Championing DE&I: Why It Matters And How To Drive Change

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or DE&I, is not a new concept. In fact, it originates from the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, more than 60 years ago. During that time, companies saw the introduction of equal employment laws and affirmative action, steering them to improve and achieve diversity in their workforce representation.

However, simple representation is not what DE&I means today. DE&I has evolved to include ensuring fairness (equity) and inclusion in workplace practices and culture.

But with so many other financial and strategic goals in organizations, what is the benefit of DE&I in the workplace and how do we advocate for change where we are?

The Benefits Of DE&I

Let’s start by looking at things from a customer’s perspective. Customers, patients, clients and members want to know that you understand their wants and needs in the market. Otherwise, how will you serve them?

When you create teams that reflect the diversity of your community, you gain access to insights on the community’s unique needs, along with diverse preferences and experiences. These insights lead to more effective marketing and product development, more creative problem-solving and new, innovative ideas.

These learnings are essential to any organization’s growth and competitiveness and can enable them to stay relevant within the market — an advantage that can directly impact the bottom line.

As an added benefit, consumers today are increasingly socially conscious and prefer to support businesses that align with their values. By demonstrating a commitment to DE&I in your culture and business practices, you can build a positive reputation and foster loyalty among individuals who value inclusivity.

Furthermore, we know that employees are more likely to be engaged and dedicated to their work when they feel appreciated and respected. Implementing DE&I initiatives in the workplace fosters a sense of belonging and inclusivity, which can result in increased employee engagement, commitment, and loyalty.

Advocate For Change

Wanting to have more DE&I values versus demonstrating them requires action. You can begin to intentionally advocate for DE&I as a leader or an individual contributor by simply increasing your own awareness. Pay attention to your workplace and identify areas for improvement. Start by asking yourself these questions:

• Hiring Practices – Does my company promote hiring in diverse locations? Are there any inherent biases in the way that questions are worded, or applications are scored? Does my company offer any DE&I training to help uncover hidden biases in the hiring process?

• Training Programs – Does my company provide training in a variety of formats and languages? Does my company provide a platform for employees to contribute to training content? Does my company promote a learning environment that is safe and respectful?

• Policies – Does my company have policies in place to report issues of discrimination or harassment anonymously? Does my company have a program or goals in place to understand the diversity of our vendors or suppliers?

• Communications – Does my company offer internal communications in a variety of formats and languages? Does my company have a culture of providing necessary accommodation?

• Leadership Accountability – Does my company ask employees about their sense of belonging, engagement, and authenticity at work? Does the leadership team at my company represent the diversity of our community?

If your answers to any of the above questions uncovered gaps, the next step is to make a list and then learn about each issue, one by one. Do your research and become knowledgeable about the area(s) you want to change before you connect with others. Look for examples of past situations and determine what would need to happen to make positive changes.

While discovering a gap is easy, you ultimately need to provide solutions in your advocacy to bridge that gap.

The best way to find solutions is to talk about it. Find a diverse group of colleagues and create an environment where they feel comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns, insights and research. It’s much easier to stay motivated when you’re not on your own.

On top of that, since this topic started in the 1960’s, there are several resources, books and established organizations that can help you find a solution that will work for your organization. One of my favorites is "Inclusify" by Stefanie K. Johnson. Her book focuses on creating a workplace that maximizes the benefits of diversity through inclusion.

You can also check out the OWA Community Corner by posing a question or reviewing posts from other like-minded conversations.

Make Your Case

Once you know where the issues are and have options for solutions you need to put it all together. Start documenting the following:

• What gap are you trying to solve?

• What are the costs of implementing your new solution?

• What are the potential benefits, both quantitative and qualitative?

• How will you measure success?

• Is there a path to act by starting small to prove the benefits can be realized?

If you can, include success stories from other organizations or key data points or quotes from within your own organization. Being able to tell the full story is the key to influencing others to make change.

As Maya Angelou once said; “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Written by: Holly Gough