Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statements provide your organization with the means of communicating its position on DEIB to employees, candidates, customers and business partners – as well as helping you set SMART goals to create real change within your company.
Make sure to include statistics demonstrating your achievements on each goal, so everyone can see that their efforts are paying off.
1. Create a culture of inclusion
Diversity makes organizations stronger and workplaces more innovative; but, making employees feel included is another matter entirely. Research suggests that companies that prioritize inclusion – where everyone feels respected and valued for their differences – are two times more likely to achieve financial performance goals than those who don’t prioritize inclusion. To foster such an environment at your organization, first identify what inclusivity means within its current culture before creating strategies to move forward with developing an inclusive work culture.
Ask employees for suggestions and feedback, especially if your senior leadership and HR teams lack diversity. This will ensure that new policies and practices address the needs of everyone within your workforce, creating Slack groups, employee resource events, or educational opportunities that encourage people to share their experiences – this may particularly benefit anyone experiencing microaggressions such as being asked if they are an immigrant or having to correct someone’s assumption about gender identity.
An additional way to foster a sense of belonging within your organization is through reviewing the language used throughout, checking documents such as company handbooks, policies and internal communication platforms for any offensive phrasing such as sexist, racist or ableist words and phrases. Gender neutral language should always be preferred wherever possible as well. Finally, making accommodations for different lifestyles and cultural backgrounds should also be prioritized – this could include having unisex bathrooms available and flexible scheduling arrangements when religious holidays or family care obligations occur, for instance.
2. Create a culture of equity
One of the most essential tasks any company can undertake is creating an inclusive workplace culture characterized by diversity, equity, and inclusion. Companies committed to cultivating such an atmosphere will find that not only is their social responsibility increased but so is productivity and profit margin. By encouraging inclusion, a wider variety of perspectives and experiences can be brought to the table, leading to improved decision-making processes.
One way to foster an equitable workplace culture is by providing employees with channels for airing their ideas and feelings about company policies and practices – whether this involves meetings, forums or Slack channels – so as to openly discuss them. Furthermore, companies should offer training on topics like unconscious bias which will enable employees to become more inclusive in their work environments.
Another way to foster an environment of equity is through equitable hiring practices. This means prioritizing hiring more members from marginalized groups, and offering equal opportunities. Furthermore, companies should take proactive steps to address any disparities in pay or benefits.
Businesses should create a diversity and inclusion statement to showcase the current state of equity at their company, including details like percentage of women or people of color in leadership positions and information regarding any gender pay gaps that exist. Include this data in the diversity and inclusion statement in order to make it more credible as a statement for employees, candidates, customers etc.
3. Create a culture of respect
Respect in the workplace is central to building an inclusive culture. Companies can prioritize this initiative by developing written policies to uphold diversity and inclusion values, and offering training that emphasizes this value. Leaders can set an example by recognising team member contributions and celebrating achievements together.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are interconnected concepts that work to foster an engaging workplace environment. Each has their own specific definition and nuances; all share one goal of treating every person with dignity and respect.
Create a culture of respect can be difficult, but with the appropriate initiatives and tools it’s definitely possible. Organizations must consider all aspects of diversity and inclusion that impact the workplace environment, such as gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, socioeconomic status disability status location & beyond. They should also take note when communicating and interacting with their employees ensuring they use respectful language while considering culturally aware terms & preferred pronouns when talking with employees and taking into consideration preferred pronouns/terms etc.
Establishing a culture of respect requires dedication and hard work in the workplace, but the rewards can be many: reduced employee turnover, increased productivity, improved performance, attracted and retained top talent, etc. Furthermore, such a culture can be integrated into an environmental, social, and governance policy so customers, investors, and business partners know you care for the world around you.
4. Create a culture of belonging
Belonging is a broad concept encompassing diversity, equity and inclusion that drives employee engagement and motivation at work, giving employees a sense of purpose at their workplaces.
Companies looking to foster a culture of belonging must prioritize it as part of their corporate responsibility strategy, from updating company policies and creating training programs about inclusion to encouraging managers to support their teams by celebrating accomplishments and listening attentively to employees’ concerns. Businesses who make belonging a top priority experience both positive bottom-line results as well as improved people outcomes with higher retention rates.
People often don’t feel they belong at work due to a number of factors; these may include feeling underappreciated, not receiving sufficient opportunities to develop their skills, and not being valued as individuals. There are numerous physical roadblocks preventing those with disabilities from accessing areas used by able-bodied people or the fact that women and people of color still aren’t well represented in leadership positions.
Create a culture of belonging is no easy feat, requiring leaders to change their perspective on inclusion rather than viewing it as just another box to check off. Instead, leaders should use inclusion as an opportunity to build trust within their organizations and lead lasting cultural transformation efforts that have lasting benefits for everyone involved.
Addressing issues related to discrimination, unconscious biases and microaggressions will require listening before reacting immediately; leadership should support this initiative with realistic goals they’re willing to invest in.
5. Create a culture of innovation
Companies seeking to foster an innovative culture must provide employees with the freedom and resources they require in order to come up with ideas. This involves creating an emotionally safe workplace in which employees feel free to express unconventional thoughts without fear of judgment or reprisals; encouraging collaboration across departments and teams so as to gain new perspectives and expertise; as well as connecting employees to larger company goals by aligning them with its mission and values.
Companies should set diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals that are both measurable and attainable to track their progress over time and hold themselves accountable. For example, organizations could set targets such as adding specific numbers of women in leadership positions or increasing spending with diverse vendors on their next annual budget – making their DEI goals tangible and easier for employees to connect with.
Establishing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals (DEI goals) are of critical importance for companies. As more people from marginalized communities enter the workforce, companies must work harder to foster an environment which empowers these workers and allows them to flourish – not only will this improve employee morale and retention rates but it will also draw customers from diverse communities that ultimately drive business performance.
Recent studies have shown that companies with greater gender and racial diversity in their executive teams had a much greater chance of outperforming competitors, so it makes sense that more organizations are prioritizing diversity as an element of workplace culture. If your organization isn’t doing it yet, now may be the time to start: learn more about how creating an inclusive culture benefits everyone involved and why inclusion matters to your company.