Think your company is diverse, equitable, and inclusive? Many employers genuinely care about this issue, yet they experience ongoing challenges to make it happen.
I have seen this issue arise firsthand countless times—at some truly great companies too! I can’t tell you how many leadership meetings I have attended over the years, only to realize I was the only female in the room. I remember one particular leadership summit held by my employer at the time. As the Senior HR Director, I was invited to attend so that I could meet many of the key leadership individuals I supported across our international divisions. I, of course, was excited at the opportunity.
On the opening day of the summit, I walked in and sat toward the back of the room so I could observe. As I looked around, taking everything in, noticing the thinning hair on the heads in the seats in front of me, it immediately struck me that every single leader in that room was a white-haired male over the age of 40! In that moment, the lack of diversity and inclusion was so apparent to me that I snapped a picture of what I was seeing from my perspective to share with the leadership team. It was so obvious to me—and yet no one else in the room had even noticed!
Remember, all the information in this blog post is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. I am not an attorney, nor do I provide legal advice. The information provided is my personal opinion and not that of any organization, business, company, agency or other individuals. The author is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this article. If you need specific legal advice, consult with an attorney who specializes in your subject matter. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website (www.hrraw.com), is strictly at your own risk.
July 24, 2020 | Penny Horton
What Makes DEI Work an Ongoing Challenge?
It’s not unusual for situations like the one I found myself in to arise at many businesses because ensuring a diverse workplace requires concentrated effort and expertise. It is, by its very nature, a challenge. The day-to-day operations of the business can draw everyone’s focus, causing DEI efforts to be overlooked until the need becomes urgent. And, by nature, individuals have a propensity to surround themselves with similar individuals.
Even for those leaders or organizations who are aware of the need for diversity, many simply don’t know how to recruit, attract, or retain diverse candidates. There may be questions around how to reach out respectfully and appropriately to all groups, especially those who can be underrepresented in an employer’s workforce. It can take considerable planning to successfully hire significant numbers of females, minorities, veterans, LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities. Attracting potential employees in these categories can require unique advertising, searches, and interview strategies.
And then you must make your organization appealing to these candidates so that they sign on and stay on. This takes a deliberate, proactive effort rather than a halfhearted or reactive approach.
The Value of a Diverse, Equitable, Inclusive Workplace
Beyond meeting any federal and local employment requirements that a company may be expected to comply with, businesses can experience many advantages from their DEI efforts, including:
- A positive brand image and reputation
- Enhanced employee satisfaction and increased retention
- A wealth of employee experiences to draw from, often leading to fresh ideas and creative business solutions
- Increased revenue—one study, for example, has shown that revenue due to innovation was 19% higher for businesses that were diverse and inclusive.
In other words, making your company diverse, equitable and inclusive is better for your bottom line. It’s better for your business.
5 Ways to Proactively Enhance Your DEI Efforts
It’s a good idea to enlist expert assistance to step up your company’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion. After all, the needs are intricate, the requirements can be tricky to navigate, and the effort can be time-consuming. It’s one of the areas where Who’s Your HR? excels, and to give you a sense of what is involved, here’s a closer look at what Who’s Your HR? implements to help employers appropriately, proactively improve DEI in the workplace.
- Assess Your Workforce Demographics
Depending on industry, federal regulations, etc., some employers are required to comply with EEO/AA efforts. But even companies that are not required to meet these standards can benefit from a proactive approach. One way to assess DEI balance is to have applicants and employees self-identify where they fit. This information should be kept confidential, of course, and updated annually so you can see how diverse your company actually is.
- Review Your Current Policies
What policies have you set in place to ensure diversity in hiring, equity in staff treatment, and prevention of unfair treatment in your workplace? Policies and procedures should exist that help prevent discrimination, harassment and bullying of protected classes. It’s a good idea to ensure employee guidance is written in gender-neutral terminology and is designed to reinforce the right behaviors.
- Analyze Your Employment Processes
It’s important to think beyond hiring and staffing, and consider issues such as promotion, compensation, and opportunities. To help in these efforts, take a look at how your hiring process is set up, and ensure it is not creating unintentional bias against certain protected classes. In addition, consider ways to allow all employees equal opportunities for promotions and increased compensation.
- Evaluate Your Benefits and Leave Options
This area is often overlooked, and in doing so, a company can leave itself open to discrimination claims. To address this, consider the benefits and leave offered. Do you offer maternity/pregnancy leave? What accommodations do you offer to those with disabilities? Are there ways for those with specific religious practices to take time for them fairly? How are you handling medical leave? What about benefits for same-sex couples?
- Empower Your Employees
DEI efforts don’t need to reside solely in the hands of the CEO or the HR department. The entire company can play a vital role in different ways. For example, instituting a committee that helps spearhead DEI efforts throughout the company can be very helpful. So can efforts to gather feedback and ideas from employees on how to improve diversity. And be sure to set up a way for employees to safely report concerns, such as through an ombudsman program.
DEI Efforts Matter More than Ever Right Now—and Who’s Your HR? Can Help!
Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have always mattered, of course, but they are more important than ever, especially in light of today’s climate.
Today’s DEI efforts are more vital than ever, and yet many businesses don’t know how to approach the issue effectively. Bringing in the expertise of Who’s Your HR? can be extremely advantageous because we can ensure your company properly meets the demanding and intricate requirements for your industry.
We craft formal, actionable AA plans and assist both for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations to achieve AA compliance. We also help businesses execute DEI strategies effectively to help you grow their diversity in sustainable, trackable ways. Contact us to learn more.
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