DE&I is being increasingly prioritized by companies, previously seen as a ‘nice to have’ its an area that is nowadays essential to your company’s identity and culture. It is also of increasing importance not only to your current employees, but also to prospective employees, particularly millennials and Gen Z candidates, who see DE&I as an essential aspect of a workplace’s culture.
DE&I has more recently undergone a bit of a rebrand with the ‘B’ being added to the acronym. But what does it all mean?, why the change? and why is the ‘B’ now becoming so important?
- Diversity – refers to who is represented in the workforce and the different people who come together to make up the company. Diversity may include different ethnicities, ages, genders, abilities, neurodiversity, beliefs, social backgrounds.
- Equity / Equality – the ‘E’ can vary between these two terms. Equality refers employees being treated equally, and have equal access to opportunities. Equity recognises the differences and that not everyone starts from the same place. Equity understands each employees unique circumstances and aims for employees to receive fair treatment (and sometimes adjustments) across practices, policies and norms within a company.
- Inclusion – is about how the employees experience the workplace, the degree to which they feel included and that they are heard.
- Belonging – means an employee feels they truly ‘belong’ at a company, they can bring their authentic self to work without fear of reprisal, microaggressions, or inequality at a workplace. A sense of being accepted for who they really are. Unless employees feel they ‘belong’ at a company, then other DE&I initiatives will not be successful.
Various reports* have shown that more diverse companies outperform others through:
- Attracting and retaining talent
- Boosting productivity and performance
- Lowering turnover
- Fewer sick days taken
- Improving company reputation/branding
- Better team decision making
Workplace initiatives that companies can consider putting into place to improve DEI&B may include:
- Developing a DEI&B strategy and implementing throughout high level operations and employee levels
- Establishing a dedicated DEI&B team
- Creating allyship groups / employee resource groups to bring diverse groups together for support, development and connection
- Making leaders responsible through their authority and influence to promote culture change, by encouraging an open and honest culture, being diversity champions, achieving DEI&B objectives, and having a leadership team representative of the diverse workforce who you wish to attract
- Educating and informing employees on DEI&B through companywide DEI&B training
- Supporting and growing employee DEI&B awareness through celebrating and informing about cultural days, holidays and events (e.g. Pride month, Black History month etc.)
- Ensuring transparent guidelines and processes from recruitment, to reward, to talent development, and beyond, to ensure conduct and opportunities are aligned with company DEI&B values
- Measuring, reporting and improving DEI&B metrics regularly
- Ensuring DEI&B is covered in staff feedback surveys, exit interviews, appraisals and other qualitative feedback mechanisms to understand real employee views in these areas
If you want your company to have a positive culture, enabling your employees to thrive, increase productivity and boost your company reputation to prospective employees, then working on your business’ DEI&B should be an essential part of your company’s identity and strategy.
Nockolds HR provides strategic HR support for businesses including the development of DEI&B strategies. Please contact Kim Wallace, Senior HR Consultant with any questions or enquiries kim@nockoldshr.co.uk or 07584 575 212.
* 2021 Culture Report | HiBob Culture of DE&I | Better Up Belonging at work |