5 Reasons Why Disability Issues Should Be A Higher Priority, Even Now, Splitting: The Psychology Behind Binary Thinking And How It Limits A Diversity Of Opinions, Women Are Not A Monolith And We Must Stop Treating Them As One, The Meaning Of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Holiday In 2021, EEOC Releases New Details On Systemic Age Discrimination: What You Can Do. Don’t just measure diversity, measure inclusion too. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. However, there's more to equal employment than federal, state and local laws mandating anti-discrimination policies. Employing people of all genders and races can make an organization stronger. Workforce composition. Companies have started to recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion, but few have found ways to hold themselves accountable to real change. Measuring diversity and inclusion activity is important and, unfortunately, overlooked by some. Workers must be open-minded and non-judgmental in order to truly understand how cultural diversity can impact the workplace and make it better. 8 Social assumptions and what to do about them [+] August. In fact, a number of studies have highlighted just how important achieving a diverse workforce can be for the larger success of your organization. If you have a small or close-knit workforce, plan events where employees' families and significant others are welcome to attend. “Diversity and inclusion are not one in the same, and neither happens through osmosis. Jon Whiteley explains. Inclusion is more subtle and complex. I would also suggest that, as this data becomes available, companies think about sharing it publicly. Surveys are the perfect tool for measuring the … Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Where possible, an analysis should also be performed at the level of intact teams because it is only when work teams are diverse, that an organisation is truly positioned to leverage diversity of thought and background. Multiple practices can be used to measure diversity and inclusion (Aperian Global 2015). Let’s begin with the positives. But even reaching those milestones shouldn’t necessarily warrant a “mission accomplished” banner, as there are inequitable systems in our society that impact where people live and what opportunities they have to use different products and services. Use demographic customization and heatmaps to highlight disparities between groups. A vigorous approach to workplace policies, coupled with diligent reviewing processes, will make for not only a suitably diverse workforce but an open and accepting workplace culture. Workplace diversity does not equal workplace inclusion. Has Social Media Ruined The Idea Of Friendship? As an employer, you must engage in fair employment practices. If employees feel like they need to work to fit in or assimilate, or that they are being judged for being different, they will be less productive and creative in their work and will churn at a higher rate. Acknowledge and honor multiple religious and cultural practices. From compliance to leadership, we offer practical solutions on how to promote equality and diversity in the workplace. Be sure to measure diversity and inclusion–related KPIs before and after implementing each new D&I initiative. To determine whether or not your strategies are working, look at the change (or lack of change) in metrics. It’s not something that should only be covered on Management Training Courses. I would suggest that our companies should work to change these systems by creating even more equitable opportunities in the communities that we serve. This can lead to higher employee engagement and better business results. I earned my Masters of Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley and Bachelors of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington. I do want to acknowledge that I am writing from the experience of a US-based company, and that there are many complexities that come into play when assessing this data on a global level. Ruth resides in North Carolina and works from her office in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Diversity in the workplace leads to a plethora of benefits – … This depth of analysis can reveal a lot about where a company is doing well and where there is room for improvement. The way to measure diversity is as a percentage of headcount. “Diversity is being invited to the party. Many times, they look at overall favorability or average response but get stuck at the surface level differences in their employee engagement data. A variety of different measures of diversity are used and advocated by different parties. The unavailability of useful inclusion measures undermines an organization’s efforts to understand, recognize, and improve the existing culture of the workforce. But Is It Enough? Measuring What Matters. As a company’s inclusion improves, performance issues go down. And execs know a diverse workforce (in age, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, and gender) brings diverse viewpoints and perspectives to the company; these elements can help you develop great new … And sharing that data shows a level of transparency and accountability that employees value. Embracing diversity at work helps create an inclusive culture. For example, measuring gender diversity for software engineering roles or leadership positions offers greater insight into risk areas and opportunities. I serve on the Board of Directors of Bellwether Housing and the Advisory Board for the University of Washington School of Mechanical Engineering. We will continue to: make sure staff are recruited in a way that avoids discrimination Organizations may embark on strategic recruiting efforts and build alliances with community organizations, government and universities to leverage workplace diversity. Rather than only paying attention … Built in partnership with Paradigm, it uncovers your blind spots and helps you focus. Diversity in the workplace benefits. Measuring workplace diversity can be accomplished using a number of methods—simply walking through your office or plant and noticing the many differences between employees, or generating an employee census report sorted by age, race, ethnicity, sex and disability. There are tangible reasons for this trend. The first is to only use the diversity categories as identified and described by Canada’s employment equity legislation. Tap the resources your workforce gains from both experienced workers and employees in the beginning phases of their careers. Diversity is about numerical representation―the percentage of people with one attribute versus another. Workers must be open-minded and non-judgmental in order to truly understand how cultural diversity can impact the workplace and make it better. Of course, the final critical piece is to actually measure these results and make adjustments. … I am an entrepreneur, writer, artist, tech executive, mentor, wife, mother and aerial acrobat. Workplace diversity statistics. Inclusion, diversity, and belonging are essentially about organizational change. People often ask what level of diversity a company should strive for. As employers m… Generational differences account for a lot of the transfer of knowledge and introduction of technological concepts in the workplace. This enables companies to identify the right targets and goals—and the right metrics to track. How to Measure Diversity and Inclusion Using Engagement Survey Data For some organizations, diversity and inclusion programs can seem big and complex. More important, it must be integrated into company practices. A staff survey can also be a useful tool in assessing how staff feel about equality and diversity in the workplace. It could be argued that the first step toward accurately measuring Diversity and Inclusion would be to work … When looking at the diversity of an organization, it is important to look not only at the overall representation, but also at the recruiting funnel and representation by job level within each part of the company. Diversity Awareness. We will continue to: make sure staff are recruited in a way that avoids discrimination Add up how many of each work group you have. Workplace diversity can create a kind of synergy among your workforce that's difficult to replicate using any other method. Diversity in the workplace refers to an organization that intentionally employs a workforce comprised of individuals of varying gender, religion, race, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, and other attributes. Managing diversity in organizations is one of the defining issues of our time. Diversity and equality in the workplace are vital to a healthy, growing company. Consider an example. These characteristics include gender, race, physical ability, religion, age, and socioeconomic status, among others—or, as defined byGallup, “the full spectrum of human demographic differences.” How to Measure Diversity and Inclusion Using Engagement Survey Data For some organizations, diversity and inclusion programs can seem big and complex. I was recognized in the Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40, the Inman 33 People Changing the Real Estate Industry and the Female Founders Alliance Champion Awards. Many Canadian cities have diversity and inclusion plans and they all look pretty good on paper. Step 3. Top tips for measurement and reporting: 1. It encourages staff loyalty and shows commitment to good business ethics. A common pitfall is to focus on measuring levels of diversity (and this itself is a broad church and a topic for a different time) without combining this with measurements around levels of inclusion. We measure our performance and share our findings in reports, most recently Equality in our Workforce. Looking at the difference in reported sense of belonging between different identity combinations—such as ethnicity, gender identity, age, disability and sexual orientation—can reveal some inconsistencies in employee experience that can then be intentionally addressed. Performance Issues – One quantitative measure of inclusion is in performance measurements. In addition, she is a certified facilitator for the Center for Creative Leadership Benchmarks 360 Assessment Suite, and is a Logical Operations Modern Classroom Certified Trainer . Corporate inclusion and diversity programs help create a more inclusive culture that drives diversity. Too often, companies endorse human resources department activities which dedicate an excessive amount of time and energy to filling vacancies because they believe diversity is measured solely by color, race, sex and disability. Building a company without workplace diversity is like weaving a tapestry with only one thread: ineffective and probably a little boring. Remember: what you measure grows and what grows should uncover something unexpected. Workplace diversity not only expands your talent pool, but allows each member of your organization to draw from the backgrounds, viewpoints, and experiences of fellow team members – but you already knew that.The question isn’t whether diversity is important, but “How can my company measure diversi… Most institutions try to promote the creation of a diverse, creative workforce, but … It is as much about our attitude and behaviors as leaders and having a sense of empathy for the different experiences that people go through.". In some cases, the best way to measure diversity is using a qualitative-centered method, rather than just a head count. For each individual to bring their best self forward, a … In other words, diversity is the representation of a range of traits and experiences in a company’s workforce. I am the CEO & Co-founder of OwnTrail and author of Blaze Your Own Trail. And they should also spend time deeply understanding the data that signals how their efforts are progressing, which areas need more attention, and how resources should be allocated. We measure our performance and share our findings in reports, most recently Equality in our Workforce. You can break down your workforce by gender, race, geography, etc. Identifying negative feelings through surveys can uncover opportunities on how better to approach diversity and increase employee retention. Acquaint yourself with employees during employee meetings, social events and recognition ceremonies. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. Using BCG’s Diversity and Inclusion Assessment for Leadership tool, we are able to benchmark data against industry and geography, leveraging our existing database of more than 25,000 responses from across the globe. 5 Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace. Leaders that care about driving diversity should of course spend a lot of time on qualitative learning and emotional skills. With this emphasis on diversity in the workplace, measuring the success of related programs, promotions and initiatives becomes a competitive priority. The equation is fairly straight forward, however there are a couple of areas of concern to be aware of to ensure that you understand how to formulate this measure in an appropriate and acceptable way. Comparing data on diversity can be problematic as different data sets may be measuring different things (Wright et al 2014). Check out the write-up about workplace 'Inclusion', what it means, and how to measure it, based on an expert panel discussion at our most recent NY HR Analytics Meetup. Supporting Religious Diversity in the Workplace; Measuring for results: Three key principles; Becoming an Entrepreneur in Canada: Challenges and Opportunities [+] September. Coming up with diversity KPIs is relatively simple. As opposed to simply … Ethnicity Pay Gap Day 8th January 2021 – What Did I Learn? I write about culture, equity and belonging in the workplace. Download an equality, diversity and inclusion policy template. Many times, they look at overall favorability or average response but get stuck at the surface level differences in their employee engagement data. Measure how inclusive your organization is. Diversity awareness deals with creating a workplace where individuals understand and respect the differences in race, gender, religion, cultural values and thinking styles. to the workplace. You will likely notice much more than racial differences and genders. In some cases, the best way to measure diversity is using a qualitative-centered method, rather than just a head count. Jon Whiteley explains. Diversity is a noble cause for any company to strive for. You will build a more cohesive workforce and encourage even greater diversity among your staff when you embrace a broader definition of diversity. Diversity management that works: an evidence-based view D&I in different contexts 3 D&I in different contexts The issue To be successful, any workplace initiative or strategy must consider organisational context. Her work appears in "The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry," and she has been cited in numerous publications, including journals and textbooks that focus on human resources management practices. Successful strategies involve a high degree of empathy and intuition. How do you gauge D&I goal attainment? Diversity awareness deals with creating a workplace where individuals understand and respect the differences in race, gender, religion, cultural values and thinking styles. Have your human resources department keep records of the individuals they hire. There are several tools a company can use to measure diversity readiness in the workplace. Microsoft's Global Diversity and Inclusion manager, Gwen Houston, made the following statement about how important qualitative diversity measurements are: "Building an inclusive organization is not just about the diversity scorecard data we track to measure our progress. Surveys are a great way to anonymously measure and evaluate how well your inclusion efforts are actually working. For diversity to bring strength, it should be valued in the corporate philosophy. For diversity to bring strength, it should be valued in the corporate philosophy. Is everyone ‘all in’? Put very simply, diversity in the workplace means that a company hires a wide range of diverse individuals. While workplace diversity metrics are well-known and readily available to D&I practitioners, the concept of measuring workplace inclusion is relatively new and is rarely described in organizational literature. Workforce composition. This factsheet explores what workplace diversity and inclusion means, and how an effective strategy can support an organisation’s business objectives. Configure the percentages of diversity in the workplace. ‘Underrepresented’ is a relative term, so the populations of focus can change based on area of the organization and level of leadership. Business thought leaders have preached the importance of workplace diversity for decades. Nicola Crawford, CFIRM, Chair of the Institute of Risk Management. Here are a few metric practices that can propel your diversity efforts forward and lead to success you can measure: 1. Conduct focus groups. Identify the problems. Thus, diversity in the workplace isn't just a passing fad - it's a better way to do business in a modern world. Diversity is often misconceived as solely multicultural matters, however it also applies to diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, language, educational, background, and so on. Diversity in the workplace is present whenever different groups based on age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and so forth are represented or there is a general acceptance of these different groups based on the atmosphere and practices of the workplace. Diversity Percentage = (41+4+2+8) / 550 = 55/550 = 1/10 = 10% There are two crucial elements to ensuring this measure is accurately and appropriately used. Share; As companies continue to elevate and prioritize their diversity and inclusion efforts, they have increasingly looked for ways to use data as both a meter and a motor, a tool to track improvement and to drive it. Business leaders are increasingly understanding and expecting to see the value and benefits that a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace culture can bring their organisation. Establish a sense of belonging for everyone. Top tips for measurement and reporting: 1. People on social media are beginning to demand it, now. Instruct your buyers to make an effort to consider minority-owned businesses as vendors and measure the change in the numbers for the following year. This will give you some insight into the diverse values of your workforce. Organizations often equate workplace diversity with inclusion. If you want to determine how effective you are being in achieving diversity in your business, you need some tools to quantify that achievement. November 11, 2020. Millennials are recognizing problems with measuring diversity and inclusion, and are introducing new ways to measure and understand them. But the topic of diversity goes beyond just business results and performance. If you hold a position of influence in your company, you can help to ensure that your company is treating people equitably and has appropriate diversification. Those same organisations are now looking to measure the return on this investment, to see whether a diversity strategy really does add value to the overall business strategy. Providing a workplace that is conducive to accommodate the needs of employees with physical disabilities is also very important. Diversity measures should not focus just on where organisations are, but how far they have come (Lauring and Ross 2004). This can include diversity in regard to gender, experience, socio-economic levels, race, religion, sexual orientation, and so on. It includes the many elements of the workplace that serve to acknowledge and value individual differences and encourage people to express their unique views. When analyzing these responses, it is important to break down the sentiments by demographic populations. As a small-business owner, it's one thing to say you promote workplace diversity; it's another to actually measure your success in that effort. The results of new research into the level of cultural diversity in executive ranks in Australia constitute a “call to action” for organisations to better measure and capitalise on workplace diversity, says the Diversity Council of Australia.. When employees do leave—both voluntarily and involuntarily—exit interview data broken down by demographics can also reveal a lot about trends in employee experience and team dynamics that can directly impact sense of belonging. The challenges of diversity in the workplace 1. Understanding Employee Behavior: A 2021 Resolution For Employers. HR can undertake a study into pay equality and staff turnover should also be factored in along with exit survey responses. I would say that at a minimum, the representation within a company should reflect the overall representation in the locations of their offices and the diversity of their customer base. That could mean periodically assessing employee demographics by race and gender, for example. Those same organisations are now looking to measure the return on this investment, to see whether a diversity strategy really does add value to the overall business strategy. Diversity is about numerical representation―the percentage of people with one attribute versus another. Maintain hiring records. Companies can effectively measure belonging by surveying employees–either through questions added on to existing employee surveys, or as standalone surveys. But that doesn’t give the full picture, since a woman of color, for example, might be paid equitably in her current role, but be pushed against a glass ceiling that keeps her from advancing in her career. It takes time and a commitment to celebrate diversity. More important, it must be integrated into company practices. Ruth Mayhew has been writing since the mid-1980s, and she has been an HR subject matter expert since 1995. I am also an advisor to technology startups, currently advising LegUp. An overall high belonging score could be misleading since employees that hold underrepresented identities often feel a lower sense of belonging. The first step for an inclusive company culture is to measure D&I. Despite some small improvements, research from PayScale shows that the gender and racial wage gaps are still significant in the US, with women earning $0.79 for every $1.00 a man earns, and American Indian, Alaska Native, Black and Hispanic women earning 26 percent less than White men. How to Measure Diversity in the Workplace Step 1. Diversity and inclusion: 8 best practices for changing your culture A strong diversity and inclusion strategy can help your organization attract top talent and drive innovative results. You can, therefore, measure diversity by interacting with your energetic workforce and witnessing an increased level of productivity. Here is the list of the top 10 workplace diversity statistics: how to best monitor and measure if the policy and plan are working as intended, and record those results ; how to work out if the policy is effective and what needs to change; who will put the policy and plan into practice and by when; Check equality, diversity and inclusion in your workplace. But at the same time, the ability to approach this work with an analytical lens and deeply understand associated metrics is crucial both in understanding where we are and where we want to go, as well as in getting support and resources from company leadership. Now we explore some potential solutions to these diversity challenges in the workplace: 1. These pay disparities are a result of both inequitable pay in the same jobs, as well as an opportunity gap that results in women and people of color moving up slower in their careers and thus being less represented in higher-level, higher-paying jobs. RAND Corporation: Managing Diversity in Corporate America, An Exploratory Analysis, Deloitte: Reasons Why Organisations Are Not Succeeding in Successfully Managing Diversity, Society for Human Resource Management: Home, National Human Resources Association: Home, American Society for Training & Development: Home, American Association for Affirmative Action: Home. Rid your company of attitudes related to affirmative action and equal employment opportunity laws as strict measurements for diversity. When looking at pay equity, it helps to compare employees who are at the same level in comparable roles. Implementing diversity in the workplace is a huge commitment, and there’s no handbook you can just “borrow” from another organization. Solutions that work in one context may not be relevant, appropriate or effective in another. One of the most challenging aspects of diversity and inclusion (D&I) is quantifying the value of a program or training that has been implemented in the workplace. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Discrimination and diversity in the workplace often go hand in hand, and in order for business owners to mitigate the risk of running into any potential disputes, a watchful eye is crucial. Many companies got it wrong in 2018 – think Starbucks or H&M – while others got it right. When seeking leadership buy-in for your diversity program, it is imperative to figure out how to measure the value that your program can provide to the organization. Trump Celebrates Border Wall In Final Days Of Presidency - But Does It Live Up To His Promise? I am the CEO & Co-founder of OwnTrail and author of Blaze Your Own Trail, and was vice president of product and vice president of community and culture at Zillow. While getting a diverse range of employee identities and backgrounds in the door is crucial to this work, people will not stick around long if they don’t feel a strong sense of belonging—a deeper connection with others developed by sharing your authentic self and receiving acceptance in return. The Diversity & Inclusion Survey is research-backed, so you can understand the experience of everyone in your company. Building teams from qualified candidates regardless of their gender, background, race, religion or sexual orientation is long overdue, and a step towards true equality in the workplace. Diversity in the workplace is the idea that your team should reflect the general makeup of the society around you. Surveys are the perfect tool for measuring the feelings and opinions of your workforce at scale. After an eventful 2018 for the field of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), organizations are taking a long, hard look at their workplace diversity measures. Your staff should consist of a variety of different types of people, from different backgrounds and experiences. Learning should be provided all the way through your company for all staff. to the workplace. Successful employers know that and actively promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.