Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become essential components of business practice to foster equality and eliminate discrimination. DEI initiatives have gained tremendous momentum worldwide as organizations recognize how DEI initiatives boost productivity while building trust within their workplaces.
However, the DEI field can be filled with confusing terminology that can obstruct progress and cause unnecessary uncertainty. For meaningful DEI efforts to be made progressing effectively and meaningfully is clarity a necessity.
Definitions
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) may seem similar, yet each has unique meanings that should help your organisation create an effective strategy. Understanding their distinctions will assist with creating meaningful plans.
Diversity refers to all the ways people differ, such as race, sex, age, religion, culture, sexual orientation or disability. Diversity within an workplace environment means welcoming employees from diverse backgrounds who offer different viewpoints that enrich team discussions and contribute to an environment conducive to collaboration and team success.
Equality strives to give everyone access to equal resources and opportunities, however this goal can become limited due to individual circumstances and needs. Equity takes these differences into account and strives for equal results by allocating resources according to circumstance and need.
Inclusion refers to the feeling of belonging that people get when they feel accepted and valued as individuals, and feeling safe bringing all aspects of themselves into work environments and being fully participating members in all aspects of business operations.
Establishing an inclusive work environment requires the commitment and participation of leaders and managers at every level in an organization, from senior management down to frontline employees and community leaders. It involves changing how people are seen and treated and the introduction of new policies and practices; those initiatives that are most successful involve many of these parties at once.
An inclusive company fosters an environment of respect and fairness that fosters an atmosphere of belonging among its employees. Employees feel valued for their contributions to the team, with full utilization of all skills and potential. Employees that feel their contributions matter are more productive and engaged at work compared to those who feel unconstrained to bring all aspects of themselves to the work environment.
In order to achieve true inclusion, it is critical that we address any barriers preventing people from participating and producing their best work. This may involve addressing lack of representation of certain groups in key leadership positions, addressing pay disparities and providing unconscious bias training – all tools and techniques which will create an inclusive work environment where employees thrive and become productive.
Purposes
DEI and its related initiatives aim to bring people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives together so that collectively the company can tackle problems and achieve success. According to McKinsey research, companies who embrace diversity and inclusion tend to be more innovative and productive; additionally they’re likely to attract and retain top talent more readily than those without.
An organization must understand that people differ in many ways – including race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability socioeconomic status and education level. To truly embrace diversity and inclusion it must embrace such differences within its workplace while making sure all employees feel included and valued by it.
At its core, inclusion is about not just ensuring all types of people are represented in the workforce but allowing them to fully contribute in meetings and work-related activities. Addressing systemic barriers that prevent people from having influence over decisions or plans requires redistributing power more equally – as this approach seeks to achieve equal representation for everyone involved in decision-making processes.
Inclusion means providing everyone the chance to express themselves freely within the workplace, even if their individual styles or preferences don’t resonate with the rest of the team. While this could result in some uncomfortable encounters, allowing employees to be themselves at work is vitally important for inclusion.
As workplace environments change, it’s crucial that organizations regularly reassess and adjust their strategies in order to foster an environment of inclusivity and diversity. Consider whether it makes more sense for your team to use “Equity” before “Diversity,” as well as whether different words might better express DEI goals.
Some organizations and consultancies use the acronym EDI to represent Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; however we believe it’s essential that there be one consistent definition across organizations and industries to reduce any confusion and ensure consistency of practice across these platforms. Furthermore, having one definition will allow organizations and consultancies alike to evaluate progress against targets while providing an opportunity to identify areas where training or awareness sessions may be beneficial.
Implementation
Companies committed to diversity, equity and inclusion must adopt policies designed to ensure they put these principles into action in practice. This should include addressing bias and discrimination issues when hiring, training, work-related events and workplace culture are considered. Furthermore, employees must feel free to express themselves freely; while certain aspects may require professional etiquette or cultural norms for employees to feel at ease enough in the workplace. The ultimate aim should be that employees can be themselves while at the workplace.
Inclusion is integral for businesses as it allows them to maximize the potential of their workforces. People from diverse backgrounds bring new insights and ideas that may spark creative solutions or boost efficiency and productivity; for instance, companies with greater female leadership positions are likely outshone by those that lack diversity of this kind.
While diversity focuses more on quantity, equity emphasizes quality. This means providing each person with the resources and opportunities needed to be successful – even if these resources and opportunities may not be accessible to everyone. Achieve equal outcomes will not occur by treating everyone equally.
It is also essential that businesses realize diversity, equity and inclusion are inextricably linked concepts; any successful company must strive towards all three simultaneously. A business focused solely on diversity will never reach inclusion or equity because biases will still exist in its organization and prevent progress from being made.
Leaders must recognize their own biases and actively seek information that will assist in becoming more inclusive. Furthermore, leaders should act to eliminate specific types of bias such as the “Just Like Me” hiring bias that occurs when hiring people who look or speak similarly to themselves; such hiring decisions often prevent diverse perspectives from entering the workplace, and further hinder progress toward creating an inclusive culture.
Results
Diverse groups must receive equal access and treatment. Inclusivity means creating environments in which employees feel supported and valued by colleagues while having all the resources needed for doing their jobs successfully. It is achieved through combatting discrimination, creating an inclusive culture, and making sure employees feel they have their voices heard by employers.
Inclusivity yields numerous benefits for employees and employers alike: higher employee engagement and satisfaction, increased productivity, better business performance and an enhanced public image and license to operate. According to studies, companies that employ diverse leadership with strong emphasis on DEIB tend to be more profitable than those without this approach; furthermore, failing to include people can cause them to leave and lead to costly talent drain.
DEI is no quick fix and takes time to implement, yet its return on investment is evident. According to research from McKinsey and other organizations, teams with higher gender diversity in executive teams lead to greater profitability; similarly, organizations that embrace more ethnic and racial diversity may be 36% more profitable than those that don’t.
There are various definitions for diversity, equity and inclusion (D&I/EDI). Some researchers use D&I as an umbrella term; others prefer using the latter two acronyms to denote initiatives that focus more on anti-oppression or power redistribution initiatives. Whatever terms you decide to define for your team members, it is vital that everyone fully comprehends what these terms entail.
It can also be beneficial to consider which aspects of an individual’s identity each term addresses. For example, diversity involves acknowledging and respecting differences related to age, disability, race, gender, sexual orientation and religion, while inclusion refers to creating an environment in which employees feel welcome at work with the support they require for success. If you need some assistance in defining these terms there are plenty of resources online available that can provide assistance – for more details see: Defining Terms.