How to have courageous conversations at the workplace

When is the time to step in and take action? 

The answer is now! 

Many organizations today are working to ensure their staff reflects the diversity of their institution. However, some employees are still witnessing unfair treatment because of race, age, or gender. And no matter the situation, conversations about these issues can feel challenging. 

With so much to be mindful of, teams or executives may not always feel as comfortable as they could when leading this dialogue around difference. 

And while many leaders recognize it is time to act, some don’t know how to take action. At CNGLMRT, we believe that the first step is constantly auditing ourselves and being honest about where we are at in our understanding and knowledge of the topic - taking some time to learn about where we have gaps.

And then we must act. 

As a business owner, maybe your job requires you to have these conversations with people regularly. Performance issues often require courageous conversations. Or perhaps it’s something more personal, or you may have to tell someone that they didn’t get the promotion and give some hard feedback on why. A common myth is that raising the issue might make things unfavorable. However, a carefully constructed conversation might save something from getting worse.

Instead of dwelling on the negative aspects, we must readdress these courageous conversations and focus on these opportunities.

Here are some tips on constructive, courageous conversations that will result in a preferable outcome:

Being confident with your concerns

It can be easy to stop ourselves from raising concerns by minimizing their importance. For example, we may tell ourselves we are silly, too sensitive, or it’s not such a big deal.

These thoughts are counterproductive because it keeps you from being courageous. 

Suppose the issue impacts you or someone else negatively or consequences to not raising the problem. In that case, it’s essential to do so. Be clear about why you are initiating the conversation and be confident in what you are saying.

Focusing on the behavior

Let the person know that their behavior is upsetting, but take care not to label the person, making them defensive. Counter the defensiveness by segregating the problem from the person and inviting their input to address the issue. 

For example, instead of saying, “You’re racist,” you could say, “When you say such comments, it makes me feel belittled and question their actions with - ‘why do you say that?’ 

Being clear and specific

The anxiety about how someone might react can lead to watering down of messages. We may give much positive feedback to the negative, or we might generally talk to a group about behavior that bothers us without speaking directly to the person involved.

The risk is that they will not hear your message. Say what you sincerely believe needs to be said, even if you know the person you are speaking to might not enjoy hearing it.

Sharing what you want to say in a respectful way towards that person makes the conversation more straightforward.

Listening with an open mind

Being open-minded can sometimes be challenging because people can be defensive or angry after hearing your concerns and feedback. They might be in denial of the issue and even convince you it’s ‘all in your head.’

Before you launch into your opinion of the situation, listen first, without any biases. Don’t interrupt, explain, justify or defend. There are always two sides to a story, and you can always respond later.

Responding calmly

Depending on how the person has reacted to your concerns, remaining calm can be challenging. However, focus on clarifying the factual accuracies of what the person has said.

Their feelings are subjective, but you can’t change that. The person may be upset with you for some time.

Confidently restate your concerns but remember, if you start getting upset, call time out. You have to manage your own emotions first before you respond to others. You may need time to think about what each person has said before coming to a resolution or compromise.

Leaning into the discomfort

Addressing the “elephant in the room” will be the first step in the right direction. In courageous conversations, this applies in the following two ways. First, recognize that the conversation may stir up feelings of discomfort. It allows both parties to arrive from a place of vulnerability and break down any power dynamics. Second, naming the pain also acknowledges that you must act to relieve the tension causing it. 

Committing to the future

Create a culture where courageous conversations are encouraged by welcoming open discussion of complex topics. Add these skills as goals and growth areas for all employees and consider your role in creating a safe environment. Such actions will grow into a long-term commitment to having courageous conversations to help your colleagues and organization thrive. 

Look at any leadership development curriculum. You’ll see various organizational behavior, strategic management, coaching courses to develop effective employees and foster workplace culture. And when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), one thing is conspicuously missing from that list: Courageous Conversations. 

Without courageous conversations, a culture of silence can disintegrate an employee’s sense of belonging. Courageous conversations are like exercises - the first attempts will be painful. Still, in the process, you will grow and expand your capacity to do hard work, and, in time, the results will speak for themselves.  

Organizations are beginning the critical work of evaluating their internal culture and focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. In doing so, they are finding that “uncomfortable” conversations are an integral component of this work.

Why are DEI programs failing?

2020 has been a year of the awakening of many sorts. The year surfaced the effects of what a pandemic looks like and how it affects BIPOC more than others. 

It was also when companies started to invest more towards DEI training and publicly pledged their commitment to creating inclusive environments by hiring DEI leaders and appointing Chief Diversity Officers.

Yet as we reflect on the efforts to bring meaningful transformation regarding diversity and inclusion over the last year, companies are still battling to report significant change.

Despite the popularity of DEI, organizations struggle with overcoming "diversity fatigue," a term that was coined to mean diversity efforts simply for face value.

Here are five reasons why DEI programs fail. And what can you do to increase the effectiveness of your program? 

Moving from the ‘What’ to the ‘How’

Culture isn't built in a day. It is an everyday effort where relationships are created within a workplace, born through daily interactions. Companies need to implement continuous learning programs that create and sustain inclusive behaviors and actively remove bias from all employee touchpoints in an organization. 

There is no one-size-fits-all D&I program for any company, and what worked for Facebook, or Google, may not work for your organization. DEI programs do not necessarily have to be traditional in-class or virtual workshops conducted by human resources; they could be different depending on the needs and requirements of employees and what the company wants to achieve. It could include mentorship and sponsorship programs. Conducting a needs assessment when designing the DEI program can help uncover specific areas of improvement.

Realizing that DEI is a strategic business priority

Ineffective DEI initiatives have far-reaching business ramifications, yet many companies still place responsibility for DEI strategy and execution into the hands of HR. While they do have an essential role in DEI efforts across recruitment, retention, employee engagement, and performance management processes, placing DEI solely in the hands of HR sends an indicator that it is a functional responsibility. 

The leadership team needs to own DEI across the business as strategic importance and have accountability. CEOs and leaders must work together with program facilitators to ensure the appropriate program model is applied.

Creating a culture of inclusion that address systemic bias

Even companies with impressive diversity representation numbers still battle with attrition of senior talent, women, and underrepresented employees, who often report feelings of exclusion. 

Just using the words "diversity training" can create anxiety amongst employees. One study found that white men displayed more stress and anticipated more anti-white discrimination for a pro-diversity company versus a company that did not mention diversity. Doing away with such terms can reduce resistance. 

Organizations' DEI strategies must devise a culture of inclusion that addresses the root of systemic biases and the invisible barriers which continue to perpetuate - and not place the added burden of self-help on marginalized groups.

For this to happen, companies must move beyond the statistics and focus on direct efforts on the real work of creating environments of inclusion and belonging. 

Focusing on intersectionality is important 

Our various identities impact our daily lives and affect how we perceive the world and how it perceives us; therefore, it is essential to consider intersectionality in the workplace. Ignoring intersectionality could set people into homogeneous groups and ignore the layered aspects of their experiences, resulting in groups feeling excluded from DEIB initiatives, hindering them from bringing their whole selves to the workplace.

Lack of consistency

DEI programs are often introduced as reactionary measures following a particular incident. A case in point was the murder of George Floyd and the uproar of DEI post that.  

Consistency is vital when it comes to implementing DEI programs. Conducting training only when an employee is hired will prove unsuccessful, but integrating DEI programs into different organization components, where it is even be linked to pay, could prove effective as it was in the case of Intel.

The hardest part about having a successful DEI program is measuring, reevaluating, and adjusting tactics and goals. Since DEIB is a dynamic effort, things will change as you implement initiatives, hold training, and conduct surveys. With consistent efforts, employee perceptions will change, and hopefully, the representation will increase, with employees becoming very confident of their company's DEIB efforts. 

In conclusion...

While there are no "easy fixes" or shortcuts to remedying the complex and long-ingrained issues of bias and discrimination, organizations must be patient and commit for the long haul.

Are you aware of the implicit biases at your workplace?

Before we dive deep into eliminating bias, let's ask ourselves this simple question?

What is bias?

Is it the tendency to believe that some people and their ideas are better than others? Is it our hidden beliefs that impact our perception of others? Or is it the use of discriminatory language without giving it a second thought?

The answer is all of the above. 

A recent report from the Pew Research Center states that Asian, Hispanic, and Black people report far more issues with being unfairly treated in hiring, pay, or promotion and have been subjected to slurs or jokes over non BIPOC employees.

While it's easy to identify and limit bias when it's apparent, that's not always the case; bias can often be completely unconscious.

Biases that are most often unconscious can wreak havoc in the workplace. It keeps women and people of color out of the boardroom, curbs job opportunities, and prevents organizations from benefiting from a diverse workforce's actual monetary and cultural benefits. 

Companies like Google are consciously trying to resolve this unconscious bias at the workplace given their employee distribution - 70 percent male, 3 percent Hispanic, and only 2 percent Black. 

So then, how can you manage unconscious bias or eliminate bias at the workplace?

Being aware - is the first step in reducing unconscious bias - being aware of what it is and how it can affect others. This awareness begins to inform our consciousness where we can be wholly told and manage the bias and effects. 

We process expansive amounts of information; our brains tend to categorize the world around us to simplify this information. It enables us to know what to expect and how to react around particular objects or situations, which also means that we automatically classify other human beings as per our beliefs and preferences. 

Research indicates that how we view and assess others and ourselves is heavily influenced by beliefs and values gained from family, culture and a lifetime of experiences. Our thoughts were programmed into us initially as a protection mechanism to identify our friends and enemies rapidly. Still, in today's multi-faceted society, it can result in decisions and behaviors based on bias. 

Questioning yourself first - To reduce the effects of unconscious bias, question the biases in yourself first and then raise awareness in others. Ask yourself two critical questions:

• Is my opinion factually accurate?

• What evidence do I have against the bias?

Creating inclusive meeting practices - One of the ways your bias can affect others is by exhibiting micro-behaviors during meetings. Being aware of how you enter a meeting is the step first towards negating biases. Acknowledging everyone at the meeting, not just those you know, is the second step. 

You need to be aware of how you greet them and practice punctuality, as everyone's time is valuable. If for some reason, you do arrive a little later than the scheduled meeting, then apologize.

If there is someone in the meeting you feel you may have a bias against, sit next to them. Limiting interventions, including checking your emails or using your phone, can create an inclusive workplace culture. 

Lastly, if you disagree with someone's opinion, respond constructively rather than negatively. 

Creating a supportive dialogue - While we all have unconscious biases and can display micro-behaviors, it can still be challenging to have and manage discussions about these micro-behaviors. Adding supportive phrases such as "I understand, and I am with you on this topic" or asking them questions like "What would a better situation look like for you?" can help you approach the subject and ensure a constructive outcome.

Taking action - Last but not least and the most important step is - taking action. Once you have realized an unconscious bias, you need to take the necessary steps to mitigate that bias, encourage any conversations with employees who feel discriminated against, and provide the required training to leaders and executives to be more aware of their prejudices. 

Today, workplaces are becoming progressively more diverse but those organizations that champion and promote inclusion are more innovative, creative, and productive. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that this diversity and inclusion does not come under threat from unconscious bias.

In business, biases can cost leaders millions of dollars and cause them to make decisions that may not be objective, resulting in missed opportunities. Therefore, to attract and retain the best talent, organizations must create an environment of inclusion where everyone has the space to shine, create a culture where employees are recruited and make headway purely because of their ability.

At CNGLMRT, we believe in intentional inclusion, where we constantly ask ourselves, "how are we going to disrupt the unconscious bias throughout all the stages of recruitment, employee lifecycle, and engagement?." We recognize that we need "to 'own' our own biases if we want to create a safe environment for all. We built our solutions and products keeping in mind that unconscious bias exists but we can help companies and leaders look beyond that to create an inclusive workplace. 

Welcome to the CNGLMRT CDO Council

Who are we?

The first-ever community of forward-thinking Chief Diversity Officers and leaders transforming workplace culture in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

How do you benefit from being a member?

CNGLMRT's CDO Council members will benefit from connecting with like-minded leaders, engage in honest, courageous conversations with peers, and reshape the narrative on key DEIB issues that affect not just organizations but society at large.

Actionable Intelligence

You can create your organization's growth path with a laser focus on DEIB using accurate, timely intelligence and data only the CNGLMRT can provide. 

Build Deeper Connections

Connect, support and inspire relationships with peers who challenge the status quo and usher in the next change in building an inclusive workplace culture. 

Walk the Talk

You get the chance to become one of the leading voices with your unique perspective on the discussions and decisions that will reshape future conversations on DEIB.

You even get the CNGLMRT Badge of Distinction for being a champion in DEI. You and your company will be featured in CNGLMRT's monthly newsletter. 

For more details on how to apply to become a member click here

Why Microaggressions Aren’t So Micro

Before we get into how microaggressions impact the workplace culture, let’s understand what it means. 

​Microaggression refers to: 

A subtle but derogatory comment or action directed at a minority or other non-dominant group that is often unintentional or unconsciously reinforces a stereotype.

The ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement not only brought consciousness about this impending issue at large but also pushed leaders and teams around the world and in the Corporate US to engage in real conversations about race, justice, diversity, equality, and inclusion. 

While that’s a good thing and will pave the way for meaningful anti-racist action from both individuals and organizations, the discussions will in all likelihood be very uncomfortable — not just for non-BIPOC employees and leaders but also for people of color and other marginalized groups, who know that candid talks with colleagues will mean they will either face or need to call out “microaggressions.”

There is no doubt that everyone at some point must have felt the brunt of a casual insult or rude comment, but research shows that it is people of color and other underrepresented or marginalized groups who are often targeted by recurring, sometimes persistent micro-attacks and micro-invalidations that chip away at self-confidence and feelings of belonging.

Sometimes those who are delivering microaggressions are not aware of the impact of their words but most times people who deliver microaggressions are not well-intentioned as they may seem to be. 

Let’s take a look at some examples of what a microaggression looks like:

• “You are so articulate” (signaling that BIPOC are not usually capable of competent intellectual conversations).

• “We are all one race - the human race” (signaling that a BIPOC’s experience is no different from the experience of people of other races, gender, and ethnicities).

• “Anyone can succeed in society if they work hard enough” (signaling that disparate outcomes for BIPOC result from slackness).

Not So Micro

As the name suggests, microaggressions seem small; but compounded over time, they can have a detrimental impact on an employee’s experience, physical health, and psychological well-being. 

The best solution is, of course, increasing awareness of microaggressions, insisting that non-BIPOC employees stop committing them, and calling out those who do. But in the absence of those changes and understanding that complete prevention is probably impossible — how can BIPOC employees and managers respond to the microaggressions they face in the workplace?

Microaggression often takes the form of a combination of body language and verbal remarks and often, a nuance changes the meaning; an eye roll, facial expression, or tone of voice may completely negate an otherwise positive statement. Such communication nuances may make it challenging to identify and address microaggressions when they are not blatantly harmful. 

To counter such actions, the first step would be to create a workplace atmosphere that is authentically tolerant and inclusive and holds individuals accountable for their words, actions, and behaviors that occur daily. 

But is this enough?

No, it is not! At CNGLMRT, we believe that organizations need to rethink company culture taking into account what employees bring to the table. We need to encourage employees to bring their authentic selves to work and ensure their voices are being heard. Understanding and combatting microaggressions is an important part of a successful DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) strategy, and leaders at the top need to first understand and step in to dismantle such acts. 

Here are some steps we suggest in countering microaggression:

Speak Up: While on one hand, we agree that harmful words or actions cannot be ignored; we also believe that they must be surfaced to be addressed productively. For example, when a non-participant observes a microaggression against a colleague, they must speak up or visibly react to the hurtful incident. This will alert all employees who are present to what just happened as unacceptable, and that you condemn such behavior. 

Educate the wrongdoer: This is an important step to inform and build relationships, not punish, or “scrub” others who may have unintentionally hurt others with their behaviors.

For example, using positive reinforcement words such as “In our workplace, we value all employees and care about the relationships between all employees”, or “It is important to be aware of how our choice of words and actions impact others and make different choices when they cause harm or are disrespectful”, can provide a transparent culture where employees are open to feedback and discussions on such issues. 

Bring in experts: Employees who have faced microaggressions need a safe space to get their voices heard and often need support from higher levels of authority in the workplace. For example, if a victim speaks out to their supervisor about hurtful words and behaviors in the workplace and they are ignored or retaliated against; they should first seek HR support. 

However, if conditions do not improve or worsen, the leaders in the organization should call for expert help or a DEI tech company that will evaluate the current situation and offer expertise and strategies on how these microaggressions can be tackled more efficiently. 

At CNGLMRT, we believe in micro-interventions. It is what connects individuals with the impact of their words and actions on others, builds personal answerability, and offers an opportunity for personal growth. This, in turn, boosts self-awareness in a meaningful way and goes beyond simply complying with policies and expectations.

If companies want to have an inclusive workplace, then it’s these micro-interventions that can have a greater impact over time and meaningfully align everyone with a vision of workplace equality and equity for all, providing actionable guidance to improve workplace interactions.

We Think Actionable Intelligence

Insights, Insights Everywhere

What do you see when you read any marketing collateral from any analytics business? It's the phrase -  “actionable insights.” Every business that provides analytical solutions promises to unlock a tidal wave of insights for your business—some maybe even in “real-time”. 

A recent report from Forrester suggests that while 74% of firms say they want to be “data-driven,” only 29% are actually successful at connecting analytics to action. Actionable insights are not just the missing link for companies that want to drive business outcomes from their data but the phrase is fast becoming an empty buzzword. Often what is really being offered by many analytics solutions is just more data or facts—not insights.

“Actionable insights are not just the missing link for companies that want to drive business outcomes from their data but the phrase is fast becoming an empty buzzword.”

At CNGLMRT, we believe in Actionable Intelligence than actionable insights. Actionable intelligence is information that can be followed up on, with the further implication that a strategic plan should be undertaken to make positive use of the data gathered. Actionable insights on the other hand push you forward to find a new solution but while most insights are helpful, not all are actionable.

An example of actionable intelligence would be to have a holistic approach to bridge the gap between the importance and reality towards building a DEI culture. We provide you with the intelligence to not just have targeted unbiased recruitment practices, conduct effective DEI programs but also help in understanding DEI trends and employee pulse to create an inclusive workplace environment for all.

Going beyond plain insights

While companies today have all the right data points on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at their fingertips,  they have little clarity about what that data means. Employee information aggregated passively in one or more HR databases is a far cry from actionable DEI insights. 

In the realm of DEI, the current insights alone are likely not enough to spur meaningful change. 

Let’s take a look at some of the insights in the past year alone. 

Over three in five workers in the United States have witnessed or experienced discrimination at the workplace based on gender, age, race, or LGBTQ identity. This fear of workplace discrimination often holds employees back from bringing their authentic selves to work.

When it comes to leadership positions, while 68 percent of C-level executives are white men, only 4 percent are women of color. The representation of ethnic minorities on the US executive teams rose only by 13 percent in 2019, from 7 percent in 2014.

The lack of women and ethnic minorities in leadership roles factors into the rampant wage gap.  For every dollar, a white man earns, black women, Native American women, and Latinas earn only $0.75  when considering factors such as job type, seniority, industry, and years of experience.

Another interesting stat that we found was- 

69 percent of DEI leaders believe that unconscious bias training could only have a positive impact if it was coupled with other initiatives.

The challenge with unconscious bias training is that too often it briefs people that ‘you have bias’ and not ‘here’s what you can do about it’.

The result? Leaders and teams feel powerless and fail to take action. 

Which raises the question: Is there something unique about DEI insights such that their disclosure does not drive behavior in the same way as insights in other domains? Or do we need to leverage further intelligence to help organizations make definite progress on DEI?

Let’s Put the Act in Actionable Intelligence

Diversity and inclusion or even equity doesn’t happen organically. It must be deliberate and carefully cultivated —which will require an investment of time,  financial resources, and having the right technological tools in place. 

DEI means more now to businesses than before and is becoming a permanent strategy for many businesses. The need of the hour is — more than just insights. 

We need Actionable Intelligence. 

Actionable Intelligence is information with a purpose. Actionable Intelligence is information that creates an impetus to action. It is here where the tough and big questions are asked. It is where you give even more context to your data, empowering businesses to think systemically and more long-term.

“Actionable Intelligence is information that creates an impetus to action.”

Actionable Intelligence provides Chief Diversity Officers with the tools to truly embrace anti-racism, intersectionality, and inclusivity, making a shift from a singular view of diversity — which is primarily reactive. Rather than focusing solely on isolated marketing, or campaigning, we can enable businesses to make a real change towards ending systemic inequality. 

Our intelligence propels organizations to be fair, open to each others’ differences, supportive and empowering, increasing their collaboration with BIPOCs. It accelerates the problem-solving attitude, which leads to better solutions.

“We enable businesses to make a real change towards ending systemic inequality.”

Actionable Intelligence also provides team members, leaders, and managers across teams and sectors with the competence needed to meet challenges with resolve and confidence. It ensures that organizations are free from discrimination to create workplaces that leverage the diversity of thinking and increase BIPOCs’ sense of belonging as part of an inclusive culture. 

The New Ecosystem to Transform Workplace Culture

The truth is that there has been an under-emphasis on a broader ecosystem of accountability, recognition, and equity. We need to recognize that progress on DEI efforts will take a culture reset. We need to broaden the narrative of DEI to tackle years of systemic inequality. 

Current practices and insights heavily weigh on traditional diversity training and events. But by using CNGLMRT's actionable intelligence, the end goal is redefined for both executives and BIPOC. Leaders and people of color will step up to own that change and come together to deliver the promised revolution of ending systemic inequality. 

We are not just a recommendation and rating mechanism but the first AI platform that transforms workplace culture by fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our technology provides actionable intelligence to take meaningful steps in unlocking DEI opportunities.

Our superior technology will empower the community (both people of color and executives at organizations) to build just the right DEI programs and take the necessary steps to enrich the lives of BIPOC for now and generations to come. 

For more details on our DEI tech platform that aims to transform workplace culture, contact info@cnglmrt.com

Transforming Workplace Culture to Bring Real Change in DEI

Where do we stand a year after the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the subsequent global protests?

The common sentiment that many will echo is “we are still combating systemic racism.” We are living not just in a pandemic but in a racism pandemic. 

Corporations need to move beyond hashtag activism, hosting town halls on race, facilitating panel discussions on what diversity means, or hiring a DEI expert to truly make progress in DEI. 

We need to nip systemic inequality in the bud and do our part personally and professionally to truly see long-term change in our workplace culture. 

The Beginning 

It wasn’t until 2000 that businesses started caring more about diversity after a series of lawsuits rocked the financial industry. In 2013, an American multinational investment bank settled a race discrimination suit for $160 million. According to a report from Good Jobs First, since then 99% of Fortune 500 companies have paid settlements in at least one discrimination or sexual harassment penalty. 

Which in turn gave birth to DEI, or diversity, equity, and inclusion, which became the new elixir for all. DEI in the workplace structurally involves a set of ideas and principles that rests on an institution’s efforts to increase diverse representation and create inclusive, equitable environments where people can thrive. This often includes training, town hall meetings, and sensitivity to diverse cultures.

But the question that we need to ask ourselves is - Is training about unconscious bias, reading about anti-racism, fostering an inclusive work environment, and understanding microaggressions enough to transform the industry that is so deep-rooted in racism? 

The answer is ‘No’. 

DEI is more than just hiring a practitioner to guide your organization and cannot be relegated to a side strategy that an organization can support while maintaining its privileged status groups, favoritism, and other inequities. 

While conventional diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives focus on employee engagement and a sense of belonging, today’s challenges reach far beyond marginalization in the workplace.

Before hiring a DEI consultant or chief diversity officer, each organization — especially at their leadership level — must be crystal clear on what their DEI goals are and what they plan to achieve.

Keeping a checklist of what the organization’s leadership expects in six months of DEI training will discard decades of racial attitudes and beliefs. Also understanding that DEI and anti-racism are not box-checking exercises, will help companies be more realistic and genuine in their effort. 

Companies will need to become transparent on whether they are ready to take on DEI in a meaningful way and avoid hashtag activism and public solidarity statements. Choosing diversity officers or consultants wisely by understanding how did they come to DEI or how do they navigate in the world will provide the best results. 

Most importantly, chief diversity officers need to be given a seat at the leadership table and will require people with privilege and power to recognize it and to own up to it. 

Racism is everyone’s problem

Racism isn’t just a Black people’s problem anymore; it’s everyone’s problem because it erodes the fabric of society. 

Leaders will need to rethink inclusion in their firms and this can only be achieved by defining diversity, equity, inclusion goals, policies, and practices.

Organizations will need to re-look at how they can use their power to effect change and what they can do to promote equity and justice and activate meaningful change. 

For company leaders, understanding that people with different backgrounds and experiences often see the same problem in different ways and come up with different solutions - creates a clear path to building a more innovative organization.

Specifically, they will need to approach diversity as a business imperative with the CEO owning this agenda and visibly leading it. Success will also depend on accurately assessing the company’s starting point, establishing specific goals, and creating a roadmap with milestones and clear accountability.

It is no surprise that companies that do take the initiative and actively increase the diversity of their management teams—across all dimensions and with the right enabling factors in place—perform better. These companies find distinctive solutions to problems and generate more and better ideas, with a greater likelihood that some of them will become winning products and services in the market, outperforming their peers financially. 

For example, when looking for a new president to oversee a geographic expansion effort, the Japanese beverage company Suntory didn’t promote an insider but the former chairman of Lawson, Japan’s second-largest convenience store chain. 

When organizations undertake such efforts to make their management teams more diverse by adding people from other countries, industries, genders, and races - it pays off. 

What will also be helpful to tackle today’s systemic inequality issue is mentoring programs that can make companies’ managerial divisions significantly more diverse - boosting the representation of black, Hispanic, and Asian-American women, and Hispanic and Asian-American men, by 9% to 24%. 

The Tools and Resources Today

Today we have more tools and more information than ever before on how to be an ally. With the right technology in place and through intentional action, self-awareness, and tenacity, leaders can build a more inclusive workplace. 

They must use their power, platforms, and resources to help employees and communities overcome these challenges and build a better world for us all. And that can’t be done by just changing the culture but taking a hard look at racism at the workplace and systemic inequality. 

What steps are you taking to building an inclusive and anti-racist organization today? 

Inclusion & Equity First, Diversity Second

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have often been used interchangeably to mean the same thing when in fact all three have a very distinct definition in how they are applied. 

These words and the issues they direct at loom large in tech and since 2020, there hasn’t been a week gone by where one hasn’t read an article about DEI or a company touting its commitment to diversity.

Let’s look at some stats: 

Google spent $265 million to increase its diversity numbers from 2014–2016. 45% of respondents in another report, which surveyed over 700 startup founders, reported that they talked about diversity and inclusion internally in the last year. There has been a 16.2% increase in diversity executive team members over January 2020. Research from Glassdoor has stated that 67% of job seekers consider a diverse workplace an important factor when deciding to accept a position.

These stats are an indicator that while diversity, equity, and inclusion saw a steady rise over the last five years, it was only in June 2020 that companies started taking it more seriously.  

And with all this talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech, there is no better time to dig deep and establish shared, foundational understandings of these terms and their meanings.

Research shows that employees perceive diversity and inclusion as two conceptually different organizational practices. While diversity programs in the workplace focus on the ‘organizational demographic blend’, inclusion programs are intended to remove obstacles so that different groups of workers can effectively collaborate and achieve desired business outcomes.

The Direct Correlation between Inclusion & Employee Engagement 

Inclusion is about ensuring everyone feels that they belong, that they’re treated fairly, have equal opportunities and resources, and can bring their whole selves to work regardless of race, age, gender, or background.

Examples would be the participation of women in the workforce, introducing a policy for honoring a variety of cultural and religious practices, talking about gender and potential pay disparities, or possibly revealing some of the company’s data points around compensation.

Inclusion sparks higher employee engagement and for inclusion to be integrated well, businesses need to adopt SMART goals which mean setting metrics that are aligned with the business’ D&I objectives.

For this to happen, businesses need to first, look at their quantitative data - track and examine their workforce and understand the demographics across all departments and locations. Once that’s done, companies should examine their demographic data against attrition, retention, and promotions.

It’s also important that businesses understand their qualitative data, which looks at employee experiences and their voices being heard. This involves having inclusion questions in employee engagement surveys or conducting focus groups.

Looking at this data collectively provides businesses with a clear understanding of the areas where they need to introduce inclusion programs to strengthen DEI in the workplace.

What’s also important to note is that inclusion must be championed by leaders in the business and can no longer be looked at as a conversation synonymous with the HR division.

When we talk about diversity and inclusion, the other key concept that's often neglected is equity. 

Equity - Focusing on Individualistic Needs

Equity refers to a state where everyone – regardless of their country of origin, ethnic background, age, gender, physical ability/disability – has a level playing field. 

Without equity, even the most diverse company will have a one-dimensional leadership team in charge of making decisions. For example, recent reports by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that women comprise 70% of the global healthcare workforce, but there are still "too few women" making decisions and leading the work.

Companies with more diverse management teams are likely to bring in 19% higher revenues owing to greater innovation. This can only be achieved if every employee group is allowed the opportunity to join management teams. 

Equity allows you to address these issues, providing not just job satisfaction but employee engagement as well. 

How do you achieve equity at the workplace?

The answer lies in easy access to cognitive diversity, which allows the leadership team to apply varied problem-solving approaches. By taking the right measures toward workplace equity, leaders can ensure that a diverse team is responsible for the company's strategic direction, making it more agile and resilient.

If companies want to have equitable practices at the workplace, then pay transparency policies are a bold first step. Having precise quantification illustrates how compensation correlates to employee performance indicators and labor metrics.

When diversity, inclusion, and equity go together, the workforce is empowered to bring their best to work. Keeping these terms separate and clear will further help leaders or Chief Diversity Officers focus on the scope of their work and the goals they want to achieve for their organization.

It’s about realizing that diversity efforts, without equitable practices and intentional inclusion, will always fall short.

It will help these leaders ask themselves hard questions such as:

1. Why do we value diversity and inclusion?

2. For whom are we creating more inclusive environments and how will we ensure that inclusion is real, that we walk the talk?

3. Why should we make DEI a part of our values?

4. What systematic barriers exist that may impede any diversity efforts we are taking? And how can we approach this work using equity as our guiding principle? 

We believe that all of this, looked at holistically, will allow leaders and organizations to not only have more transparent DEI conversations but more DEI initiatives and actions. 

These conversations will bring each of us into deeper engagement with one another, and with the values we want to see moving forward in our industry and taking the right step in transforming workplace culture.