DEI Practices: What Works and What Doesn't

A study by the Harvard Business Review (Research: The Most Common DEI Practices Actually Undermine Diversity) shows that many diversity practices commonly used by organizations actually hinder diversity efforts.?

While firms claim to support diversity, there is a lack of diverse representation, especially in managerial roles.

Key Findings

• Effective Practices Underused: Formal mentoring, targeted recruitment, and empowering training programs are effective but rarely implemented.
• Counterproductive Practices Common: Diversity training, performance evaluations, and grievance procedures are frequently used but often decrease diversity.

What Works

• Chief Diversity Officers and Task Forces: These roles create accountability and make DEI a strategic priority. They have shown to increase diversity in managerial roles.
• Formal Mentoring: Helps women and people of color by expanding their networks and providing career support.
• Family-Friendly Policies: Childcare, flextime, and parental leave help retain women and people of color by addressing their unique work-life balance challenges.
• Targeted Recruitment and Diversity Goals: These practices encourage the hiring and promotion of underrepresented groups.

What Doesn't Work

1. Diversity Training: Often focuses on legal consequences and blame, leading to resistance rather than change.
2. Performance Evaluations: Can reinforce biases and give a false sense of fairness.
3. Grievance Procedures: Employees are often discouraged from filing complaints due to fear of retaliation.

Moving Forward

To make real progress and change behaviors, organizations should focus on strategies with proven success.

Formal Mentoring Programs: Implementing structured mentoring can boost employee retention, engagement, and career advancement, especially for underrepresented groups. For instance, a study highlighted by Forbes found that mentorship programs improve employee retention by 72% for mentees (Forbes).

Family-Friendly Policies: Offering flexible work arrangements, paid parental leave, and childcare support leads to higher employee satisfaction and retention. Research indicates that such policies reduce turnover and enhance organizational commitment, particularly among working parents (Hrbrain).

Reframed Diversity Training: Shifting diversity training to empower employees, rather than assigning blame, fosters a more inclusive environment. Effective training emphasizes actionable skills and cultivates positive attitudes toward inclusion (McKinsey & Company).

By prioritizing these evidence-based practices, organizations can build a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Notably, companies with higher ethnic and cultural diversity are 36% more likely to outperform their less diverse peers financially (McKinsey & Company

Investing in these strategies is not only ethically sound but also a smart business decision.

Back to Basics: Supporting Managers and Fostering Inclusion

Check Our Biases: It's crucial for leaders and employees alike to regularly reflect on and address their unconscious biases. This self-awareness is the first step toward creating a truly inclusive environment.

Create Safe Spaces: Psychological safety is essential. Employees must feel safe to express their ideas and concerns without fear of retaliation. This fosters innovation and trust within the organization.

Support Managers: Managers play a key role in implementing DEI initiatives. Providing them with the necessary training and resources ensures they can effectively support their teams and drive inclusivity.

Holistic Approach: Inclusion is not just about numbers. It’s about creating a culture where every individual feels valued and included. This requires a holistic approach that integrates DEI into all HR practices.

Real Action: Moving beyond lip service, organizations need to take tangible actions to support DEI. This means implementing effective practices and continuously evaluating their impact.

Employee Engagement: Engaged employees are more likely to contribute to a positive and inclusive workplace. Regularly involving employees in DEI efforts can enhance their commitment and the overall success of these initiatives.

Back to Basics: The foundation of DEI lies in solid HR practices. This includes fair recruitment, unbiased performance reviews, and supportive policies. By getting the basics right, organizations can build a strong base for diversity and inclusion.

Take a look at this powerful guide to create a culture of growth where everyone thrives!

RTP Can Help You Make A Difference

At RTP Learning, we specialize in helping mission-driven leaders, particularly Latino and other BIPOC leaders, develop effective leadership skills through transformational leadership coaching infused with DEI principles.?

Our approach blends HR, DEI, and organizational psychology to create positive behavioral change and foster an inclusive workplace culture.

Get Up and Grow!

Raúl T. Pereyra - CEO | RTP Learning

RTP Learning: Helping mission-driven leaders boost their confidence and effectiveness through transformational leadership coaching, so they lead with greater impact.