A few dozen influentials including foundation presidents say that rethinking their diversity would be seriously reconsidered.
D.E.I. Goes Quiet. As corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs come under attack, some companies are rebranding their efforts. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/13/business/dealbook/dei-goes-quiet.html
All too often diversity initiatives encourage an us-versus-them mentality.
According to published reports, there are a few issues to consider in DEI.
- Diversity: The presence and participation of individuals with varying backgrounds and perspectives, including those who have been traditionally underrepresented
- Equity: Equal access to opportunities and fair, just, and impartial treatment
- Inclusion: A sense of belonging in an environment where all feel welcomed, accepted, and respected
To better understand DEI, here’s a breakdown of its components and benefits.
Diversity
Your organization can achieve workplace diversity by employing people from various backgrounds based on:
- Gender
- Race
- Age
- Sexual orientation
Doing so can produce several benefits for your company's bottom line. For example, research shows that businesses with diverse teams experience more than twice as much cash flow per employee.
Employees can also file charges against your organization if they've been discriminated against. According to a Good Jobs First report (pdf), 99 percent of Fortune 500 companies have been involved in at least one lawsuit related to discrimination or sexual harassment since 2000.
Such conflict resolution can be costly, but workplace diversity involves more than difficult conversations with employees.
“I don’t want diversity to be about policing people,” says Oona King, vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Snap Inc., in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability. “I want diversity to be about unleashing innovation and having more diverse perspectives in the room to come up with solutions to the most pressing problems of our day.”
Equity
Equity in the workplace requires treating all employees fairly and justly—regardless of their backgrounds—and ensuring equal opportunities for growth, development, and success.
While diversity provides financial benefits, equity ensures all employees feel valued. Yet, this isn’t always the case. According to a Gallup poll, 24 percent of Black and Hispanic employees experienced workplace discrimination between 2019 and 2020.
Since people often hire or promote individuals who share similar characteristics as themselves, proactively combatting influences—such as unconscious bias—can lead to workplace equity in the form of:
- Equal opportunities
- Fair compensation
- Balanced training and educational opportunities
“What you have to do around equity is tell people there are a lot of biases we’ve built up since we were kids that have been reinforced repeatedly,” King says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability. “And you need more awareness around them if you want to do well in a forward-thinking company.”
Inclusion
Inclusion extends beyond diversity and refers to employees’ workplace experiences.
It involves creating an environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and fully integrated into your organization's culture and operations.
According to Forrester (pdf), 60 percent of sales teams believe inclusion in the workplace has contributed to their success, while a Pew Research study indicates that over half of employees value DEI initiatives at work.
If you hope to make your organization more inclusive, consider your role as an ethical leader. According to Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability, thinking about the biases and concepts that influence your decision-making is essential to creating an inclusive workplace.