In today’s business world, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (also known as DE&I) principles have become a high-priority item in any leader’s agenda. However, as organizations make efforts to implement them, they need to navigate through a set of challenges, the first of them being that, since the topic is new, there is a lack of preparedness to guide the company’s spokespersons, HR managers, and executives through each of the intricacies required by an inclusivity-oriented landscape. 

Nevertheless, even if the learning curve is steep, this is an issue that companies need to acknowledge and fully apply to their workplace. A BuiltIn article states that previously-marginalized groups that were seen as minorities may become a majority by 2045, and that three out of four job seekers and active employees have a preference for companies that actively seek to integrate DE&I-related projects. 

Why companies need to pay attention to DE&I

The roots of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion movement were developed during the 1960s, when equal employment and affirmative action laws first emerged in the United States. However, it has only been during the last decade that DE&I has been given center stage. 

In a nutshell, the concept encompasses a comprehensive approach to building a workplace–as well as a society–that values and acknowledges people from all backgrounds, to ensure that everyone receives access to opportunities and feels seen, heard, and respected. 

Fostering this collaborative and safe environment has tremendous benefits for companies. McKinsey reported that firms that had diverse teams were 25% more likely to outperform average profitability indicators, highlighting the economic implications of embracing diversity. 

Establishing the foundation for your DE&I strategy

For a DE&I strategy to thrive, it first needs to have a solid foundation. This can be built by clearly outlining the company’s values and goals in relation to this subject, bolstering the firm’s leadership commitment to the project, and establishing mechanisms to demand accountability. In addition to this, conducting diversity, equity, and inclusion assessments can serve to identify areas of improvement and define new milestones. 

5 ways to successfully integrate DE&I into the company’s culture

#1: Inclusive recruitment and hiring practices

In many companies, skewed perceptions still rule the interviewing and hiring processes. A BrightTalk study found that 79% of HR professionals believe that unconscious bias is part of recruitment decisions, which can cause firms to miss out on top talent for non-work-related reasons. 

Nevertheless, there are numerous tools that businesses can use to restructure the way they conduct interviews, and to maximize the odds that biases are taken out. Iris Bohnet, in the Harvard Business Review, argues that, since sociologists discovered that, because of cultural matching, employers tend to trust those who look like them, hiring managers should develop tools that can predict future performance and test problem-solving abilities anonymously, in order to take subjectivity out of the equation. 

Organizations like BrucePower are positive examples of inclusive recruitment practices. Through its special guide, the Canadian energy firm carefully leads prospective Indigenous applicants through its selection processes, so that they can maximize their chances of getting a job, and, if hired, they have more resources to help them thrive.  

Also, diversity attracts more diversity. Kenny Alegbe, CEO of HomeHero, a U.K.-based household management startup, said that once they started highlighting their team through company videos and blog posts, the number of candidates from diverse backgrounds that applied to work there skyrocketed. 

#2: Employee training and education

Companies need to invest in training programs that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in their existing workforce. By doing this, they enhance employee awareness, challenge biases, and foster inclusive decision-making within the organization. 

Here, a positive example is San Francisco-based startup Gitlab, which provides employees with live training on how to be an ally, inclusive leadership, and the business value of equality, among other topics. The courses became so popular that now the company offers them to the community at large, giving people the opportunity to earn a GitLab Inclusion Certification.

Another successful case study is North American manufacturer PLZ Corp, which incorporated unconscious bias training into its employee development arm, PLZ University, to help team members strip bias from their decision-making process. 

#3: Mentorship and sponsorship programs for underrepresented groups

The progress of historically underrepresented groups can be accelerated through mentorship and sponsorship programs. For example, 81% of women of color who reported having a sponsor said they felt more satisfied with their career progressions than those who didn’t have sponsors. Also, research showed that sponsored employees go on to make 11.6% more money than their colleagues. 

The way sponsorship programs work is that a leader in the company “sponsors” an employee that has a high potential for growth. This helps the employee to advance their career by learning first-hand from an experienced executive and being exposed to high-profile assignments. 

In this regard, a successful initiative is Deutsche Bank’s ATLAS program, which helps female bankers to grow their careers and prepare for an eventual role as managing directors. 

#4: Employee Resource Groups and Affinity Networks

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary organizations within a firm that bring together employees that have shared characteristics and experiences. These serve as safe spaces for members to connect, share experiences, and address common challenges, in addition to fostering a much-needed sense of belonging, especially for people who have felt marginalized in the past. 

There are several organizations that foster the development of ERGs, as they know that helping employees feel valued and supported is critical to boosting their performance and their contributions to the company’s goals. 

Examples include Johnson & Johnson, which has several ERGs such as Women’s Leadership & Inclusion, Veterans Leadership Council, and the Alliance for Diverse Abilities; and American Express, where employees form colleague networks like Families at Amex, Black Engagement Network, and PEACE Muslim Network. Also, the company has implemented several initiatives to back women and support them on their journey to occupy leadership positions. 

#5: Give employees a clear DE&I toolkit

Because, as mentioned, the limelight has only been shone on DE&I for so long, employees need to receive clear guidance on how they can align themselves with the organizational strategy and the diversity, equity, and inclusion principles. 

Canadian energy firm Bruce Power has a brilliant toolkit, which trains employees to use inclusive language, challenge their unconscious biases when hiring, ensure people from all backgrounds are heard and seen at meetings, and verify that workplace accommodations are made for any employees that need it. 

Like Bruce Power, companies that provide understandable, solid directives to their team will likely see more success when implementing DE&I initiatives, and will be able to build a better work environment for all. 

Final Thoughts

The benefits of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives are well-documented, and they are not only social, but also economic. Firms that embrace those principles will increase their odds of attaining a triple-bottom-line, and of maximizing their impact on the planet. 

By cultivating a diverse talent pool, companies can tap into a wide array of perspectives and ideas, which fosters innovation and creativity. Also, feeling seen, heard, and acknowledged increases employee productivity and reduces employee turnover, which, as discussed, has an impact on profitability. 

Following the guidelines above, leaders can take a proactive step to champion DE&I, which will be a positive transformative force for both the organization and the people that work in it, and ultimately make the world a better place.