Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) has become a growing priority for companies. Candidates often inquire about DEIB efforts during interviews and require evidence that it plays an integral part in daily operations.
Companies seeking to foster an atmosphere of belonging should create an environment which is diverse, equitable and inclusive. This article will examine each concept individually as well as their interconnection.
Equity
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are four intertwined concepts that work in concert to foster an environment in the workplace that respects and includes all. Initiatives designed to give underrepresented groups access to employment can include initiatives for age, race/ethnicity/disability/sexual orientation/gender identity/sexual orientation identities of all kinds as well as cultures/religions/beliefs/behaviors spanning cultures religions beliefs educational backgrounds etc.
Belonging has recently become the focal point for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. It’s an emotional need that plays an integral part in friendships, families and work teams; belonging offers the feeling of security when individuals feel accepted for who they are – including all their unique traits and experiences – with no shame associated with who they are as people. Belonging forms the cornerstone upon which other DEI initiatives can thrive.
Companies have historically prioritized diversity and inclusion as ways to attract, recruit and retain talent while driving business results. Their efforts focused on creating an atmosphere of acceptance, psychological safety and value across their workforce regardless of background or perspective – often through policies such as employee resource groups (ERGs) or diversity awareness events.
Companies taking an expansive approach to DEI are taking an introspective look at their systems, structures and products in order to determine how they can become more inclusive. Their efforts can go further by considering company culture as well as looking at how things are done or described and any hidden biases within them.
Companies are taking an introspective approach to recruiting candidates, employee retention rates and rewarding promotions more evenly; as well as considering their impact on consumers and how their products and services reflect society in which we live.
Blend is designing banking software that’s reflective of our society and works towards making everyone feel included and accepted, while building an inclusive pipeline for future product developers and engineers to meet EEOC and OFCCP compliance program requirements.
Inclusion
Diversity refers to representation of various social identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. Inclusion takes a more holistic approach that considers individual differences, the feeling of inclusion and creating an atmosphere in which everyone feels they belong – beyond simply showing behaviors such as respecting cultural diversity but by actively including different perspectives into company systems, processes and products.
Focusing on hiring processes, offering flexible working arrangements and supporting employees through family-oriented leave policies are just some ways of helping ensure an environment in which employees can thrive. Involve employees in prioritization discussions; include senior leadership representatives from underrepresented groups in senior management; involve employees in prioritization decisions and the identification and addressing of priorities; ultimately it means providing people with all of the tools and resources they require in order to succeed.
Organizations typically approach diversity from two angles: what group(s) they recruit from and which ones make up their workforce. Although this is important, true diversity only flourishes if it is truly inclusive: that means underrepresented people not only get hired but can advance within the organization and participate in decision making process so their voices are heard.
While recognizing the value of having a more diverse and inclusive workplace may seem obvious, businesses may struggle with how best to implement an inclusive strategy that has maximum effect. This is particularly true if companies have focused too heavily on diversity metrics without taking account of any intersectionalities within their initiatives.
Increased companies are beginning to recognize the significance of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB), taking steps towards its implementation and taking positive steps toward it. According to McKinsey research, companies that make DEIB a core business imperative are 35% more profitable than their peers and those successful at driving change have an in-depth knowledge of what inclusive practices entail and the need for an equitable workforce and having a sense of belonging in their workforce for success.
Belonging
Belonging is the fourth pillar of diversity equity inclusion and refers to feelings of connection and support among members of a group. Belonging is essential to engagement, innovation and productivity within an organization as it drives engagement, innovation and productivity. Belonging can be fostered by culture, policies, practices or individual employees; for instance implementing inclusive hiring practices could remove unconscious bias for fair consideration of all candidates while offering training and coaching on personal/professional development could create an atmosphere that fosters belonging.
Many companies struggle to foster an employee sense of belonging, particularly with the rise of remote and hybrid work arrangements. Without belonging, employees can quickly become disengaged and even depressed in their workplace environment – this lack of belonging having a negative effect on performance as well as overall job satisfaction.
Leaders must strive to foster an atmosphere in which employees feel like part of the team by listening carefully to employee feedback. By taking this time and listening attentively, companies can gain insights into where improvements need to be made and establish safe spaces where employees can express themselves freely – such as anonymous surveys, focus groups or third-party mediation services.
At its core, belonging is more an emotional aspect of DEIB programs. Companies can evaluate how successfully these DEIB programs help employees feel like part of a community – for instance upskilling firm Degreed has implemented DEIB programs focused on belonging and have seen remarkable results including 56% increases in job performance for employees, 50 reductions in turnover risk and an incredible 167% rise in employer net promoter score!
No matter where your company stands in its efforts to develop and enhance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging programs (DEIB), there are ample resources available. By emphasizing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as core tenants of DEIB you can provide all employees with a better workplace.
Diversity
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives have become more widespread within workplaces over time. Not only is celebrating an inclusive culture good for morale, it can actually boost business results too – studies have found that companies embracing DEIB tend to experience higher employee retention, outperform competitors financially more easily and generate more innovations – not to mention improving brand reputation among employees and customers.
Diversity differs from inclusion in that it highlights differences within a company’s workforce and strives to represent and appreciate them. This can include social identities such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age nationality disability status as well as other dimensions like socioeconomic status marital status personality learning styles life experiences etc.
Diversity initiatives typically aim to attract candidates from underrepresented groups such as minorities or women. This may involve setting targets or quotas for hiring people from these groups, so that all candidates receive equal consideration during recruitment processes and are hired at comparable rates compared with their peers. It may also involve providing unconscious bias training so that everyone in the company has an even playing field when it comes to talent evaluation.
Employees want to feel they belong at work and must be treated fairly. Inclusion is the second component of DEIB that ensures this, by offering a welcoming and supportive work environment free from discrimination or harassment where every individual can bring their authentic selves and be accepted and valued as they are.
HR teams must evaluate how their recruitment, hiring and retention practices impact inclusion. Some companies use Findem technology to develop diversity dashboards that measure men and women, different ages, races and ethnicities, veterans as well as veteran inclusion within their talent pools – helping HR teams identify where improvements can be made to take action such as recruiting from underrepresented communities or revising hiring processes.