Building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization
Attaining a truly diverse, equitable, inclusive culture with authentic belonging is a journey and one that requires leaders who are willing to look inward, practice vulnerability and demonstrate curiosity. Any successful DEIB program will go through continuous improvement and revision to respond to the changing needs of an organization and its employees. Starting on that journey can feel overwhelming. For leaders and organizations looking for a place to start, these four areas are a great place to focus on building a strong foundation from which to grow.
Commit to increasing diverse representation: This one sounds obvious. Holding to a commitment to increase diverse representation when the pressure is on to hire quickly or hire from referral networks, following through often falls by the wayside. Taking the time to build practices and networks that support building strong, qualified and diverse slates at all seniority levels is key. Identifying an executive sponsor outside of HR who is willing to invest time into this goal is a huge boulder mover. Achieving the critical first step of building a diverse workforce is the foundation on which a strong culture with high belonging is built.
Empower Employees to be their Authentic Self: Celebrate the differences, enable positive change and create a virtuous cycle of curiosity and awareness. Environments in which employees are empowered and celebrated for who they are are more likely to be ones in which employees bring their authentic self to work, every single day.
Invest strategically in your communities: Add value back and empower the communities that your employees and products touch. Think about what authentic opportunities exist, maybe it’s empowering an employee volunteer day or linking up with a local non profit to give back.
Know, own and share your data: Codifying and regularly measuring your company's DEIB stats is the first step. Report out to internal and external stakeholders (publishing a yearly report and linking it on your website is a great step!), own the data even when it isn’t what you want, and commit to small but steady improvements.
Creating cultures that are diverse, equitable and inclusive, in which employees feel an authentic sense of belonging, takes time and hard work. Interested in partnering to evolve your organization's DEIB strategy? Reach out to hazanconsulting@gmail.com
