Diversity drives growth; but so often, it doesn’t get the investment it deserves. Director of consultancy Russ Norton explores why it might be time to reshape DEI in your organisation and how some businesses are getting it right.
When people feel a sense of belonging in their workplace, they perform better and are more likely to stick around. And when they feel psychologically safe, they’re more creative, better problem-solvers and build more effective networks. Diverse teams understand their consumers better and, as a result, create more relevant products and services. They also stop and mitigate risks sooner.
Put simply …
Diversity drives growth – it deserves investment
Who’s responsible for driving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in your workplace? Is it a small, chronically underfunded team? Is it a member of your HR or comms team, doing their best to keep up with the topic’s changing demands? Or is it down to your employee resource groups (ERGs) or networks – passionate people finding time around their existing day jobs?
Sound familiar?
It’s time to reshape DEI in your organisation
We work with a number of progressive teams. Here are just some of the ways they’re reshaping DEI in their organisations:
Organisations are having a bolder voice on the DEI topics most important to them. They’re more declarative about what they stand against. And they’re celebrating the rich diversity in their organisation and communities. This doesn’t just make life better for ‘diverse’ people, it encourages a more open and united culture for everyone.
Often, we see organisations looking to their employee networks to come up with solutions to the barriers some people face. But this is asking people already burdened with disadvantages to do more work, in a voluntary role with no additional reward or recognition.
A multi-tier system is more effective. Employee networks create a safe space for people to be with others like them – to seek advice and guidance from those with a shared experience. Above them, set up working groups to actually implement change. For example – a gender equality working group, made up of people of all genders, work towards reducing the gender pay gap and achieving equal representation at all levels of the organisation.
Employees now expect their leaders to have a confident voice on the issues that matter to them. For too long, it’s been easy for leaders to delegate their voice to comms professionals, DEI practitioners and network leads. Now, there’s a new generation of empathetic leaders who understand their role as influencers of positive change. There’s nothing more powerful than seeing an influential leader advocate for a cause you believe in – that’s what drives true belief among employees.
Cultural norms are changing around us at a rapid pace, particularly thanks to social media video channels. Change is never easy, but it can and often does make a positive difference. What worked before might not work in the near future, especially as new generations enter the workforce and the current generation of leaders retire. Good DEI constantly evolves to keep up with your people, so reshape your strategy as it does.
Want to reshape DEI in your organisation?
We work with organisations to devise new structures for their DEI efforts and help their people adapt. If you’re ready for change, we can help.
