Diversity in the workplace is a hotly contested topic as companies try to discover the secret ingredient behind improved employee engagement, improved innovation, expanded creativity, and better attraction and retention of new recruits. talents.
But what does diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) really mean? And how does DEI appear in the workplace, whether remote, hybrid, or full-time in-person? We’ll see.
What is diversity, equity and inclusion?
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are core principles that guide fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace and value the unique attributes and perspectives of people of all backgrounds.
DEI strives to create a work environment and culture where every person feels respected, empowered, and included, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability status, location, or other characteristics. Let’s look at each term individually.
Diversity
Diversity in the workplace includes people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, each with their own perspective. It encompasses various characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religious beliefs, disability status, and socioeconomic background.
A diverse workforce promotes a vibrant and inclusive environment where employees feel valued, respected and empowered.
Equity
How would you feel if you did not have the same job opportunities as your coworkers? Probably annoying at best and annoying at worst. This is why equity in the workplace is essential.
The concept refers to the fair treatment of all employees and ensures that everyone has equal access to career opportunities, resources and rewards, regardless of their background or circumstances. Creating equity in the workplace means identifying and addressing the barriers and systemic biases that can prevent certain people from reaching their full potential.
Inclusion
In a work context, inclusion means creating an environment and culture in which people feel valued, respected, comfortable being themselves, and able to participate and contribute fully. Inclusion fosters a sense of belonging and ensures that all employees have an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed, regardless of their backgrounds, identities or differences.
At its core, inclusion focuses on valuing and actively leveraging each individual’s unique perspectives, talents, and contributions.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: 3 Examples of Workplaces You Can Implement Right Now
1. Embrace new hiring and advertising practices for a diverse pool of talent
To create a workplace that is a rich tapestry of human diversity and incorporates people from a wide range of backgrounds, you’ll need to use hiring practices that think outside the box. For example:
- Remove names and personal information from resumes to avoid bias
- Attend job fairs that focus on diverse candidates.
- Reaching out to underrepresented communities to broaden the candidate pool
- Shift to a remote hiring model to access diverse talent from further afield
- Post job openings on platforms and boards that specifically cater to diverse candidates or underrepresented groups
Implementing the above hiring practices will help attract diverse candidates, including different genders, races, and ethnicities, people with various disability statuses, neurodiverse talent, and the LGBTQ2+ community.
Additionally, according to Washington PostGen-Z is overlooking companies that don’t prioritize a diverse workforce—all the more reason to hire diverse employees.
2. Use inclusive language across the company, from the top down
Inclusive language goes beyond remembering your coworker’s pronoun preference (which you should be doing, by the way!)
The use of inclusive language starts with the CEO and should be a model for all leaders. It includes avoiding gender terms (for example, boys or parental leave), being aware of cultural differences, and using inclusive greetings, for example, “Hello, everyone” instead of “Dear Sir/Madam.”
If you’re going to get serious about inclusive language, it might be worth updating your job descriptions for inclusion and removing language that could discourage various groups from applying. For example, would you apply for this position if you were a female-identified salesperson?
“We are looking for a motivated and optimistic salesperson to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate must be confident, competitive and assertive. The salesperson will be responsible for driving revenue, meeting sales goals, and building strong customer relationships. The successful candidate will possess excellent negotiation skills and a passion for closing great deals.”
Or would you be more interested in this position?
“We are looking for a motivated sales professional to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate must be confident, proactive and results oriented. The salesperson will be responsible for driving revenue, meeting sales goals, and building strong customer relationships. The successful candidate will possess excellent negotiation skills, effective communication skills, and a passion for achieving customer satisfaction.”
Inclusive job descriptions avoid biased language, do not perpetuate gender stereotypes, and focus on skills over qualities for a better chance of hiring and creating a diverse workforce.
3. Conduct Employee Surveys and Gather Valuable Feedback
How do you know where to start with diversity, equity and inclusion if you don’t understand your most important customer: your employees?
Employee surveys collect feedback and information about employee experience, perceptions, and attitudes toward diversity, equity, and inclusion. For example, exploring topics such as inclusion, workplace bias, company culture, career progression, development opportunities, and the experience of underrepresented or marginalized groups.
The data allows organizations to assess the current state of DEI in the workplace and to identify gaps and challenges in DEI practices and policies.
For example, DEI’s surveys highlight areas where improvement is needed, whether it’s addressing unconscious hiring bias, promoting inclusiveness in decision-making, or providing equal opportunity for career development.
By surveying employees, you provide an avenue for people to voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions. This helps foster a sense of inclusion, showing employees that their voices are heard and valued.
It also helps build trust and transparency (a key DEI guiding principle) within the organization, as employees feel empowered to contribute to the development of inclusive practices.
A data-driven approach allows organizations to refine and adjust their DEI efforts based on employee feedback. For example, regular employee surveys allow organizations to track progress and measure the impact of DEI initiatives over time.
By comparing survey results at different times, organizations can assess whether strategies have resulted in positive change and use this information to identify areas that still require improvement.
Insights and data collected from employee surveys inform the development of DEI strategies and guide decision-making processes.
Organizations can use the survey data to identify priorities, set goals, and establish action plans that address specific needs and concerns raised by employees. This ensures that DEI initiatives are aligned with the experiences and expectations of the workforce and helps promote employee engagement.
Overall, surveys are a powerful tool for organizations to gather information, engage employees, and drive meaningful change in DEI advancement. By listening to employee feedback and leveraging survey data, organizations can make informed decisions, track progress, and create a more inclusive and equitable workplace culture.
To start hearing what your employees are saying, sign up for a free trial of 15Five and join companies like Spotify, Hubspot, and Pendo, who are using the platform to better understand and manage their workforce.
