Diversity, equity and inclusion terms can often be vague and lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings.
As it’s essential that you gain a clear understanding of these terms, it is also vital that they work in unison in the workplace. In this article we’ll look at what each term stands for and its effect in the work setting.
Definitions
As part of an inclusive diversity and inclusion initiative, it’s vital for teams to understand all relevant terms. They may differ depending on who’s involved with the initiative, which may impede its successful execution.
One of the most frequently used words in this field is “diversity,” followed by “equity” and then “inclusive.” Although these terms often have similar meanings, it’s essential that you fully comprehend their distinctions to achieve your goals more successfully.
Diversity refers to the presence of various demographic groups within an organization or community, such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and socioeconomic status. Inclusion involves creating environments in which these diverse groups feel welcome and valued – such as creating spaces where members of these groups feel free to practice their religion freely, share experiences openly or simply be themselves at work.
Equity refers to the distribution of resources in such a manner that ensures fairness and justice for all parties involved. This may mean making sure all team members have equal access to opportunities, regardless of background or identity, or providing all members of a community with resources which allow them to thrive.
Though diversity and inclusion are important topics, many organizations struggle to implement meaningful change due to a lack of resources to make significant strides forward. Furthermore, they may lack clarity around certain concepts such as definitions.
Before beginning to make any headway in this effort, you must define what diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging mean to your team. To do this, have each member write down his or her understanding of these terms privately. Once this is complete, compare and determine the most accurate interpretation for your team. Once these terms have been clarified in this manner, strategy design can begin – remembering to revisit and revise definitions as necessary throughout.
Purpose
Diversity, equity and inclusion – more commonly referred to as DEI – are the goals of business leaders who wish to build organizations that are more successful, attract top talent, have increased productivity and are seen as great places to work. These benefits can be realized through smart DEI policies, practices and training – however many employees may not fully comprehend what each term entails.
Diversity refers to the representation of people with different characteristics within a population, including race, gender, age and sexual orientation. From an organizational viewpoint this means having a workforce that accurately represents its surrounding community’s demographics – this allows businesses to better understand customers and markets while giving employees a sense of belonging which allows them to bring all aspects of themselves into work environments.
Inclusion refers to creating an environment in which everyone feels welcome and accepted by a business, beyond simply hiring diverse workers. It encompasses aspects such as providing equal opportunities, respecting differences and creating an inclusive culture where all individuals belong – this means making sure women have equal access to employment as men, that people of color don’t pass over promotions and that all cultural traditions are honored and celebrated by businesses.
At work, creating awareness of bias and discrimination requires raising consciousness of what it looks like for all employees; giving everyone a voice; not feeling silenced by negative work environments; and making sure employees can express their authentic selves both inside and outside the workplace.
Implementing an inclusive culture allows businesses to take advantage of all perspectives within its workforce, which leads to enhanced products and services, attract top talent, retain them more effectively, as well as enhance its global image by showing that it is responsible corporate citizen. Furthermore, inclusion makes responding to business challenges, meeting customer needs, developing innovative solutions more straightforward – an indispensable element of any growth strategy.
Methods
Establishing a company that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion can be challenging. It involves initiating a cultural shift that considers all the different differences that exist among people – for instance social identity — the ways people perceive themselves and others according to factors like age, gender, religion, sexual orientation socioeconomic status physical abilities and language abilities – plays an integral part in workplace environments and must be taught and discussed among employees for it to fulfill its diversity mission. Educating staff about these impacts as they relate to behavior is essential if companies wish to achieve their diversity mission goals.
Companies should recognize the various obstacles that impede a diverse workforce’s performance so that effective policies and programs are put in place to support all employees. Furthermore, leaders should uphold an atmosphere of diversity, equity, and inclusion so employees know they’ll thrive within their environment.
Unconscious bias is an obstacle to building a diverse workforce, and is especially a source of microaggressions towards certain members of society. A diversity and inclusion team can educate employees on how to overcome their unconscious biases and foster an inclusive company culture.
To assess the results of diversity efforts within an organization, it’s useful to consider metrics like employee retention and recruitment. Studies indicate that companies with greater levels of diversity tend to boast engaged, productive workers more than competitors with lower levels. Furthermore, studies also demonstrate higher performance by companies boasting greater diversity.
To assess the success of your company’s diversity initiatives, implement a DEI climate survey – this specialized version of an existing company survey contains questions that focus specifically on an employer’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Furthermore, focus groups provide qualitative feedback from a small sample of employees about their experiences at work that you can use to strengthen your diversity and inclusion strategies.
Results
Many people associate diversity with race, gender and age differences; however, other types of disparities also exist such as religious belief or sexual orientation differences. A diverse workforce allows each member to contribute their unique background and perspectives which allows for a wide variety of solutions and new ideas to emerge – benefiting all involved as a result.
Studies demonstrate that companies with higher levels of diversity and inclusion enjoy a competitive edge over those without such factors. Furthermore, research by McKinsey indicates that employees who feel included are more engaged, productive and innovative than those who don’t feel part of a group.
Diverse and inclusive workplaces can lead to improved customer service and higher profits, since customers can better connect with a business when they see someone who shares their cultural heritage or experiences. Furthermore, companies with diverse and inclusive cultures provide employees with more positive working environments that boost morale and employee retention rates.
Although most workers (56%) believe focusing on diversity and inclusion at work is beneficial, opinions can differ significantly depending on gender or political affiliation. Women tend to agree more readily than men that focusing on D&I is beneficial.
Diversity and equity differ because one focuses on how many different characteristics an individual or group possesses, while equity attempts to reach equal outcomes by allocating resources according to circumstance. Equal treatment does not offer everyone equal opportunities regardless of circumstance; equity balances this out by giving historically marginalized groups equal access to those opportunities that equality doesn’t provide.
To achieve equity, organizations must ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities for all employees according to their individual needs. This may mean making sure each team member has access to tools necessary for success; such as flexible work schedules or providing on-the-job training for people with disabilities. Equal treatment of employees from diverse backgrounds must also be ensured.