Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is often discussed within workplace environments; but how many of us really understand what these terms entail?
Most employees agree it’s extremely important for their workplace to be diverse in various aspects, as outlined below. Unfortunately, however, their order may be uncertain.
Diversity
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is driving an ever-expanding dialogue and requires us to use a common vocabulary so as not to misinterpret what people mean when discussing similar subjects. Words have different connotations depending on people’s lived experiences; any variation can lead to miscommunication and missteps.
Inclusion refers to creating environments in which anyone feels safe and welcome to express themselves freely, as well as making sure everyone feels heard in any meaningful conversation that arises. There are three elements of inclusion: belonging, respect and support – with belonging being an individual feeling accepted within society while respect being the degree to which individuals have access to opportunities to succeed in life.
Diversity refers to differences among people, including their ages, races, ethnicities, gender identities and expressions, religions, socioeconomic statuses, abilities, sexual orientations and cultures. Diversity may also encompass individual features like physical traits or veteran status.
Diverse workforces offer numerous advantages, from increased employee engagement, performance and retention to enhanced understanding of customers and markets as well as more innovative solutions. A more diverse company may also be more resilient when faced with change or challenges that come their way.
Though having a diverse workforce is important, inclusion should also be prioritized within an organization. Without it, employees could feel excluded and devalued which can have serious ramifications for its culture and future success.
Organizations looking to foster an inclusive workplace can take several steps, such as encouraging employees to speak out about their experiences and offering training on unconscious bias. Furthermore, affirmative action policies or blind resume screening could help attract a more diverse pool of candidates; resources would provide employees with cultural sensitivity issues, helping them discover ways to express themselves at work more freely. By taking such measures, organizations can foster an environment which promotes diversity while benefiting both their business and local community as a whole.
Equity
As discussions around diversity, equity, and inclusion evolve, it’s essential that everyone involved develops a standardized vocabulary in order to avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations of what these terms entail. Although sometimes used interchangeably in conversations about workplace diversity issues, diversity, equity, and inclusion each possess specific meaning and serve separate functions within businesses.
An organization that embraces diversity will foster equal treatment, access and opportunities for employees from diverse backgrounds – gender, racial or ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, religious beliefs socioeconomic status or disability status. They do so by identifying and eliminating any barriers which prevent some groups from fully participating.
An equitable organization strives to give all its employees an equal opportunity for success without discrimination or bias, so they can contribute their best. Equity differs from equality because it acknowledges our society’s disparities while seeking ways to address them by giving more opportunities to those most in need of them.
Diversity is about giving everyone a voice and making them feel valued as individuals. Diversifying your workforce leads to better business results and more innovation; increased morale and employee retention benefit any organization; companies with the highest number of women in senior management are likely outshone by competitors.
Diversity within a workforce allows companies to more easily meet customer demands and adjust to cultural differences, thus making diversity an integral component of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies.
When a company embraces diversity, it’s crucial that its leaders address any inequities which leave some individuals or groups disadvantaged, rather than simply emphasizing equality for all. Hiring more women merely because they represent a minority group would only exacerbate any inequalities in the workplace further. An organization should invest in education and training programs designed to ensure employees are treated fairly; promote employee health and wellbeing programs and address any disparities in pay, promotion or leadership that might exist within their workforce.
Inclusion
Inclusion refers to the degree to which different individuals and groups feel welcomed, valued and supported within an organization. Inclusion involves creating an environment in which all workers can bring their full selves to work; and actively eliminating barriers and obstacles that prevent individuals from feeling included. It goes beyond diversity by ensuring everyone has equal access to resources and opportunities regardless of social identity, culture background or experience.
Inclusivity within DEI means taking into account all of the identities that people possess – race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, language use and age as well as (dis)abilities — as they interact to form unique experiences for individuals and communities alike. Inclusivity also takes into account communities’ needs in order to provide equitable access to resources and opportunities they deserve.
Organizations that prioritize inclusivity take great pains to ensure all employees can benefit from and contribute fully to the company’s success. They do so by welcoming all aspects of employee diversity – their backgrounds and experiences should all be respected equally and appreciated equally by management. Inclusion also ensures all workers can thrive in their jobs while making maximum contributions toward its growth.
An inclusive workplace provides a welcoming and respectful environment, acknowledges differences, and enables all individuals to contribute their unique perspectives to conversations. Being inclusive goes beyond simply hiring diverse talent; rather, an inclusive workplace means making sure each member of a team has access to tools they need for success.
“Inclusivity” is often confused with diversity, equity and inclusion; however, these three concepts should be treated separately as they all have distinct meanings. Diversity refers to all characteristics that distinguish one individual or group from another such as race, ethnicity, creed, color, sex national origin religion age sexual orientation gender identity veteran status military/veteran status
Equitable Design
Equity refers to ensuring all people are treated equally, without discrimination based on background, identity or other characteristics. It involves allocating resources based on need so as to support diverse populations reach their peak levels of health and functioning – this differs from diversity which refers merely to numbers within groups (such as percentage of women on senior leadership teams).
To achieve true equity in business, we must first ensure that all groups are accurately represented within its workforce, such as people with disabilities or who speak multiple languages as well as minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals and more. This requires taking steps to address unconscious biases – stereotypes formed without people’s awareness – as well as recognize and mitigate microaggressions resulting from those biases.
Diversity, equity and inclusion must also be prioritized when developing products and services. This requires us to assess user demographics and backgrounds to understand how certain design choices could negatively affect them; specifically in relation to LGBTQ+ individuals living within specific environments that impact them based on gender identity or sexual orientation; furthermore it’s essential that we recognize their relationship to their identity/sexual orientation/gender expression in order to create inclusive experiences for them. Likewise we must be wary that product names, color palettes and design elements could unintentionally associate certain identities which could make usage challenging or challenging – or make using our product difficult by these users altogether.
Companies that prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion create more resilient cultures with long-term sustainability. Furthermore, they experience many other advantages, from higher sales and profits to increased market penetration and brand trust. Furthermore, these businesses gain a better understanding of their communities, making more informed decisions on how best to engage them.
Misunderstandings abound about diversity and inclusion programs; their goal should not always result in more diverse workforces. To truly reach this goal, organizations need to implement fairness into their organizational frameworks by emphasizing hiring practices, talent development strategies and workplace standards that create barriers against an inclusive environment.