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A systematic diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) implementation is vital to realizing an organization’s full potential. Organizations can leverage their diversity to promote an equitable, inclusive, and sustainable work culture when done right.
To put it simply, like-minded people from diverse backgrounds are brought together to serve a common purpose. This workforce is further nurtured through DEI initiatives to boost their innovative capabilities and empower them to do their best. According to experts, a diverse workforce is 36% more likely to beat its competitors in profitability.
While the DEI goals sound promising, many successful organizations struggle to implement them. This is mainly attributable to a lack of resources and interest from the top brass of the organizations. However, achieving DEI goals is not a one-dimensional approach. Every stakeholder has to take responsibility to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I).
You can also approach Bridgit professionals to better implement DEI in your corporate strategy.
How to better implement DEI into your corporate strategy
Here are the top 9 tips for better implementing DEI into your corporate strategy that actually succeeds:
Begin with the culture assessment at the workspace
Always remember that the DEI initiatives are not limited to numbers. These initiatives and employees’ perceptions of DEI are more influenced by corporate culture. Therefore, every DEI implementation initiative should start with a thorough assessment of the organization’s culture.
Aligning DEI initiatives with the corporate goals
The next step in DEI implementation should be to align the DEI initiatives with your corporate goals using metrics, milestones, or benchmarks as reference. The organization should ensure that the implementation and progression of DEI are reported and monitored by a senior executive.
If any organization isn’t using set standards and numbers as references to ensure better implementation and progression of DEI initiatives, then the chances are that the corporate authorities aren’t serious about DEI inclusion.
Give due consideration to other invisible factors of DEI
While some DEI initiatives are visible, others remain invisible. These should be considered at par with the visible factors as they are likely to make or break a team. Such invisible DEI forces include:
● drive
● cognitive diversity
● psychological safety
When the organization is efficient enough to measure, visualize, and optimize these invisible DEI forces, it can create an inclusive environment that promotes diversity.
Promote transparency concerning demographics and pay equity
Practice a transparent approach concerning demographics or salary to better implement DEI initiatives. When hiring for open roles, make a dashboard where the recruitment team could report on the demographics of the recruited employees.
In addition, transparency in pay equity is another important step in implementing DEI into your corporate strategy. Publish the salary ranges for each role. Employees will learn their compensation range in this manner and will not feel discriminated against on the basis of gender or race.
Stop saying; instead, reflect it in your actions
It is much easier to post a blog or publish a company statement regarding your commitment to implementing DEI into your corporate strategy. But it is entirely another thing than completely following through with it. You must show movements as well as progressions to reflect seriousness about DEI initiatives in your organization.
For this, you may partner with different organizations like the Center for Respectful Leadership or the Center for Creative Leadership. This will help you to get DEI initiatives into motion and in line with a transparent approach.
Follow standards and practices to attain success
Most organizations put forth the DEI initiatives on the table but never create standards or follow practices to achieve success. Moreover, the DEI initiatives fail due to their “check-the-box” thinking.
Whatever is revealed during the discussions of the leaders is nothing but empty rhetoric without adequate enforcement. Therefore, when the consequences are strictly enforced, it demonstrates a genuine commitment to implementing DEI initiatives.
Pay attention to the business advantages of DEI initiatives for your organization
DEI is actually more than just a humanistic issue. It is advantageous for your business growth as well. The diversity and inclusive approach bring diverse thinking to your business. This, in turn, surfaces diverse perspectives, mindsets, and more creative solutions for business improvement on a global platform. Additionally, a huge sense of dedication, belonging, and ownership is witnessed by diverse employees.
Put forth a DEI action and advisory committee
Make sure to create the action and advisory committee to better implement DEI initiatives in your corporate strategy. The dual-layer of surveillance makes sure that the accountability and intentions of the DEI initiatives are met as per set standards and timeframes.
The action committee takes charge of delivering the intended DEI initiatives defending upon employee feedback. In contrast, the advisory committee is responsible for making recommendations and steering aims and goals to infuse DEI initiatives into the organization’s DNA.
Focus on an individualized approach
Indeed, there isn’t any one-size-fits-all approach. Different organizations need to define their individualized level of diversity and then fill it accordingly. Different policies are mere pieces of paper until and unless due awareness about diversity is created. The utmost aim should be to make every person understand the costs and benefits of implementing DEI initiatives for employees, groups, and the company as a whole.
Endnote
Every company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy is unique. However, the steps to implement, monitor, and achieve the desired results are somewhat similar. The main focus is to adopt a systematic and coherent approach that creates a highly motivated workforce and healthy workspace. For this, every stakeholder from top to bottom needs to work dedicatedly, fairly, and impartially.
Similarly, an organization’s policies should also complement the diverse interests. Provide more and more opportunities to people with diverse backgrounds, interests, common interests, and thoughts to better implement DEI into your company.
Remember that DEI initiatives can’t be quickly fixed into your corporate strategy. Instead, real change is a systematic and conscious change. Don’t forget to reexamine all processes, including the workforce at the workplace, through the DEI lens.
You may also like: Improving the Diversity in Your Organization in Five Simple Steps
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