5 Steps to Start a Diversity And Inclusion Strategy in Your Workplace
Developing a Diversity & Inclusion Strategy in your workplace can be challenging. Whether the strategy is sparked by a single employee or is developed by management, finding the right starting point can be difficult.
Once you begin to look at everything Diversity and Inclusion encompasses, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of topics that you could tackle. Moreover, depending on your position within the company, you may find it difficult to convince the management to take action, or to communicate the changes required within your company’s culture to your colleagues.
While Diversity & Inclusion might not seem like an easy field to understand, taking a first step towards creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace is not as difficult as it seems.
In this article, I’d like to give you some insights on how you can start with a D&I Strategy using 5 simple steps.
Step 1: The strategy starts with you!
A D&I Strategy can start with you. Are you an employee who cares that everyone feels heard and valued in their workplace? Are you a team leader or a manager who understands the advantages of creating an inclusive environment at work? Great! You can make the difference.
D&I initiatives need someone to take the first step and put the issues on the table. Be proactive and don’t be shy to share your thoughts. Here are some suggestion on how you can be an initiator:
Talk to your colleagues or other team leaders/managers
Networking at your workplace can be a great first move.
You can start with a single conversation. Approach colleagues with whom you are most familiar with and talk to them about the topic.identify some allies and create a group of people that might be interested to start working on developing a D&I strategy with you.
If you are in a senior role, use your position to start influencing your peers to take action.
Start Advocating
When you have gathered a small group (5-10 people) interested in supporting Diversity and Inclusion in your workplace, you can start to create a stronger structure for your initiative by establishing a committee. Find a common space and time to discuss the topics, the roles of each member, and develop a plan to begin working more consistently on your initiative(s).
If your company or organization uses Slack or another similar collaboration tool for communication, consider opening up a conversation about Diversity and Inclusion, sharing relevant articles and research about the topic with your colleagues.
Involve the HR or People and Culture department
People and Culture Departments are usually interested to hear about their employees’ needs. If you are determined to start a D&I initiative, make sure to extend the invitation to someone from the HR team. They will likely be willing to help.
Step 2: Conduct research to become an informed advocate
You don’t need to know everything about D&I, but doing some research is always a good idea.
Make sure to read about how other companies have adopted similar initiatives, focusing on why and how they did it. The Vessy Report can be a fantastic resource to learn about D&I progress at workplaces. The more familiar you are with the topic, the easier it will be to advocate for your D&I initiative.
Some points need to be familiar with are:
What is D&I in the workplace and why is it important?
Before approaching colleagues, HR, and Management Departments, make sure to know exactly what Diversity is and why it matters. You can find many resources online or academic studies on inclusive leadership and Diversity Management.
Business case of D&I
Diversity and Inclusion should be on the agenda of every human resources department, yet this is not always the case. People who have no direct and/or personal experience with diversity or inclusion issues sometimes do not see the benefit or value of implementing such initiatives.
In some cases, it may be difficult to convince your company to spend money on these initiatives. Therefore, presenting D&I as being "good for business" could be an effective negotiation tool. Making the case that D&I is good for business (this McKinsey report is a great resource) may be a great negotiation tool to bring the management and C-level colleagues onboard.
Strategy Development
Diversity needs to be adapted to each company's personal strategy and vision. Make sure to come up with a strategy that reflects the company's priorities and needs. Your D&I strategy may include a proper vision, mission, and strong values.
Step 3: Know your target
If you manage to get your colleagues on board and your workplace takes necessary steps like creating a Diversity Committee or creating alternative spaces for reflection, then it is time to set some goals.
Consider doing a proper Diversity Audit and collecting some internal research to identify your target. Conducting a survey that includes not only demographic information, but also perceptions about diversity in the workplace, is a fundamental step to crafting an effective D&I strategy.
Organizing a Diversity training session can also be a great first step.
Do you need in-house Diversity Training? Book a 20-minutes call here to learn about my training options!
Step 4: D&I is not a Project, it’s a Process
Do you have your data, observations, and a strategy prepared?
It’s time to start prioritizing your initiatives and projects. But before you go… get your mindset right. I will never get tired of stressing that D&I is not a project, but a process.
The difference? A project is an initiative that has a beginning and an end, predefined goals to be achieved, and is completed over a specific duration in time.
A process is ongoing, and is aimed at continuous improvement, the continual integration of new information as it is discovered, and implemented. The discourse on Diversity and Inclusion needs a starting point, but it should never come to an end. It is best to approach it as a conversation, making a commitment to continue and improve over time.
Before moving forward with an action plan, make sure to create space for dialogue and exchange. D&I must not be the result of a single narrative, experience, or voice. It is important to stay open throughout the process, and listen to different opinions and experiences so that you can come up with a comprehensive and effective plan!
Step 5: Track the impact
If you really want to see the benefits of working on D&I, you need to set up some metrics to measure and define the impact of your initiatives.
Combine a data-driven and an observation-driven approach
Data will tell you more than any assumptions or general considerations. If your approach to D&I reflects the data you have collected through surveys, you will be more likely to see measurable results. However, make sure to integrate observation-driven approaches as well. Since everyone has their own unique experience in the workplace, it is important to access individual perceptions as well.
Define KPIs and Metrics
Once you get started with some projects or initiatives, be consistent with KPIs and metrics. They will be your indicators, both for measuring success and learning about places where you or your organization can improve in the future. If you set up metrics where you can measure the impact, it will be easier to showcase the results and to plan the next steps.
Even if D&I is a complex topic, everyone can make the difference in raising awareness and spreading the word. If you think you can be the next pioneer, don’t be afraid to get started. These 5 steps will help you and your team raise awareness and set the foundation for a more diverse and inclusive workplace.