According to a recent survey from Gartner, organizations continue to face economic uncertainty. Because of this, executive leaders are focused on strategically pivoting in a way that can respond quickly in a changing environment. But what exactly does this mean?
The Gartner 2023 Board of Directors Survey, which included 281 board directors and members of various boards across industries and geographies, sought to understand the group’s focus on investments in three major areas:
- Digital acceleration
- Sustainability
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
“Executive leaders need to understand board priorities in these turbulent times so that they can align their activities and investments with the enterprise’s strategy direction, which is typically set by the board. Societal pressures around environmental, social and governance (ESG) and DEI are increasingly impacting enterprise and board priorities.”
Gartner predicts that in the coming years, boards of directors anticipate more investment in and increased focus on (DEI). For example, 75% of boards anticipate increase in DEI initiatives investments in the next two years. And, 59% of boards cite employees as the top stakeholder considering DEI while evaluating the organizations.
At Kantola, we know that merging your DEI efforts to your strategic plan is a crucial first step when it comes to cultivating an inclusive workplace. We also know that rethinking the employee experience can directly contribute to attracting new talent and organizational retention. The data from Gartner is clear: DEI isn’t a trend, but a business necessity and an evolving journey for years to come.
