Diversity and Inclusion: it’s a lot more listening and much less speaking than you think

Companies are made up of individuals with unique identities. Each person contributes to different knowledge, skills, and talent within the organization. You’ve likely got data about your workforce that will provide you with your company’s diversity characteristics. Have you tapped into it? 

What about a formalized Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) program? Does it exist in your organization? Who has publicly pledged commitment to it – which senior officer or perhaps your CEO? Is this pledge sincere or simply lip service? Think about what kinds of tangible actions your organization has taken to tackle the systemic problems. 

If there isn’t a Diversity and Inclusion policy, or better yet, a robust program that fosters regular reflection, development, and growth in this area, you’re in trouble.

Recent events have highlighted the critical importance of listening to what’s going on in our world. It would help if you looked at the composition of your workforce, ensuring that you are doing what’s needed to put equitable practices and allyship at the forefront.  Give this your immediate and focussed attention. 

Your employees are waiting to hear from you and your customers are too.

The biggest mistake you could be making right now is to get something in place that checks a box hastily and appears disingenuous or self-serving. You need to be keenly aware of the risks associated with you your next move. The one thing you don’t want to do is perpetuate the very systemic issues you want to remedy by appropriating a social movement. 

Diversity and Inclusion need thoughtful and transparent discussion. Give it the appropriate priority and leverage the data you already can extract from your HRIS. Above all, set an honest and open approach that demonstrates your clear commitment to equality as an organization comprised of global citizens. With the strength of all of the movements we have seen that are focussed on surfacing injustices and inequities — #blacklivesmatter #pride #allyship #metoo and #timesup to name a few — cultures of harassment in society and workplaces have been put on notice. A 2018 LinkedIn study on employee turnover found that Canada, at 16%, ranks slightly above the global average of 12.8%.[1] Attracting and retaining the best employees now and in the future will be contingent on demonstrating that your organization walks the talk every day. 

Conversations around D&I are not easy. You need to expose implicit bias, and even reverse bias, creating a safe environment to examine them thoroughly because they exist. Take what you already know about your organization as a starting point. You’ll find that many opportunities arise that are very real, especially for those directly affected and not protected by privilege.

Keep in mind that you will struggle as you work through this process.

You may also find that you have a problem on your hands where there are too many “dinosaurs” who are too set in their ways to influence otherwise. That kind of revelation about your workforce’s readiness to embrace renewal and change itself may force some difficult decisions. For actions to become a reality, you need to think boldly and be courageous. 

When it comes to establishing or renewing policies after reflecting on your current state, four big things will help you keep the momentum going: 

1. Get buy-in and put your senior leadership team to work. Their commitment is paramount. Your CEO and all of your executives must actively incorporate this as a way of life. It has to unflinchingly be part of standard operating procedure.
2. Tie D&I to compensation, for everyone. Pay is the one thing that will make it exceptionally clear that this is how your organization operates and that intolerance and inaction are not options. 
3. Inspect your current process of decision making. Given the diverse nature of your organization, do decisions reflect perspective with equal representation? Can you truly say you are an inclusive organization? 
4. Be open and keep the pace of change rapid. Inclusion takes hard work because of its broad focus. There’s no way to make it effective by being stealthy. It’s got to be consistent, move quickly and be evident.  As for setbacks, there will be many. Have the fortitude to keep pushing on as consequent keeps growing.

Above all, don’t think that D&I is a once and done initiative.

It can’t simply be a program:  it has to become the new way we work. Constant renewal, reflection and investment will be required. Measurement will reveal how things are trending and should tell the story of your evolving workplace diversity and inclusive culture. 

Keep listening! Less talk! More action!

[1] Canadian HR Reporter (2018, March 15). Canada ranks 4th globally for the highest employee turnover. Retrieved on July 8, 2020 from https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/culture-and-engagement/canada-ranks-4th-globally-for-highest-employee-turnover/283061