow employees to achieve their full potential.

By recognizing societal inequities, an employer can come to understand that their organization is not the level playing field they had previously assumed it to be. What may be seen as a fair opportunity by some will not be to others. Expressing motivation for countering inequity and acknowledging barriers to this is vital, as is setting out clear objectives towards greater equity. Action should then always be taken, as these are the foundations on which an organization’s diversity and inclusion efforts are based.

Recognizing diversity

Employers need to recognize and engage differences, both within and outside of an organization (meaning in terms of both employees and any customer base the business serves). By doing this, they can see and explore the impact of diversity on perspectives, assumptions, and approaches to different aspects of work. It also helps to identify ways that employee contribution can be enhanced.

An example of this in action would be an organization implementing a method that ensures all religions and cultures are honored, acknowledged, and celebrated equally. This does not mean attempting to make all holidays compulsory time off for all employees, as this would be difficult at best and impossible at worst. However, there are a number of methods which can improve and increase cultural diversity and celebration within the workplace that are more manageable:

Offering flexible time off for holidays (instead of predetermining holiday periods for employees, setting a number of “holiday time off” hours or days that they can use at their discretion)
Providing “floating holidays” (these are granted to use at an employee’s discretion and is counted separately from company holidays and PTO; they can be used for personal needs, or cultural or religious holidays that don’t match the standard holiday calendar)
Offering theme celebration months (hosting monthly, onsite themed events for various cultures and demographics, e.g. Black History Month, Women’s History Month, LGBTQ+ History Month, etc.)
Designating spaces and appliances for cultural and religious practices (e.g. designating fridges for Kosher or halal foods, or designating a spare room as a prayer room)

Promoting inclusivity through leadership

The efforts to promote inclusion have to be intentional, active, and ongoing in order to be effective. This will mean implementing new policies and best practices within an organization, but it will also mean that an employer should have the ability to envision and enact new ways of leading. Management and other leaders at every level will need to know what is required for an organization to improve inclusivity, but they will also need to be able to implement these effectively.

Individuals in charge of this will also have to ensure they have the right tools, resources, and support to do this. Having the right combination should help to improve their ability to identify and mitigate bias, respect differences, build empathetic relationships, foster allyship, manage conflict, and bring out the best in all their employees.

Having direct, meaningful conversations about DEI

The apparent inability to have meaningful, direct conversations is one of the leading contributions to unproductive relationships, which often develop across divisions. Being able to have an effective conversation is critical to being able to work with individuals whose backgrounds and perspectives are vastly different to your own. It also fosters a culture of trust, understanding, and complete transparency, meaning individuals at all levels are likely to feel more comfortable talking openly and honestly about issues they may be having.

As a result, organizations are likely to be rewarded with better collaboration, more innovation, and greater overall effectiveness.

Mapping network connections

Those in leadership positions should be able to explain to their teams exactly why they should be collaborating across boundaries, while also exploring the ways that this can be expanded upon more effectively. One of the most powerful tools to do this is network analysis, which allows employers to understand how individuals may be inadvertently creating inequity or preventing the inclusion of diverse individuals and their perspectives.

To begin conducting network analysis, an employer will first have to conduct data collection through a customized survey or other mechanisms such as email traffic. Those inputs can then be used to map patterns of relationships and interactions that might “fly under the radar” otherwise. Typically, the results of these will reveal an over-reliance on a few individuals or groups, while also highlighting individuals who are isolated, or have valuable or relevant ideas, expertise, perspectives, or connections that are being underutilized.

Doing this allows an employer to see where unintentional biases may be built into an organization’s networks, and how this is creating limitations for them, their employees, and the organization itself. Using the information available at the end of the analysis, employers will then be able to identify additional people or groups that are not being accessed, set goals to diversify their network, and take steps to engage with others and build connections across the organization.

Encouraging coaching, mentoring, and sponsoring

Unconscious biases or systems of power within organizations often lead to individuals being denied access to leaders who are “like them”, if they are not already like their manager or their organization’s dominant leader type. This lack of equitable access means they do not receive the correct guidance and cannot be steered in the direction of the most valuable experiences and support for their needs. Because of this, their careers often stall.

Organizations can counter this by implementing their own coaching culture and developing the coaching skills of their employees. By creating this “network of champions” for their organization, employers will be enabling the development, contributions, and career paths of all employees – not simply the ones who have only just joined the business. What may be expected will differ at all levels of the organization:

Managers can ensure all direct reports are heard, given feedback, provided with support, and offered opportunities
Mentors can provide guidance, feedback, and support, whether this is based on the specific need of an individual or is required for ongoing development
Sponsors, who are typically senior leaders, can be encouraged to act as advocates who actively work to advance the careers of the individuals they are “sponsoring”
Talent Management & HR services can communicate expectations to help managers, mentors, and sponsors understand the role they have in making DEI initiatives successful. They can also provide access to tools, training, and resources

Encouraging training

As well as utilizing coaching and mentorship schemes, an organization should also utilize a range of different training programs which may widen an individual’s perspective. Companies with a variety of departments and responsibilities, for instance, may wish to implement a cross-training program which enables employees to spend time working in various roles within the organization.

This will normally be implemented on a volunteer basis, and employees can spend anywhere between a few weeks and a few months working in different roles. Doing this allows them the opportunity to:

Learn from each other
Connect
Collaborate more
Develop both hard skills and soft skills
Climb the employment ladder more quickly
Improve their understanding of what different teams need

Training should not be limited to employees, however. Management training, particularly diversity training, should be made an available option as well. This is not to say that diversity training and its discussion topics should be made compulsory, however; when people feel forced into doing something they don’t want to do, they will often remain obedient but reject the core principles of what they are being told. An employer giving them free choice based on a recommendation is more likely to increase receptivity to the message being presented.

This type of training cannot be a one-off event, either. This must be a commitment that an employee or employees make and keep to over the years, and employers should support this by implementing a series of events, celebrations, and programs designed for continued learning and awareness.

Analyzing talent practices

Talent processes within an organization reflect and create norms, and can be the levers by which system-wide change is implemented. An employer should look to review systems and practices specifically related to recruiting, hiring, and promoting talent, audit compensation data, and examine employee development practices.

From this, they should then look to ask questions and consider:

Who has access to on-the-job learning and key assignments?
Who is receiving coaching, mentorship, or sponsorship?
Who is tapped for training or leadership experiences?
What assumptions are being made about individuals’ current capability and future potential?
Are different standards being applied to certain people or groups?

Employers and the most senior levels of management within an organization should also help lower management and team leaders to evaluate practices and policies which create structures for how the work is completed. This also shapes the employee experience. At the same time as this, employers should be looking for ways that bias may present itself, even unconsciously.

Going in-depth on social identity

The concept of social identity can be utilized as a tool to help employees understand similarities and differences, as well as their impact on the workplace. A social identity is the parts of a person’s identity that come from belonging to certain groups, which include race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, education, physical ability, and socioeconomic status. Social identity is not limited to these, either, and there are many other factors which comprise an individual’s social identity.

Social identity drives perspective and unique value, and can often define sources of power and privilege. It is also tied to many of the long-established structures, unconscious assumptions, and experiences which continue to drive inequity in the modern era. Through improved communication and conversation, it is also possible for individuals to recognize how their social identity influences the way they interact with others, or the biases they are holding subconsciously. From this, they may learn and consider how social identity can shape the experience of others.

Defining diversity through social identity allows every employee within an organization to feel included in the conversation, meaning they can be involved in discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Hiring diversity managers

An organization will have teams and departments dedicated to the subjects they wish to make a priority. To make diversity and inclusion a priority, employers should think of hiring staff that make diversity, equity, and inclusion their priority. Diversity managers and their team members will be responsible for creating and implementing actions which promote and encourage diversity within an organization. Experts have reported that companies with diversity managers see 7% to 18% more diversity in management within five years, making them 87% better at making decisions and seeing higher profits, with a 19% increase in revenue.

Strengthening anti-discrimination policies

A survey from the Harvard Business Review found that 75% of respondents thought superficial policies and language changes were insufficient when discussing long-lasting changes that could make work environments more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Those who were asked also believed that leadership commitment and strengthening anti-discriminatory policies were critical to the success of any changes made. How this is achieved and how these policies are implemented will depend on the organization itself, so a tailored approach is normally recommended.

Changing the hiring process

Around 80% of jobs are never posted online. Instead, the positions are filled through referrals or internal hires, meaning that an organization’s current employees have a major role to play in determining the majority of candidates and new hires. If most of an organization’s staff are one specific demographic, this makes it more difficult to increase diversity through a referral-based hiring program. This is because most communities outside the workplace are largely homogenous, meaning that people are more likely to socialize within their demographic. For example, a manager of a team made up mostly of white people might expect them to refer friends of theirs who are also white.

Research has also consistently shown over the years that the traditional hiring process is flawed, based on the fact that it is biased in favor of certain individuals. This specifically refers to candidates with names that sound as though they belong to someone who is white. It was found that these candidates are 50% more likely to receive interview requests than candidates with names that sound stereotypically “black”. Organizations that allow this bias to go unchecked are naturally less likely to be diverse or inclusive.

The cause and effect of this are that candidates are less likely to consider these organizations when searching for jobs. 67% of those searching for jobs have stated that workplace diversity is an important factor when deciding where to apply and where to accept job offers. This is especially true for Millennial workers, who now make up the majority of the workforce. A Deloitte survey even found that employees in this age group are more likely to be retained, and to stay working within their organization for more than five years if they are satisfied with their employers’ efforts to create a diverse and inclusive environment.

While it may take some time for employers and those in charge of hiring to unlearn unconscious biases, there are some tools and strategies that can be utilized to help the process along:

Unbiasify Chrome Extension: this free Google Chrome extension enables users to remove names and photos from social media and networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
Textio: this is an augmented writing platform that helps companies to create more inclusive job descriptions
Gender Decoder: organizations looking to hire more female employees can screen job descriptions on this website; it helps to create a balance between words that are considered “masculine” (like “driven” and “competitive”) and words that are considered “feminine” (like “dependable” and “collaborative”), so that diverse talent is attracted to the offer

Eliminating bias in evaluations and promotion opportunities

The flaws and faults of evaluation and promotion opportunities are heavily linked to the unconscious biases already prevalent in hiring processes. In areas and jobs where diverse talent is less likely to be considered for the available position, it becomes second nature for some employers to not associate this talent with the position being offered. This bias then continues throughout the evaluation process and processes involved in promoting talent.

Combating and eliminating these biases can be achieved by:

Employers educating themselves and others about the unconscious biases they may hold
Using an evidence-based approach to evaluations and promotions, meaning they should establish clear written criteria for promotions and refer to these when writing evaluations
Evaluating performance review instruments for bias

When writing the evaluations themselves, employers and management should also:

Focus on comparing the employee’s performance with the requirements and expectations of the job
Avoid overuse of gendered adjectives or descriptions, and when describing things that an employee might “stereotypically” be supposed to do well, ask whether or not these characteristics are relevant to their job
Avoid grindstone adjectives (like “hardworking”), or make sure they’re balanced with adjectives that reflect the employee’s ability or talent
Be consistent in how last names and titles are used (for example, if you have male and female employees that are doctors, both should be referred to as “Dr”), and avoid using first names inconsistently (meaning more or less often) for one gender
Avoid unnecessary emphasis on personality or needless repetition around attributes
Avoid “risk management” bias, meaning they should avoid writing reviews that are not accurate, helpful, or that don’t provide constructive feedback that could help an employee to improve advance, all for the sake of being perceived as unbiased and fair
Be open to adjustments and seek input from others. For example, if an employee presents significant new information, the employer should consider adjusting their rating. They can also consider gathering information from team members, or having employees complete self-evaluation forms, which can then be compared and contrasted with the evaluations completed by the employer

Every evaluation that has already been written out should be examined for the biases we have listed above, and employers should compare evaluations of different candidates to check for other instances of unconscious bias. These might be biases employers haven’t yet considered, such as the length of the evaluation and evidence of hastily-written information.

It is also important for employers to remember that equity in performance reviews goes beyond formal performance evaluation. This is because even when bias is reduced at the performance review stage, employees with similar reviews will still receive dissimilar promotions or compensations. To make sure this is avoided, the employer will have to examine all stages of the talent management system for bias.

Changing language in the workplace

It should be clear that an organization values and is continually striving for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and this should be stated clearly and unambiguously in company documentation. This includes employee manuals and employment contracts. If anything is found that needs updating, it should be updated as soon as possible.

Wording these correctly are also important to ensure change is made. Many organizations will avoid addressing the realities of what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean in the workplace by using more discrete language which some people find more “palatable”. This might mean they end up using phrases like “diversity of opinion” or “diversity of thought”, instead of addressing and looking to achieve actual diversity within their workplace.

Instead of focusing on the broad interpretations of the word “diversity”, employers should therefore look to be specific. This means explicitly using phrases like “racial diversity”. However, it also means that employers should be aware of how to identify and distinguish between races and ethnicities within their language. Referencing a writing style guide, such as the American Psychological Association (APA), may offer more clarity on what is considered appropriate and bias-free language.

Building a multigenerational workforce

Millennials make up the vast majority of the workforce in the modern era, but having a workforce that recognizes and accommodates multiple generations is essential for organizations looking to build a diverse and inclusive workforce. Stereotypically, this age group is considered to be more “tech-savvy” than older generations, but the oldest Millennials were born in 1981. This means not every employee born in this particular generation will have the same proficiency, and older employees may struggle with tech-based tools younger employees have no trouble with.

Evidence of this can often be found within an organization’s communications practices. For example, certain employees may find it easier or more comfortable using a company’s social channels or group chat functions. Meanwhile, older employees might not find them so comfortable to use or accept them so readily.

Organizations should make it a priority to invest in a workplace communications platform which allows employees to easily and efficiently send messages via channels that said employees prefer. This encourages engagement, and if done correctly should appeal to all generations.

Ensuring accessibility of technology

Preferred methods of communication, as well as other tools and tech that employees use when carrying out work for their organization, should also be accessible to all. Employers should ensure that they are considering the needs of their workforce whenever they are looking to adopt a new digital tool. This means taking into consideration the needs of disabled employees and employees who do not have access to the latest computer software or technology (if they work remotely, or cannot access this software or technology for any other reason).

Building a multilingual workforce

To promote inclusion within a workplace, language barriers and preferences have to be taken into account, as employees are unlikely to feel a sense of belonging or feel included if their colleagues all speak a language which is not familiar to them. Global organizations already know and should have translation services in place to mitigate issues with language barriers. However, it is just as important for smaller businesses to ensure their employees feel secure in their workplace and are comfortable communicating in whichever language they prefer to use. This is especially the case in common areas, or during company-sponsored or sanctioned events.

A long-term approach to this for organizations with a multilingual workforce might be to offer educational opportunities, in which employees have the chance to learn other languages. Some employers might think of this as an extra expense, but the results should return value for money.

Cultivating company culture

To make any change or improvements to diversity, equity, and inclusion within a workplace it is vital that organizational culture is fostered and cultivated in a way which allows every employee to feel welcome, heard, and respected. Many employees quit their jobs based on the fact that they don’t feel appreciated or valued where they are, so creating a company culture that inspires a sense of belonging and that they feel connected to helps to negate this.

Employees should feel able to express themselves and feel included and respected regardless of:

Ability, disability, or other physical conditions
Age
Country of origin
Cultural background
Gender identity
Race
Religious beliefs
Sexual orientation

For employers, leaders, and other levels of management, it is important to ensure that this is also a level playing field. There should be no “favorite” employees, basic courtesy should be offered to everyone, and everyone should be taking note of how non-discriminatory best practices and policies can be adopted even more into the company culture.

Inclusion is achieved when all employees feel safe enough to voice concerns and opinions that they have, on everything from racial discrimination to pay discrepancy, without fear of victimization or repercussions. This freedom of expression should then empower leaders and senior management within an organization to not only listen but also to actively embrace new, diverse viewpoints.

Investing in a workplace communications platform is one possible method of helping employees to feel more connected to the organization they work for, and to the people they are working with. If an employer chooses to integrate all their communications channels into one platform, they will be able to reach each of their employees on each employees’ preferred channel. This helps employees to feel connected and included in larger company initiatives and goals, and employers can use insights from unified analytics to see how they can best meet the needs of their workforce.

Doing this in combination with keeping an “open door” policy also allows employers to provide a personalized employee experience. This ensures that all employee voices are heard and that they feel safe enough to speak openly and honestly, and means they are more likely to trust their employers and management as a result.

The importance of promoting DEI in the workplace

The importance of promoting DEI within an organization for the benefit of its workforce cannot be understated. If an employee or even multiple employees feel as though their ideas and contributions (or even their presence entirely) are not appreciated or taken seriously, it is likely they will feel no other option than to leave and seek employment elsewhere.

On the other hand, when an employee or employees feel that they and their colleagues will be treated fairly regardless of their identity, they are:

9.8x more likely to look forward to going to work
6.3x more likely to take pride in the work that they do
5.4x more likely to want to stay at their organization in the long-term

The benefits of promoting DEI in your workplace

Employees are not the only beneficiaries from promoting greater diversity, equity, and inclusion within an organization. The organization itself (and by extension its leaders, management, and teams) benefits in a range of different ways that are conducive to running and growing a successful business:

Bias awareness will be improved, ensuring a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment
The talent pool will open up for organizations that have proven they have increased or improved DEI, especially when compared to competitors
Making employees feel valued, welcomed, and appreciated increases their satisfaction and boosts engagement because they put more effort into their work and collaborate more effectively with others
A diverse team with varied opinions and perspectives is more likely to make better decisions because ideas are less likely to be homogenous
Performance improves because employees feel more comfortable and supported
Profits increase because of improvements in engagement and performance
The organization will find a greater readiness to innovate, keeping its best practices modern and ensuring it is better prepared for the future

Are there any examples of where DEI has worked?

Transparency is key to success in the modern era, as well as the key to implementing successful DEI initiatives. This is why so many of the world’s leading organizations and businesses now provide annual reports on diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplaces online. These are freely available for members of the public to read and depict several useful insights into the state of DEI in the modern day. They should also feature the specific measures and programs that companies are implementing to make the changes correctly.

An excellent example of this would be Google’s 2020 Diversity Annual Report. This report not only reports on its diversity in hiring for that year but also details the specific work the organization did in that year and continued to do into the next to address inequities. It also addressed obstacles to education in the communities in which Google operates.

The Ford Foundation also publishes its annual diversity and inclusion update. This particular report details high-level diversity metrics across all areas and levels of the organization, as well as specific initiatives that are designed to increase DEI. These initiatives include the development of operationalized “inclusive leadership competencies” and “organizational citizenship behaviors”.

The Annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report from Stanford Graduate School of Business is another example that employers may also wish to examine. This report demonstrates the roadmap that the school has been operating under for the past few years, explaining how it has put its plans into action and what is planned under the formation of its new DEI council made up of students, faculty, and staff.

Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace