Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an approach used by organizations to ensure fair treatment of all people while also fully engaging them in society. DEI embraces all the ways individuals differ – their cultures, personal identities and life experiences – within society as a whole.
Establishing diverse and inclusive teams helps reduce employee turnover costs for any business while improving customer service, productivity and customer satisfaction.
Definitions
Diversity Equity and Inclusion (EDI) frameworks aim to promote fair treatment of people based on social identity groups such as race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability and socioeconomic status. A major part of ensuring all employees feel like they belong in the workplace is making sure individuals can express themselves authentically without fear of discrimination or exclusion.
Work environments in which employees feel they belong can encourage employees to stay longer at a company and reach their fullest potential for the business. According to studies, employee turnover tends to be reduced in companies that place priority on diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Diversity can mean different things to different organizations; their understanding may even vary within themselves. Key terms used when discussing diversity include inclusivity and equality – with equality being more closely associated with outcomes rather than equal opportunity, which is an overarching idea within work context.
Equality encompasses non-discrimination and is key to the work of many groups. As an essential right, equality can be applied across sectors like employment, housing, education, health care and government services.
Equity and inclusion are closely connected, and must be taken into account when creating a diversity plan. All aspects of a process or system must be reviewed to ensure their end goal supports a diverse and inclusive learning community for Worcester State University students.
An effective team approach begins by identifying all terms required of them and having each member write down his or her understanding. Once all members have contributed their ideas, the group can discuss and come to an understanding of what each term signifies.
This glossary was compiled by members of Worcester State University’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee as a means for discussion among faculty, staff, and students of Worcester State University. Please keep in mind that terms will continue to evolve as new experiences and perspectives come into view.
Goals
No matter if your goal is diversity and inclusion or just seeking greater equality at work, setting clear goals is crucial to reaching them faster. Make sure they’re SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound), which will help ensure they can help reach success more quickly.
At your company, it’s also essential that goals align with its business strategy. For instance, a reputation of progressiveness could attract employees looking for inclusive environments – increasing your retention rate as employees feel connected to both their jobs and the organization as a whole.
Once your goal has been set, it’s essential that it’s communicated throughout your organization and tracked and shared regularly as progress is made. This will give everyone a sense of ownership over the process and motivate them to support it; you could even form a DEI goal team dedicated to managing goals and celebrating successes!
Setting and achieving diversity goals effectively starts with understanding why. For instance, creating a diverse workforce may bring more creativity and innovation to your organization or meet customer needs more efficiently; whatever it may be, employees must know why you are creating it so they will feel motivated to work towards meeting it.
As with any committee, your diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging committee needs clear, actionable goals in place in order to track its progress and see tangible results of its efforts. These could include increasing representation of minorities in managerial positions or providing unconscious bias training for all employees; supporting employee resource groups or creating mentoring programs could also be included as goals.
Strategies
Companies have numerous strategies available to them for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at work. Some strategies may be behavioral while others structural – behavioral inclusion refers to inclusive mindsets and skillsets while structural inclusion refers to equitable structures, processes and policies which work for all. Each kind of inclusion works together towards building an inclusive workplace culture.
One effective behavioral strategy is recruiting and hiring individuals from diverse backgrounds. This can help diversify the workforce and enhance employee morale. Another tactic involves providing employees with ongoing training on inclusion benefits as well as recognising biases. Such sessions also teach employees how to assist peers experiencing discrimination or other forms of oppression.
Structural inclusion encompasses any effort that seeks to increase workplace processes and structures to make them more inclusive, such as offering flexible working arrangements for employees who cannot commute during normal business hours due to childcare or elder care responsibilities. Redesigning meeting structures and workplace technologies for remote or hybrid teams are also part of this form of inclusion, along with creating clear communication channels between all employees so they have access to equal information and can collaborate more efficiently.
Diversity, equity and inclusion must also be top priorities within an organization as a whole. When employees see that diversity initiatives are given top priority by management, they’re more likely to trust their employers and feel supported in their efforts. Inclusion can help attract and retain top talent while simultaneously creating an innovative and collaborative work environment.
Putting diversity, equity and inclusion at the center of its business practices could harm its credibility in the market and may forgo new opportunities. Furthermore, marginalized groups might lose faith that the company understands their needs or values them as members – possibly leading them to believe they’re not valued within their organizations. One effective way for companies to measure progress towards an inclusive workplace is using tools like Betterworks Engage for employee surveys regularly so they can take appropriate actions as feedback comes back about.
Implementation
Diversity and inclusion (DEI) is not only a moral imperative; it also drives revenue and business success. Businesses that excel at DEI often experience increased revenues, higher employee retention rates, greater innovation and competitive edge as a result. To fully reap its benefits of DEI in your business, inclusivity should be integrated into every aspect of its operations – this means creating forums such as Slack groups, events or educational programs where individuals can express themselves freely while sharing experiences.
Implementation of DEI strategies should be guided by clear goals, tracked through metrics and scorecards and ultimately held accountable by both CEO and board of directors – this way employees know that their employer cares for them and is dedicated to helping ensure their success.
While it is essential to have these metrics in place, it’s equally crucial to recognize that return on investment can be measured beyond financial. A diverse team may bring fresh ideas and perspectives not previously considered into consideration; these new perspectives may lead to improved product/service offerings as well as higher customer satisfaction scores.
Implementing an effective diversity and inclusion strategy can reduce employee turnover rates, which is often caused by feelings of exclusion and not feeling supported by their company culture. This is especially relevant to underrepresented groups like women, minorities, non-binary individuals etc. Companies that fail to prioritize inclusion risk alienating their workforce as well as losing talent – ultimately hurting business success.
Implementing an inclusive workplace requires taking baby steps. For example, including culturally appropriate holidays in your workplace calendar and offering family-friendly policies can help get things rolling. Furthermore, providing options for religious and cultural leave allows employees to celebrate their identities and traditions freely. Furthermore, increasing inclusivity by raising employee awareness of what it means to belong to underrepresented groups through all-hands meetings can promote inclusion.