Your company is struggling with diversity and inclusion. How can you help it measure up?

An assessment that includes quantitative and qualitative data is important. It is important to identify what you are trying to measure- efficiency of programs and initiatives? Culture? DEI related communication? Understanding of DEI strategy? Are policies and practices truly equitable? Etc. It can be a good time to re-assess what data you are collecting, and if it is being used to inform the DEI strategy updates/adjustments. I think evidence based DEI maturity models can also be helpful in assessing potential blockages. I believe in the strong connection between solid and action oriented DEI work and a strong demonstrated awareness and commitment to wellbeing. It could be a good time to also check on the wellbeing of employees.

My company, Maverick HR Consulting, has developed the Phases of Diversity Assessment (PODA) proprietary tool that helps organizations determine what stage of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion continuum they are at prior to developing the appropriate strategy that needs to be implemented at that time. Too often organizations begin undertaking a diversity initiative before understanding where they currently are, where they would like to go, and the best strategy to employ to get there, based on this information, as well as a clear understanding of their organizational culture.

You need to ask two important questions here: 1. What does it mean to "struggle" with diversity and inclusion? 2. What does it mean to "measure up"? Without identifying your problem and setting clear objectives, you're on a path to waste a lot of time and energy.

I've demonstrated vulnerability and courage by rebuilding my life in four different countries, navigating diverse languages and cultures. Through both failures and successes, I've learned that true inclusion begins within our minds. In today's diverse world, mindset surpasses everything. Embracing our identity, background, and the richness that comes from being "different" is the key to earning respect from others. It involves strategically positioning oneself, showcasing value, and emphasizing how the unique diversity within us can significantly contribute to the success of the company. Our individual experiences can serve as inspiration, guidance, and transformative forces for both people and organizations.

When assessing your current situation, it is important to ensure you are including all relevant audiences. Many times, the D&I conversation is limited to race, gender, and sexual orientation. However, there are many other diverse target audiences that should be considered: the neurodiverse, those with disabilities, menopausal women, religious groups, young/aging workers, etc. It may not be possible to cater to every group. However, they should be considered while assessing your current situation to help you determine your strategy.

After your EDI survey, it's important to use this data to create a report of the findings and suggested recommendations. For example, your data may show that 90% of your LGBTQIA+ community is thinking of leaving in the next 6 months. How will you as an organisation acknowledge and what goals are you committing to? Sharing this data with employees is key. Data shows Gen Z wants to work for progressive employers that align with their values, in areas that include EDI and sustainability. To attract and retain Gen Z, companies must invite and encourage feedback. To create an environment where open communication and continuous improvement are celebrated, and a commitment to development is evident.

Develop an interactive 'Diversity Dashboard' accessible to all employees, visualising real-time diversity metrics and progress towards goals. Incorporate gamification elements, where departments or teams can earn points or recognition for meeting diversity-related goals or participating in inclusion training. Set up virtual reality (VR) scenarios for diversity training, enabling employees to experience and understand diverse perspectives in an immersive environment.

Your goals could be around employee engagement, retention, talent attraction, representation, pay gap closing and development and progression opportunity availability.

OO DEI goals are hard to set but we must remember to make sure they are trackable and on the pulse with where the company is not just the board room. How is DEI affecting each individual, team, and company ROI? Effective goals will not just focus on one place but a good showing overall.

Craft an actual strategy. Not just events and ad hoc workshops/trainings. Take the time and allocate the money/resources to identify where the gaps are, learn what is working within the organization and for other similar organizations, and determine what data you need to fully understand what is needed. With the help of knowledgeable professionals (preferably neutral external supports), a short and long term strategy can be crafted and then vetted with individuals within the organization at all levels. That will allow you to establish buy-in but also make necessary adjustments so it best mets the needs of the organization.

One of the frustrations I have experienced in large organisations that have diversity and inclusion strategies is that they invest in upskilling a specific cohort (for example Leadership skills for women of colour) but little or no effort is made to raise the cultural competency of employees outside this cohort. It takes two hands to clap. If you are investing in training it is more effective to consider having a comprehensive program that builds awareness and capability all around. This will ensure that everyone is contributing to improving diversity, inclusion and belonging.

Review and revise hiring practices to minimize bias and promote diversity, including implementing blind resume screening, providing bias training for hiring managers, and ensuring diverse candidate slates for job openings.

Revisit your organization's "lunch n learn" talks or workshops if your goals are focused on supporting your team members of historically marginalized identities. Those educational series can be helpful, but are often attended by the people who don't need to hear those lessons and messages.

Let's roll up our sleeves and tackle this diversity and inclusion pickle your company's in! I'm thinking of hands-on workshops that aren't just another 'tick-the-box' exercise, but real eye-openers to different perspectives. We'll set up forums where everyone can chat, share, and maybe even debate a bit – all in the spirit of understanding, of course. Plus, we'll sprinkle in some mental well-being initiatives because happy minds make for an inclusive environment. And how will we know we're making progress? Regular check-ins, surveys, and some clear goals that are more about action and less about paperwork. Let's make inclusivity less of a buzzword and more of an everyday thing at your place!

There are some fantastic tools to help organisations measure and celebrate their progress - and to also guide the next steps with the tools and resources to support them. Especially for SMEs who may not have much in the way of internal resources. Clear Assured is definitely worth a look as it provides a resource centre as well as a continuous accreditation model plus access to expert advice!

In order to measure and evaluate your progress, you need to have concrete DE&I metrics which should encompass… - Accountability Infrastructure: a combination of processes, responsibilities, and incentives used to ensure DE&I goals are met (i.e. Are leaders evaluated on DE&I performance?) - DE&I Infrastructure: the people and groups through which you do DE&I work (i.e. are these well-resourced?) - Progression: the processes and structures related to employee growth (i.e. Does everyone receive the mentorship and sponsorship they need to grow in their careers?) - Misconduct & Conflict Resolution: Do conflict resolution practices result in positive outcomes for those who report? Do people feel safe and comfortable reporting?

When you set your goals, clear KPI's for being able to measure the outcomes of your actions will be able to show you which initiatives you should allocate more resource to! It is never 'done' so change the goalposts to do even better.

Use predictive analytics to forecast future diversity trends and potential challenges in the company, allowing for proactive strategy adjustments. Regularly conduct 'Inclusion Audits' using advanced data analysis tools to evaluate the effectiveness of diversity initiatives and identify hidden biases in company processes. Create an AI-assisted feedback tool that provides employees with personalised insights on their contributions to diversity and inclusion, based on their interaction patterns and participation in initiatives.

It's important to gather data on where you are and establish realistic benchmarks of the progress you would like to make. These data points should be considered from various perspectives. So establishing the goals of leadership but also staff at all levels. This ensures that inclusion is fostered with various voices in mind. When the data is gathered interviews/focus groups and discussions with these various stakeholders allows you see how well you are doing from a 360 viewpoint.

We need to make sure that when we say "Diversity & Inclusion" we are really talking about both, and not just measuring diversity and paying lip service to inclusion—as is almost always the case. There are ways to measure inclusion, my organization happens to have one particular approach. One thing I have learned through 8+ years of D&I work is that inclusion is the foundation of organizations that are more highly performing and more diverse. It is also important to develop simple, intuitive definitions of the terms "diversity" and "inclusion" (and equity, belonging, etc.). Although the definition of diversity is fairly consistent, the definition of inclusion is not. My definitions? Inclusion is what you do, diversity is what you get.

Struggles in executing DEI initiatives often occur because teams go straight to solutioning rather than taking time for due diligence. For instance - What’s the defined strategy (with accountability, milestones, champions, etc.) The basics: 1) What does leadership’s long-term commitment to DEI advocacy look like? 2) How are DEI defined, modeled, and measured. What will be measured and what cannot be measured? What are the success metrics? 3) What are the desired outcomes, who is the target audience, & who are your experts (internal or external resources)? Just as important is understanding that this work relies on people-engagement; meeting people where they are & giving them what need. It requires a lens of humanity and cultural humility.

Often companies can focus on starting with diversity first. E.g our workforce must look diverse. When I work with clients, I always recommend that organisations start with equity, and then inclusion, with diversity being the end goal. This should begin by ensuring equity in their hiring processes, making sure everyone has a fair chance. Inclusion should follow, creating environments where skills and contributions are valued regardless of background. Ultimately, the goal is to foster a diverse workforce that reflects the real-world diversity we see today.

Oftentimes in setting goals, especially regarding inclusion, the first instinct is to strategize how to achieve an outcome. It's important, however, to first assess the company inwardly: Are you currently fostering an environment of inclusivity? Do people feel valued and empowered to offer what their unique perspectives bring to the table? The hard arts of recruitment, strategies, etc. are only effective in the long term if the soft arts of intentional culture building are being valued within company life.

Be a model for others. Sometimes, all you can do is be the beacon of light for coworkers to follow. Demonstrate how inclusion of others leads you to achieve unexpected results.