It’s time to stop bashing DEI
October 16, 2024 published on Fast Company by Rosina Racioppi
Here are five ways business leaders can prioritize DEI for both fairness and profit.
DEI: Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Rarely has an acronym been so misunderstood and so vilified.
Too many people are looking at DEI as a quota system; as a way to take jobs from white men; as reverse racism. But those are just a few of the many misconceptions. As a result, DEI has become a convenient scapegoat for overlooking or dismissing women and for judging them by how they look instead of how they contribute.
Both women and their organizations are paying a heavy price for the misconceptions that swarm DEI.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
It’s time to look at DEI for what it really is and what it really can do. DEI is nothing more, or nothing less, than the fair treatment and full participation of all people, whatever their gender, race, religion, or ethnicity. In the workplace, it means anyone with the talent and the qualifications should have an equal shot at getting hired and promoted, at having a seat at the table, and at being paid fairly.
In some ways, the fear of DEI is understandable, if unacceptable. We humans tend towards a tribal mentality, making us leery of those who are different. DEI can challenge our comfort levels and our wanting to work with, to lead with, and to be led by those who look, act, and think like us. That mental set is tremendously dangerous for organizations.
Our world and our country are more diverse than ever. If corporations are to grow and expand, their leadership must include those who accurately reflect their marketplace. Companies don’t need more people who look and think like them. They need more people who look and think like the customers they serve and the customers they want to serve.
MOVING FORWARD
For over 30 years, I have been in the development field. During that time, our organization, WOMEN Unlimited, Inc., has worked with over 20,000 women, their managers, and their corporate leadership to develop female talent at all organizational levels. Over the years, our participants have continually recounted the obstacles they face just for being women: conscious and unconscious bias, failure to be tapped for stretch assignments, lack of mentors and sponsors, and superficial feedback that does nothing to advance their careers.
However, I am also happy to report that in most cases, managers and corporate leaders attack the problem when it is pointed out to them—when they see that true diversity, equity, and inclusion bring about changes that are both fair and profitable.
5 WAYS TO MAKE DEI THE CORPORATE CONTRIBUTOR
1. Be Sure You Know What Diversity Really Is
Often, organizations don’t understand what diversity is really all about. For example, hiring a person of color who has the same educational background and work history as a white male is diversity—but at its most superficial level.
In hiring and promoting diverse talent, there is a need to widen the criteria and look at backgrounds and credentials that are themselves more diverse. In this way, those hired and promoted will bring a broader perspective to the organization that positively impacts growth and profitability.
2. Remember Equity Is Not Just About Pay
When we talk about equity, we often focus on salary, which is, of course, needed and necessary. However, equity is about much more than just pay. It is about offering equal opportunities to develop, to learn, to grow, and to achieve success in the organization.
By providing these types of equal opportunities to diverse populations, organizations are investing in their own futures as well as that of their often under-served employees.
3. Embrace The Advantages Of Inclusion
Recent studies show that a main reason women—and particularly women of color—leave an organization is because they feel they are excluded and treated as “other.”
Including diverse populations in decision making, ensuring that their opinions are heard and valued, and allowing them to interact with senior leadership on key assignments can combat feelings of exclusion and encourage talented employees to stay with the organization.
Additionally, inclusion provides a marketing advantage by showing the company is tuned in to the needs of diverse populations.
4. Understand Real DEI Is Hard Work And Be Willing To Do It
Making DEI an intrinsic part of corporate culture at all levels is demanding work. There are obstacles all along the way, in the forms of both people and systems. Change, innovation, and creativity never come easy. However, they are the hallmarks of corporate success, and DEI is one of the major avenues to achieving them.
As with any successful corporate-wide strategy, the impetus must come from the highest levels. Top management needs to continually emphasize DEI as a corporate priority and require metrics that regularly measure progress.
5. Get Personal—With Yourself
We all have a role to play in helping DEI take hold in the right ways. Ask yourself, “Do I harbor any biases—conscious or unconscious?”
If you’re a manager: “Do I offer my diverse reports the same aspirational feedback as other team members? Do I provide them with stretch assignments?”
If you are a corporate leader: “What am I doing to promote DEI at the highest levels, including the board? How diverse is our corporate pipeline? How well does our employee base match our customer base? What are we missing as we look to fully implement DEI?”
FINAL THOUGHTS
The only way we will get past the misconceptions and the misogyny around DEI is if all employees at all corporate levels realize that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not dirty words, and instead, embrace the reality that DEI is that rare combination of the right thing to do and the smart thing to do.
As more people come to that realization, I am confident they will join me in proclaiming the iconic line from that classic 1970s movie Network, which sadly continues to ring true: ”I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.”
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