Why your organization needs to engage its entire staff in DEI efforts (but don't leave them to do the dirty work!)

Once you’ve established a set of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals for your organization, you need to get the entirety of your staff involved in implementing them. DEI efforts shouldn’t just focus on employees bringing up their grievances with Human Resources or upper management, it should be a process of continual iteration. Employees, management, and HR should work collaboratively to ensure that DEI initiatives are 1) effective where they need to be, 2) evolving as your company and its staff evolve and shift. Here are some tips to get started on this process:?

1. Read articles and talk to experts about how to be intentional when implementing DEI initiatives.
2. Start DEI awareness before actual employment begins. During interviews, find time to endorse the company's DEI initiatives. Consider asking applicants about their interest and commitment to DEI efforts.?
3. Involving the whole organization in DEI efforts requires open and easily accessible avenues of communication across the company. As such, one way to increase involvement in DEI initiatives is designating specific DEI communication liaisons at each organizational level. These individuals can help to identify any potential DEI issues and raise their concerns to the main DEI committee. Through these liaisons, employees can bring attention to issues that might normally fly under the DEI committee’s radar while also being in a more comfortable position to make these issues known.?
4. Build a DEI education fund. To keep DEI topics top of mind for employees it can be helpful to organize dedicated DEI learning opportunities. For example, you could arrange for a speaker or facilitator to prepare a “Lunch and Learn” for your office. Company leaders and managers would likely also benefit from regularly attending industry-specific DEI conferences. These are vital opportunities for both education and networking.?
5. Consider establishing a regular time and cadence for meeting with all staff to discuss and assess the progress of ongoing DEI projects. It is important to ensure that DEI initiatives are transparent and that employees have regular opportunities to provide feedback and hold leadership accountable for progress.?
6. Not all DEI initiatives have to be employee-led, consider bringing in an anti-oppression coach (like Boundless Awareness) to facilitate workshops. Workshops are a great way to continue the conversation around DEI initiatives and further the collective knowledge of all things diversity, equity, and inclusion.?