We all know that DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, but what does it really stand for in your organisation? Director of consultancy Russ Norton explores why it may be time to rethink DEI and, more importantly, how.
In some teams we’ve spoken to, DEI’s gained a bad reputation.
Maybe people feel like diversity networks are exclusionary and create more barriers than they break. They can also perceive a sense of positive discrimination towards people with certain characteristics as their organisation prioritises hitting representation targets – take the recent claim against Thames Valley Police for example. Or maybe people think DEI is just half-hearted LinkedIn posts to mark key calendar dates.
And that’s just inside your business.
Look around at the rest of the world and you’re exposed to increasingly extreme views in politics, the press and social media. The ‘anti-woke’ movement is more than alive and well – they’re resentful and vocal.
As a result, some organisations are treading cautiously for fear of backlash. DEI funding, programmes and teams are being cut, and to the people working there, that speaks volumes. Especially if they’re part of a minority community.
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
Fortunately, there are progressive leaders, DEI professionals and communicators who are standing strong. Instead of letting the negativity hold them back, they’re using it as fuel to ignite new thinking and strategies.
Here’s some of the top techniques we’ve seen those organisations using:
1. Find your reason to believe
Focusing on DEI is the right thing to do – and always has been. As much as we’d hope that’s reason enough to support it, some stakeholders need more convincing. You need to consider the business case as well as the moral one. Find your unique reason to believe – building multiple narratives if you have to – to help persuade the influential people in your business. When you do, it’s revolutionary. With those people onboard, you can make a far greater impact.
2. Connect your listening strategy to your DEI strategy
Your employee survey results can tell you a lot. Usually, there’s a correlation between low engagement scores and being part of a minority or marginalised community. Use those insights to inform where you can make the biggest impact on the employee experience. For example, you could connect line managers with the lowest engagement scores and those with the highest as part of a mentoring, skill-sharing programme.
3. Surface what really matters to your people
The only way you’ll really discover what’s holding people back in your organisation is by listening to them. Everyone’s experience is unique, but the more people you talk to, the more likely you are to spot the trends keeping you from recruiting and retaining incredible talent from diverse communities. And that means not just listening to the people there right now. Listen to people who’ve left and members of the public who don’t know anything about you. Use that insight to build your strategy making sure it’s based on real data and not just assumptions.
There’s always a lot going on in the wider political climate, but your DEI strategy must start with your organisation and your people. Starting there will help you navigate the complex world we operate in and avoid the pitfalls of getting it wrong.
What does DEI mean for your business?
We help progressive organisations build and deploy DEI strategies. If you’re rethinking DEI, we can help.
