|
Happy March.
To support you in being F.I.R.S.T. (Future-Ready. Innovative. Relevant. Strategic. Trusted.), here's 1 tip and 1 quote.
1. The F.I.R.S.T. Tip
Given the overwhelming business case for DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), it is sobering to note that the findings from a 2018 Boston Consulting Group on gender diversity revealed that 91% of companies had a DEI program, and only 27% of women said they had benefited.
One of the key reasons for this is because many organisations assume that their work on DEI is done once they have hired a diverse group of people who look different or achieved their diversity goals when they have the right representation at the leadership level. This is not true. To quote Fadzi Whande, a global diversity and inclusion strategist, “You can have diversity without inclusion and equity, or vice versa”.
So, when we evolve our action plan, we must clearly understand that diversity is a crucial step. Still, an equal focus MUST accompany it on inclusion and equity to create a workplace where all employees feel safe, respected, valued and treated equitably because inclusion and equity truly unlock the full potential of diversity. Here are 3 steps at the organisational level that leaders can take to foster an equitable and inclusive culture:
1. Build a culture of team trust and psychological safety by doing simple things like having a process to ensure everyone’s voice is heard and respected in any structured workplace interaction. For example, one of the companies we work with has a process to ensure everyone’s voice is heard during team meetings; they allocate a couple of minutes to each person to share their views, starting with the juniormost person.
2. Conduct regular assessments of policies, processes and practices toidentify areas of bias and inequity. This allows leaders to ensure their DEIpractices are in tune with current realities and anomalies are regularly
identified and removed.
3. Ensure leadership accountability and capabilities for DEI by ensuring equity and inclusion are reflected in their scorecards. Ensure adequate training support is provided to managers at all levels, particularly middle managers. For example, equipping them with the tools and skills to navigate tricky conversations without putting their foot in their mouth, i.e. knowing what to say and do as well as what not to say and do.
These three steps listed above are not exhaustive since every company is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to DEI. What’s most important to keep in mind is ensuring we’re giving equal attention to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Tip: Give equal attention and focus to diversity, equity and inclusion.
2.The F.I.R.S.T. Quote
If you would like the F.I.R.S.T. newsletter delivered straight to your inbox every month, subscribe here - https://influence-solutions.com/firstnewsletter
