Ways to Demonstrate Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

There are many benefits to having a diverse and inclusive workforce. It’s important to note that having a diverse team is just the first step to committing to diversity and inclusion. Actively addressing and taking action to promote inclusivity is where the real impact begins.

By presenting better opportunities for personal and professional growth, diverse teams feel included and perform better as a result. Diverse teams are also better positioned to bring new ideas to the table that drive market growth. There is a link between diversity and innovation revenue, which is why now more than ever, companies are actively committing to making progress in diversity in the workplace.

Here are some of the ways your company can demonstrate its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and belonging in the workplace:

Ways to Demonstrate Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Communication

1. Create formal work plan presentations and communications on diversity and deliver to internal teams:

‍Conduct thorough research and kickoff the diversity effort internally by creating a formal work plan presentation that proves that you are taking the issue seriously. You can update your work plan presentation in accordance with your company’s progress and present updates as needed. It is crucial for employees to see and hear their workforce leaders speaking openly about solutions on diversity issues and showing support for these initiatives.

2. Ensure diversity is talked about in day-to-day business operations:

‍Diversity needs to be integrated into the typical day-to-day operations of the organization. Make it the norm to mention diversity initiatives and results during routine meetings. Diversity is linked to performance improvement – the more diversity is discussed, the quicker an organization will reap collective benefits.

3. Talk about diversity outside the company/organization:

‍Discussing diversity in external forums proves commitment to a deeper understanding of the importance of diversity beyond the workplace. In return, this enhances the organization’s reputation within the community, and among employees, vendors, business partners, etc.

Action

1. Implement inclusive policies and benefits:

There are many ways an organization can implement inclusive policies and benefits to support diversity initiatives. Some examples include:‍

• • Acknowledge religious and cultural holidays celebrated by the organization’s employees.
  • Designate all-gender-friendly bathrooms.
  • Use gender neutral language throughout company materials.
  • Use gender neutral language to address teams (i.e. “Welcome, everyone” instead of “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen”)
  • Ensure events include drink options for non-alcohol drinkers.
  • Provide necessary toiletries in bathrooms (i.e. tampons, pads).
  • Provide nursing rooms for mothers.

These steps range from small changes to larger adjustments, but each one can help people feel more comfortable and accepted as part of the team.

2. Form a diversity and inclusion council or committee:

‍An inclusion council is defined by Forbes as, “A group providing representation from different backgrounds within the organization, who meet on a specific cadence to discuss what is being actioned on DE&I, how it’s working and providing advice on what to do next.”

Diversity and inclusion councils hold the organization accountable for jumpstarting and managing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. This is crucial for managing diversity in the workplace because it ensures that everyone who is not typically invited to the table can participate and make their voices heard.

3. Evaluate and educate your executive team:

‍Does your executive team demonstrate diversity and inclusion? In many ways, your executive team represents the rest of your workforce. Top management sets the scene for work culture and speaks volumes for the level of priority that diversity, inclusion and belonging holds in the organization. It’s logical that executives and top management should reflect the diversity the organization wants to achieve because inclusivity will happen organically when there is diversity in an organization’s leadership team and all voices have equal representation.

4. Ensure interviewing panels are diverse:

‍It’s critical for interviewing panels to be assembled of employees from a wide range of backgrounds. While it’s inevitable that everyone brings personal biases when evaluating candidates, having a diverse interviewing panel will help balance and minimize the impact of biases in the interviewing process. Additionally, diversity and inclusion training in the workplace can help team members identify their own biases and work to overcome them, promoting a more equitable experience for all.

5. Invest in new talent:

Many companies, especially in the tech sector, end up trading individuals between companies, instead of taking risks with new talent. Leaders should try to be more open to incorporating new talent and taking chances on teams outside of the typical talent pool – that is where true diversity is found.

6. Campaign on your own platforms:

‍Emphasize your stance by publishing your company’s values on your external platforms such as the company website and social media. This will organically funnel diverse talent into your organization because you will demonstrate your commitment to DEI this way.

Accountability

1. Identify relevant diversity performance measures for your organization:

‍Measurement is the biggest factor when holding organizations accountable for diversity and inclusion efforts and commitment. Your company will need to identify both quantitative and qualitative measurements for tracking the progress of your diversity efforts. This might require outside help, but luckily there are many platforms that can provide the necessary toolkits to get started.

2. Regularly monitor and report progress:

‍It’s easy to voice commitment to a diversity initiative; the hard part is following through to resolve diversity issues and ensure inclusivity. It’s crucial to sustain the same energy and commitment throughout the process. This requires careful monitoring as well as reporting on the results of the initiatives.

3. Be Accountable

   Accountability requires monitoring the impact of your diversity initiatives and consistently reporting on your progress, followed by acting on those results to continually improve your processes. It’s recommended to set high diversity expectations and track changes every quarter if possible. This is why forming diversity councilsis one of the main actions to take when committing to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workforce. The council should help hold the organization accountable and aim for ways to build on and improve efforts.

Managing Diversity in the Workplace

In order to form a sustainable commitment to diversity and inclusion, organizations need to focus on communication, action, and accountability. Communicate your goals and measure progress along the way. Set high expectations, but always admit what you don’t know, ask questions, and welcome discussions and feedback to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across all industries.

How INSPYR Solutions Demonstrates Inclusion in the Workplace

INSPYR Solutions is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, as indicated in our DEI statement. We believe that a diverse workforce is a successful one and we strive to create an inclusive environment where our employees can bring their full selves to work.

If you’re interested in working with us, be sure to check out our open tech opportunities or fill out the form below to let us know how we can help support your technology needs.