Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) has become an increasing focus for businesses. Research conducted by McKinsey & Company indicates that organizations that prioritize DEI tend to perform better than their peers who don’t prioritize DEI efforts.
However, many employees and job seekers still feel excluded at work. DEI requires an integrative approach in which each component plays an essential part.
Equity
Equity refers to the fair distribution of resources, opportunities and treatment. It forms the core concept in social justice movements and can be applied across any aspect of human endeavor; however it should be noted that equality does not automatically equate with equity; instead focusing solely on equality may lead to less than equitable results.
Equity refers to recognizing differences in people and providing them with the tools needed for success, whether this means considering race, ethnicity, creed, color, sex and gender identity expression as factors in socioeconomic status, language culture religion/spirituality veteran status disability status etc. Equity also takes into account any historical or current structural inequalities which unfairly benefit some over others.
As organizations strive to become more diverse, it’s crucial that they ensure an atmosphere of inclusion for their workforce. This goes beyond simply having people from various groups represented within leadership positions – it also means making sure employees feel safe bringing all aspects of themselves to work – an inclusive workplace can expect higher employee performance because everyone can feel free to be themselves and bring out the best parts of themselves every day.
Establishing an inclusive workplace begins from the top. For this to occur, leadership must understand and prioritize DEIB initiatives; additionally they must set aside both time and money to invest in training and development opportunities for their team members.
Though this might sound straightforward, many organizations find it challenging to implement. A key reason may be that having a defined and shared definition of DEI can often evade organizations; having such a shared definition helps galvanize people into action on this issue; in one study foundations with such shared definition were more advanced in their theories of change, frameworks and plans than foundations without defined meaning of DEI.
An effective vocabulary is critical in furthering discussions surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion. A defined and understandable lexicon helps avoid miscommunications that arise when words are taken out of context or have different interpretations depending on an individual’s lived experiences.
Diversity
Diversity refers to human differences involving race/ethnicity, creed, color, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation as well as socioeconomic status, education upbringing religion political perspective national origin physical ability neurodiversity.
Workplace diversity refers to an environment where men and women, people of different ages, employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences work side-by-side in an atmosphere where all employees feel safe, valued, respected for being who they are.
Diversity management involves dismantling implicit bias and disproving any narrative that implies someone different is inferior. It requires creating an inclusive culture in which people can freely express themselves while also facing off microaggressions and discrimination head on. Most importantly, however, diversity management means embracing an increasingly diverse workforce to drive business success while creating an atmosphere where members feel welcome to their workplace community.
McKinsey research indicates that companies that embrace diversity perform better. Diversity plays a pivotal role in employee engagement and retention, ultimately leading to customer satisfaction, profitability and growth for businesses. Furthermore, diversity helps build an attractive corporate brand image in the market place that gives its license to operate in an effective manner.
Diversity training and hiring programs are becoming more prevalent within organizations to ensure greater access to talent, but leaders must remember that simply increasing the number of diverse employees won’t bring true inclusion.
Next, focus on inclusion. This means making sure everyone has equal chances to succeed at work and in life based on factors like background, experiences, or characteristics, such as but not limited to:
Effective diversity initiatives take a holistic approach, targeting root causes of inequality such as systemic racism and structural inequalities that have been passed down from generation to generation. Through taking this approach, companies can implement meaningful change within the workplace that has real lasting benefits for both employees and customers alike.
Inclusion
Inclusion seeks to give people from diverse backgrounds and experiences the chance to interact, engaging with one another through welcoming environments that provide safe spaces for everyone irrespective of age, culture, education, ethnicity, gender religion race sexual orientation socioeconomic status work experiences or life experiences. Furthermore it encompasses people with various abilities disabilities and health needs.
Diversity of environment in the workplace is vital to innovation and creativity, as well as being an imperative for companies that don’t prioritize DEI practices – otherwise they risk alienating customers, employees and talent. DEI practices often form part of environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies which have become popular as an indicator that companies take important issues seriously.
Unfortunately, many organizations struggle to create an environment of inclusiveness. A recent Glassdoor study found that more than a third of respondents believe their workplace doesn’t do enough to foster this sense of inclusion; additionally 84 percent had experienced microaggression at work such as not receiving credit for ideas they brought forward or being asked to be “representatives” of specific groups – among many other forms.
Diversity is only part of the solution; to ensure everyone feels valued in the workplace, equity and inclusion must also play an integral role. This requires going beyond simply hiring those who look different; rather, this involves changing our perception that differences are bad things and confronting implicit bias within our workplaces.
Establishing an environment of true inclusivity takes time, effort and leadership support from top management. Furthermore, it requires commitment to constantly evaluate and adapt in order to provide equitable treatment of all people in the organization. But investing in inclusive efforts pays dividends; both reputation and employee happiness will benefit. Furthermore, working at more diverse and inclusive companies tend to be more satisfied with their jobs and workplace culture, leading them to be more productive and engaged at work.
Belonging
Belonging is the experience of feeling accepted as part of an environment or community, such as a workplace. According to research, belonging is one of the primary drivers of job satisfaction as well as productivity and morale improvements. One way to foster belonging is through intentional connections – mentoring programs or having employees share their individual stories that help dismantle interpersonal barriers while showing others more of what makes each person unique and real. Diversity Equity Inclusion Initiatives are working toward making that goal possible through programs like these.
DEI refers to an organizational framework which supports fair treatment and full participation for all, particularly groups who have historically been underrepresented or subjected to discrimination. Furthermore, DEI seeks to distribute resources according to need – in today’s disproportionate society where opportunities exist for some but not others – DEI strives to address this imbalance by increasing opportunities for those without equal access.
Companies that prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion enjoy a competitive advantage over companies that don’t. Diverse organizations tend to be more innovative, operate more efficiently, attract and retain talent more easily and are better able to cope with crises; according to one report from McKinsey they also tend to have higher employee engagement levels that make them great places for employees to work.
Inclusion refers to creating an inclusive workplace in which diversity thrives with respect and appreciation of differences. It means ensuring people feel like they belong regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, life or career path, educational background disability age language dialect religious commitment or political perspective.
At the core of inclusion lies having a positive mindset and willingness to learn, including confronting our unconscious biases such as stereotypes of race or ethnicity, prejudice against disability, assumptions about mental illness and other misconceptions we might hold about people with mental illnesses or other medical conditions, microaggressions and foster openness issues in the workplace and encouraging open discussions on workplace diversity issues. Finally, inclusion also involves making everyone feel welcome within it all.