Culture of belonging is helping EY accelerate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion progress

At EY we understand the importance of Diversity, Equity & Inclusiveness (DE&I) and how it contributes to the growth of the organisation. That’s why we set ourselves the ambitious target to radically accelerate our progress on DE&I by 2025, through a focus on 3 pillars of our strategy: 1. ?Building a culture of belonging. 2. Valuing all differences. 3.Being a leading, disruptive voice on DE&I

Why belonging?

?In today’s fast paced agile economy it is imperative that all employees feel that they can take risks, whether that is in relation to asking a question, challenging the status quo or trying and failing to innovate and ultimately operate at their best.?

?The power of belonging is backed by a great amount of research, and its impact is beginning to be more widely noticed and measured. One of the most compelling research pieces shows that we are genetically motivated towards connection and belonging - it’s how we survive and thrive. According to Greg Walton, a psychologist at Stanford University, actions taken to mitigate threats to a sense of belonging help minorities significantly reduce stress levels, consequently improving physical health, emotional wellbeing, and performance. He also found that the sense of not belonging is widespread, yet few people openly express that feeling. People often think they are the only ones who feel that they don’t fit in but, in reality, it’s a very common feeling. Therefore, creating a wide sense of belonging can become a competitive advantage for any company and help create diversity and inclusion.

Belonging is the output that occurs for people when they are in an environment that they perceive as being psychologically safe.?

Studies[1] suggest that when employees feel psychologically safe this leads to positive organisational and individual outcomes such as:

• employee voice or speaking out, which has sub-outcomes for such things as change and innovation, challenging poor decisions, non-inclusive leader/colleague behaviour
• a sense of belonging, which impacts on whether employees identify with and feel part of a particular group.

Creating a culture of belonging at EY

For EY, ‘belonging’ is about our people being engaged and understanding that DE&I is not only about minority groups, but that everyone has a part to play in the culture we create. As a firm, we have committed to fostering an environment where all differences are valued, practices are equitable, and everyone feels a sense of belonging.

We have a “strong when you belong” campaign which includes newsletters and an Allyship video series which has elevated the voices of the people in an authentic and meaningful way. This has included a fantastic range of topics such as, sexual orientation, quiet leadership, life beyond labels, stereotypes, privilege and standing together in solidarity against racism.?The campaign has received fantastic feedback from all levels across the business with over 30,000 views and has enabled us to stay connected with and support our teams through times of uncertainty, recognising that each individual’s experience is unique.

The power of Networks

Our 6 Networks help to enhance our inclusive culture by creating a sense of community, building safe spaces and promoting education, collaboration, advocacy and Allyship. All of our Networks are open to all – whether you personally identify, are an ally, or curious to learn more about lived experiences different to your own.??The perspectives of our Networks inform our DE&I work on a range of issues. Each of our ‘umbrella’ Networks are made up of Communities representing specific interest groups, so that there is always a space for voices to be heard.

Some of the earliest research around the concept of psychological safety stems from Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs.?He argued that the environment had a significant influence in reaching self-actualisation with humans having a desire to move forward to needs like safety and belonging.? In more recent research[2] Shore et al. (2021) created a conceptual model of inclusion based on two themes (i.e., fulfilment of belongingness and uniqueness needs).? They define inclusion as

the degree to which an employee perceives that they are an esteemed member of a work group through experiencing treatment that satisfies their need for belongingness and uniqueness

EY has produced a number of toolkits which equips all employees with practical ways that they can put inclusive leadership behaviours into action and help build a culture of belonging.

?Personal and business benefits of belonging

Research[3] demonstrates that a strong sense of belonging can lead to better collaboration, retention and business performance. When we feel we belong, we are more motivated and engaged. It significantly reduces stress levels and improves physical health, emotional well-being and performance.?EYs own research, The Belonging Barometer shows that when people feel like they belong, they are more productive, motivated and engaged.

How can I create a strong sense of belonging for others?

1.????Engage personally and align expectations early on in relationships be present, curious and seize daily opportunities to communicate that I value and care about others

2.????Be open and transparent about the reasons for my decisions, and be transparent with what I prioritize

3.????Be consistent and accountable: maintain consistent behavior, even under pressure; model inclusive behaviours; and reinforce and reward the accountability of other

Resources:

[1] Psychological Safety – Amy C. Edmondson (amycedmondson.com)

[2] Chung, B. G., Ehrhart, K. H., Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Dean, M. A., & Kedharnath, U. (2020). Work group inclusion: Test of a scale and model.?Group & Organization Management,?45(1), 75-102.

[3] The Neuroscience of Trust (hbr.org)