5 Strategies to Build Your Company’s DE&I Program

Corporate attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) has skyrocketed in the last year, as employees worldwide have recognized how far-reaching injustice and bias are in society and pressed leaders for action. For many employers, that has come in the form of new or more robust DE&I initiatives.

In the past, DE&I efforts often consisted of an annual classroom training session with limited focus, but in today’s more socially aware workplace that approach will no longer suffice. That format does not satisfy employees who are looking for increased advocacy, activism, and social justice, nor will it effectively root out bias and let diversity flourish in the organization. Instead, investments should be made toward comprehensive DE&I programming that extends from recruitment to advancement to engagement.

Five Ways to Make an Impactful DE&I Initiative

1. Educate Yourself

   Before getting a DE&I strategy off the ground, HR professionals may need to educate the management team and encourage them to invest the time to understand the issues and how they’re impacting their particular organization. Importantly, businesses should not solely rely on members of underrepresented groups to lead the education effort. Business leaders need to raise their own awareness about topics from systemic racism to unconscious bias to the gender pay gap and do a deep dive with surveys and data analysis to see how these issues may have affected the company.

2. Build Buy-in From the Top

   No DE&I initiative will be sustainable without genuine buy-in from the C-suite. HR and business leaders should build the business case for enhancing DE&I—such as better retention, stronger culture, and higher productivity—and bring it to top company leaders before getting started.

3. Create Advocates

   Another key step is building a network of advocates who can help generate company-wide enthusiasm for and understanding of the DE&I initiative. Recruit high-potential employees with strong networks for a committee or task force that’s focused entirely on DE&I. Once established, the group can be an effective tool in keeping employees engaged in the topic and keeping the business’ overall DE&I goals on track.

4. Align DE&I with Business Goals

   A DE&I initiative can’t be a one-off, annual event or class; rather, it needs to be fully aligned with the company’s mission and business objectives. To that end, building DE&I goals into performance evaluations, particularly for business leaders, and even tying rewards and bonuses to those goals is an effective way to create both transparency and accountability.

5. Measure

   A DE&I strategy is only effective if businesses know where it’s working—and where it’s not. Using the latest technology, HR and business leaders should consistently gather data around DE&I, such as the diversity of candidate slates and hires, engagement levels, and more.

While getting a new DE&I program off the ground can be challenging, the return on investment is significant for the employer. By doing the research, networking, and organizational restructuring needed to embed a DE&I initiative at the core of the company, business leaders will be better positioned to foster a vibrant and inclusive workplace where innovation can flourish.

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