Still wondering why you need diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies? We can give you a few reasons why DEI policies are unavoidable these days. Firstly, employee group demographics have evolved over the years. Secondly, large mergers and acquisitions have brought together diverse work groups.
Moreover, younger employees are seeking employers that champion diversity and inclusion. Workers are implicitly demanding fairness and belonging at the workplace so they can confidently contribute their best.
Businesses also need to adapt to a diverse marketplace with global customers who have growing needs.
Read on to learn more about DEI. If you’re eager to become a DEI champion today, email us.
Why is DEI needed?
Today’s eclectic talent groups are seeking workplaces that mirror their diverse identities. This generation of workers craves alignment between their values and their employers. Top talent will bypass you if your company’s commitment to diversity feels lukewarm.
Look at workplace diversity as a strategic advantage, not just a buzzword. Organizations unlock innovation and high performance by embracing a rich mix of backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities. Diversity must be accompanied by equitable practices that provide equal opportunities for all employees.
An equitable workplace ensures everyone has a fair shot at competitive pay, benefits, and resources they need to succeed. Such workplaces empower employees to contribute ideas in their teams and across the organization.
Inclusion provides a welcoming environment for staff, whose contributions, presence, and perspectives are valued and woven into the fabric of the team and company culture.
What are the advantages of DEI?
The beauty of DEI is that it benefits everyone. Employees feel empowered, and companies gain a competitive edge through innovation and a varied talent pool. Deloitte’s research on DEI in Canada shows that 40% of organizations have begun to understand DEI’s value and have launched initiatives addressing it.
And rightly so, because there are various reasons why companies should be proactively creating and implementing DEI policies.
- Enhancing employee engagement
- Building a strong organizational brand externally
- Increasing the acquisition of top talent
- Diversifying teams to spark creativity and break through groupthink
- Making employees feel included and valued to generate more engagement and dedication
- A diverse leadership team promotes a more vigilant culture in which discrimination and harassment are identified quickly and addressed swiftly and fairly
- DEI policies help build a culture of trust with employees
- Employees stick with the company longer when they feel included in the larger company culture
How to achieve DEI?
Before you begin your DEI journey, ask yourself these crucial questions:
- Why do you value DEI?
- What positive impacts do you want to achieve with DEI?
- How do you want your employees to feel when they come to work?
- How do you want stakeholders to feel when they interact with your brand?
Once you’ve answered these questions, get ready to see how DEI transforms your company.
Five steps toward DEI
The steps below aren’t the only ones businesses can take to achieve DEI. Each company has a unique environment and varied needs that we can help address through customized strategies.
- Diverse recruitment:
Removing biased language from job posts is the first step. A second step to diversifying the recruitment process is introducing a blind resume screening method. You can also take it a step further by building strategic partnerships with organizations that champion diverse communities, such as community groups, schools, and professional associations. Learn more about recruitment challenges here.
- Inclusive workplace culture:
Offer employee training to better understand the different backgrounds their peers come from. One way to do so is by creating an employee resource group that supports and provides networking opportunities for underrepresented groups.
- Managerial accountability:
Diversity and inclusion policies work only when there are mechanisms holding leadership accountable for implementing them. One way of ensuring that is to increase diversity at the top.
- Pay equity:
Pay equity can become a blind spot when it comes to DEI. Analyze your compensation data to ensure fairness. Employee compensation should reflect merit, not background. Conduct a pay equity audit – it’s the first step to identifying and closing any gaps. By addressing unfair practices, you build a more equitable and transparent workplace. Read more about pay equity here.
- Provide positive mental health tools:
By acknowledging that health encompasses mental well-being, you help break the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help.
Continuous evolution
For maximum impact and lasting organizational change, regularly assess and refine your DEI strategies. Remember, continuous improvement is key to creating a truly diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace.
Don’t know where to begin your DEI journey? We can help.
