Organizational performance can be greatly influenced by its level of diversity, inclusion and belonging. Unfortunately, however, these concepts remain poorly understood among many employees within organizations.
Let’s first explore the definition of these terms before exploring their relationships among themselves and with one another. They are frequently grouped as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Here is what these three mean:.
Diversity
Diversity, equity and inclusion are central tenets of an organization’s social justice initiatives. Each concept interrelates and is interdependent on one another for success; organizations should aim to realize all three so as to reap the advantages of an increasingly diverse and inclusive workforce.
Employers that adopt diversity policies take an initial step in the right direction toward equality and inclusion; however, real work begins when companies attempt to implement these policies effectively. Implementation involves making sure everyone has access to opportunities in the workplace while addressing any barriers that prevent employees from progressing their careers – it’s essential that businesses identify these issues early before they become problematic.
Diversity refers to human difference on multiple fronts; not just race. People differ in terms of age, gender, language use, manners and culture as well as social roles, sexual orientation, religion and socioeconomic status – not to mention physical abilities and illnesses diagnosed. Some have even advocated for recognition of neurodiversity which encompasses all varieties of brain function differences.
While diversity remains of great significance for businesses, many focus on only recruitment and hiring practices when it comes to diversity. Such policies may create a more diverse workforce but without inclusion these gains will quickly disappear; for instance if women are hired but never promoted into leadership positions then over time their representation in the company decreases and their lack of equal opportunity discourages women from staying.
Diversity can be achieved in many ways, including ensuring all employees are treated fairly. A company may promote more diverse boards or employee handbooks; additionally, training programs should cover various forms of diversity to create a safe space where employees can express themselves freely.
Businesses that prioritize diversity and inclusion enjoy a distinct competitive edge over their counterparts, being better equipped to meet customers’ needs and attract top talent, while increasing financial performance and margin.
Equity
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an umbrella term encompassing three interlinked components that together comprise an approach for accommodating individual differences while helping people from diverse backgrounds excel in the workplace. DEI policies encourage companies to provide all employees with resources they require for success irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, religion socioeconomic background or sexual orientation.
As many Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives focus on hiring employees of varied races, viewpoints and identities, it can be easy to conflate these three terms. But to truly make an impactful difference it’s imperative that we understand their distinctions.
Equity takes diversity a step further by recognizing and celebrating differences across life’s many dimensions, while diversity only recognizes and values them as such. Equity means providing equal opportunities for advancement for groups with various cultural beliefs or physical abilities as well as making accommodations based on social status, family structure, gender identity or sexual orientation.
DEI seeks to foster an inclusive culture in which every employee feels welcomed and participates in making decisions, leading to more innovation and improved performance. Research indicates that when companies prioritize diversity they can improve both financial results and productivity.
Experts often advise placing emphasis on inclusion first before moving on to equity – that is, making sure all individuals in the workplace are treated fairly. This involves eliminating barriers to employment, providing educational and professional development opportunities and equal access to leadership positions.
Even in spite of any difficulties associated with diversity initiatives, most workers believe it to be in their organization’s best interests to promote diversity. According to a McKinsey study, 61% of working adults agree that increasing underrepresented group representation in their organization is beneficial, while almost 50% consider supporting diversity a top priority in the workplace. These results prove it’s never been more urgent to promote and support diversity within work settings.
Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion work is part of an broader framework to fight anti-oppression, creating environments in which all members can thrive. When an organization prioritizes inclusivity, it recognizes and celebrates differences such as gender, age, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion socioeconomic status ability intellectual traditions perspectives as well as strives to eliminate any barriers which prevent accessing opportunities or resources for everyone.
As one example, businesses can increase representation from diverse groups within their workforce by developing an applicant pool that represents all aspects of society, offering mentoring programs targeting the underrepresented, providing training on issues like unconscious bias and microaggressions, as well as providing employee awareness training that highlights these effects of actions that exclude people or create environments which make them feel uncomfortable.
An organization can foster equity by ensuring its policies and practices are implemented fairly. For instance, they could forgoing performance metrics that discriminate against certain employee groups; ensure inclusive leadership with supportive managers who understand employee diversity; avoid using language that reinforces discrimination by using nondiscriminatory vocabulary in communications with employees; etc.
Companies often overlook the full scope of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives when implementing them. For instance, they may use “inclusion” as an umbrella term without considering whether these activities actually benefit marginalized communities. Furthermore, companies may fall prey to tokenism – providing platforms to members of socially oppressed groups solely to appear diverse but without actually addressing root causes of exclusion – by giving these groups platforms without taking steps toward real diversity initiatives.
As you develop your diversity and inclusion strategy, it is critical that all members of your team have a shared understanding of what each word means. Have each team member record his or her current understanding, then compare notes for an agreed upon definition; revisit and update as necessary along the way.
Belonging
Feelings of belonging are integral components of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This term refers to the emotional bond individuals have with groups or communities and includes being accepted and appreciated for their unique identity, background and contributions within that group. Fostering this sense of belonging can help individuals feel engaged, productive and successful at work.
Lack of belonging can lead to burnout, lower productivity and turnover in the workplace. Fostering this sense of belonging may be challenging; however, there are ways organizations can support it in the workplace. First off, they should create a safe space where employees can express themselves freely; secondly they should make sure all voices are heard and respected; thirdly they should offer opportunities for employees to interact with various groups of people in an informal way.
DEI initiatives often focus on recruiting diverse workforces; however, this alone will not ensure an organization-wide sense of belonging. Instead, how much a person feels connected in their organization depends on their day-to-day experiences which vary based on factors like race and ethnicity, gender identity/sexual orientation/age. Simply adding more people from various backgrounds without considering whether the colander has already reached its capacity would not suffice in creating that sense.
Organizations should avoid practices that undermine a sense of belonging in the workplace, such as Tokenism. Tokenism refers to hiring individuals from socially oppressed groups as representatives without the power to speak on behalf of them all. White Supremacy is another potentially detrimental practice; individuals who identify as White often feel superior to those with other racial/ethnic identities.
Communication is the cornerstone of a successful DEI strategy, including the definitions used. Establishing working definitions for diversity, equity and inclusion ensures all members of an organization have an understanding of these terms – this prevents miscommunication or misunderstanding that could result in conflict and confusion.