How to Align DEIB Initiatives for a More Inclusive Workplace

DEIB stands as the foundation of an inclusive workforce. According to a McKinsey report, many organisations are found to be misaligned and have perceptions that vastly differ from those of their employees- 77% of executives believe they have established an inclusive work environment with a strong sense of community among the team, but only 39% of employees consider their workplace to be inclusive.

Such misalignment is critically important for HR and compensation professionals to address because this kind of misalignment in DEIB initiatives can hinder employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

Closing the gap begins with understanding how DEIB initiatives may be viewed differently by employees. This article takes a deep dive into what DEIB really means, the challenges organisations face, and actionable steps to foster a more inclusive environment.

What is Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)?

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging- these are the four key elements of a workplace culture when embracing diverse and different backgrounds.

Here's what each component entails:

• Diversity: This is the act of bringing together people from a wide spectrum of demographics such as gender, age, ethnicity, race, sexual identity, nationality, and many more. Diversity is crucial as it makes the team a mosaic of diverse opinions; it is however not enough to have diversity without nurturing and supporting it so that it can yield adequate benefits to the organization.
• Equity: This aspect ensures that each employee is provided with the right tools, resources, and opportunities irrespective of background. It is not just treating people the same; it's about acknowledging differences and their needs to ensure that each employee succeeds.
• Inclusion: Inclusiveness is the ability to promote a workplace culture that all stakeholders appreciate in being respected, valued, and included within the organization. It's about everyone's voice being heard and differences being embraced. Research shows inclusive teams could outperform ones that aren't inclusive by very considerable degrees; again, impact on performance.
• Belonging: It involves that true acceptance and value of members by a team. It creates an environment wherein the employees feel secure enough to open themselves without being judged. Such an environment results in mutual support, where each member of the team, whether for a week or ten years, feels important and connected.

Each of these parts needs to work together to provide a sense of community that establishes an equitable workplace where the employees can succeed.

What is inclusion and what is belonging?

While belonging ensures that diverse voices are heard and is measured by quantity, inclusion initiatives are measured in numbers and refers to the emotional connection employees feel toward the organisation. Inclusion is being invited to the table; belonging is feeling comfortable contributing. 

An inclusive workplace culture does not necessarily equate to an ability of belonging-indeed, this requires deep engagement, trust, and authenticity leading to employee satisfaction and much better business outcomes as well.
 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Examples

Over the last few years, many business leaders have scrambled to put DEIB programs in place, attempting to tackle barriers to equitable opportunities like bias, inequity, or homogeneous teams in their workplace and more.

Real-world examples can help illustrate how successful DEIB initiatives are implemented in various sectors:

Example 1: Salesforce

Salesforce has been making outstanding efforts toward increasing DEIB representation through equality programs such as pay equality, equal development opportunities for employees, and equal rights. The company holds regular pay audits, and it also sets up employee resource groups with various communities. 

Example 2: Accenture

Accenture engages with DEIB since it aims at increasing the number of diversity groups in all levels within the organisation. The company follows diversity initiatives like its unconscious bias training programs, such as mentoring underrepresented employees. Accenture manifests its commitment to inclusion through several leadership positions and high employee engagement rates.

Example 3: Ben & Jerry's

Although it is a company that will always be synonymous with social justice, its initiatives like sourcing and in community activities for equity stands out. The companies sponsor and take part in the causes that advance racial justice and climate justice. This single act has created a sense of belonging to the company with similar values' holders. 
 

Importance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Workplace

DEIB initiatives are the backbone of organizational success. A high-performing DEIB culture can:

• Employee engagement and retention: Belongingness is more likely to stay with the company rather than leaving it, which helps in reducing turnover.
• Productivity boosts: With a culture of diversity, teams bring different ideas, which result in more creative solutions and better choices.
• Attract quality talents: Today's workforce, especially millennials and GenZ, would prefer to work for companies that have strong values concerning DEIB.
   

DEIB Challenges

Despite the general recognition of the importance of DEIB, organizations face major barriers in implementing and maintaining these practices:

1. Resistance to the DEIB Departments

   Many employees believe that DEIB departments tend to operate in isolation from the practical work environment of their workers. Employees may view efforts at DEIB as performative in nature, rather than making a real impact.

2. Staying Compliant

   Compliance to local law and regulations is required, but by no means does legal compliance necessarily denote an inclusive culture. Companies have to do much more than just comply to instil change.

3. Recruitment Strategy Improvement

   Many organisations are prevented from attracting diverse talent owing to old hiring practices. Aim for as much inclusivity as possible in your recruitment process to achieve a diversified workforce.

4. Training on DEIB

   Training cannot be effective if considered a one-time requirement and not a demand for an inclusive, ongoing transformation in the culture. The employees and the leaders have to be continuously educated on DEIB principles.

5. Measuring DEIB

   Measuring success is an incredibly hard task in DEIB initiatives. Tracking diversity is fairly easy, whereas inclusion and belonging are much more difficult to measure since sometimes qualitative insight is required.

How to Promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

Here are eight key strategies that would help foster a DEIB culture in your organisation:

1. DEIB is a system activity-

   Make diversity, equity, and inclusion integrate with every part of the business. Then, employing and promotion policies will be more inclusive and diverse.

2. DEI is the Base to Build On-

   Diversity, equity, and inclusion are the root of a workplace where belonging has the best opportunity to grow. Without DEI, no sense of belonging will likely exist among employees.

3. Focus on Purpose-

   DEIB to the very core of the company's mission and values. When people see DEIB is really good in a company, they are more likely to buy into it.

4. Accept that your company doesn’t have everyone who understands this-

   Not every candidate will align with your DEIB mission, and that's okay. Your focus should be on attracting individuals who resonate with your vision of an inclusive culture.

5. Utilise Data in Tracking and Measuring Progress

   Track progress in DEIB by collecting both qualitative and quantitative data. Inclusion and belonging can be measured through employee surveys, focus groups, and engagement metrics.

6. Be Purposeful about your Endeavours-

   Intentionality is crucial. Instead of ad-hoc initiatives, create a long-term DEIB strategy with clear goals and milestones.

7. Truly Engage Your Freelance Workers-

   Freelancers and gig workers often do not feel part of the company culture. Make sure that the flavour of DEIB reaches your contingent workforce through integration into the company's communications, events, and training.

8. Lead by Example

   Leadership needs to be champions of DEIB: When leadership engages in DEIB initiatives, employees are more likely to be active participants and take DEIB initiatives seriously.

Common DEI Initiatives

To effectively carry out DEIB, consider these initiatives:

• Inclusion and Diversity Training-

  Provide habitual unconscious bias, cultural competency, and inclusive leadership training. 
   

• Employee Resource Groups- 

  The encouragement of employee-led groups to come together and share their experiences among underrepresented employees. 
   

• Recruitment and Hiring-

  Analyze the recruitment processes to identify entry points for diverse candidates as well as ensure an equitable hiring experience. 
   

• Policy changes-

  Reviewing corporate policies regularly with the changing nature of DEIB standards, such as providing flexible arrangements to work, parental leave, and anti-discrimination policies. 
   

• Employee Engagement and Retention-

  Use surveys and mechanisms of feedback to identify how included and valued employees feel and tailor engagement initiatives to foster a sense of belonging. 
   

• Hold Leaders Accountable-

  Engage leaders in clear DEIB objectives and hold them accountable for the same progress. Include DEIB as an integral component of any leadership evaluation for effective results.

Why DEIB Matters for HR For HR Professionals 

DEIB is not a moral imperative alone but an absolute necessity for organizational success. Here's why it matters: 

1. Moral and Ethical Issues- The professionals in HR should show equity and fairness toward the treatment accorded to all employees. Such ethical duties match the initiatives regarding DEIB making it an inclusive organization. 
2. Team Building and Problem Solving- Diverse teams are far more innovative and better problem solvers. HR could contribute positively to team performance by promoting diversity and inclusion and build a culture of respect in the entire organization. 
3. Legal Consequences- Compliance with DEIB related laws is ensured. The legal risks aside, DEIB neglect is likely to cause reputational damage, harm the recruitment of top talent and employee retention. 
4. On a Last Note DEIB goes beyond being a checkbox—this involves pledging to create a healthy work environment where employees working in an organization are valued, respected, and able to produce their best due to the meaningful relationships built due to the cultural sensitivities overall. 

Understanding the challenges and bridging the gap in perception between senior leaders and employees is one way for HR professionals to effect meaningful change toward more DEIB benefits for everyone and establishing a culture of inclusivity.

Conclusion

Contributing to DEIB is a recipe for future success and more than merely a business imperative for compensation professionals and HR leaders. Therefore, it is important for them  to ensure that both leadership teams' perceptions and actual employee experiences connected with DEIB initiatives must be understood and bridged. 

A DEIB-related workplace will help in creating job satisfaction for all the employees at organization, enhance engagement, innovation, and long-term success by going the extra mile.

To get a deeper understanding of DEIB, listen to great insights from global experts- Melanie Sanders, senior global consultant at The Diversity Movement, and Susie Silver, global DEIB expert, on our special podcast. [Podcast link]

If you are looking to level up DEIB in your organisation or even get started with it, try a demo with CompUp today and grow diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in your organisation.