Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

As we move beyond the pivotal moments the last few years have brought us, now more than ever employees are holding their companies accountable when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion—not just in February, but all year long.

Language is ever evolving. In the history of language, words have emerged, disappeared and completely changed in meaning. And today, we are at a pivotal time in history.

What does it take for managers to leverage the power of these diverse teams? And, how can you ensure they get the support they need to create an environment that makes employees want to stay? The answer is in cultivating inclusive management practices throughout your organization.

A job description and the hiring process are often the first opportunities a prospective employee will have to glimpse your company culture and the emphasis you place on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

To be effective, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) starts with creating awareness and establishing a broad understanding of how employees can help cultivate a more inclusive work environment.

While many of your employees will embrace the idea of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), it’s not unusual for even the most inclusive organizations to face some pockets of resistance.

Organizations must take concrete steps to establish the culture, processes and systems that enable the kind of authentic inclusivity and equity that stakeholders expect. When striving to create a culture of inclusivity, employee advancement is one critical piece of the puzzle that can truly demonstrate a company’s commitment to DEI.

When you think of diversity, equity and inclusion, does socioeconomic class come to mind? Probably not. And you are not alone. As an awakening on the importance of DEI has blossomed, the idea that economically disadvantaged people should be the beneficiaries of DEI has slipped by most of us. It’s time to change that mindset.

Disruption. It’s the only real certainty in today’s shifting business environment. From a pandemic to a labor shortage to a pressing inflation problem, organizations are grappling with a lot. To cope with what they have in front of them, and what may be ahead, they need to be resilient and nimble—which is only possible with an innovative, productive, and collaborative workforce.

Beginning in 2017 with the #MeToo movement and propelled by the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, there was a strong call for all companies, including tech, to rethink their approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). In the years that followed, across the spectrum of industries, companies were put in a position of self-reflection and choice about how they would tackle this issue going forward.