Why you need to embrace EDI as part of your workplace culture
Why you need to embrace EDI as part of your workplace culture
EDI stands for Equality , Diversity and Inclusion and it has a huge impact on workplace culture . I guess I would say that , part of my consultancy is delivering EDI workshops ! But don ’ t just take my word for it , there is lots of research out there and loads of statistics that back this up ( see below ).
Raising awareness of EDI is important on so many levels : 1 . The moral case : it ’ s the fair and right thing to do
2 . The legal case : understanding the Equality Act 2010 is key to reducing the risk of falling foul of the legislation
3 . The business case : it helps you to attract and retain good people , and it ’ s critical to your reputation .
Reputation matters and is linked closely to workplace culture . It seems every week we hear another news story where someone ( usually a celebrity or politician ) has come a cropper due to alleged discrimination . When that happens , it ’ s not just the individual ’ s reputation that is affected , it ’ s also the standing of the organisation . For example , last year when the allegations surfaced about Russell Brand , questions were also asked of the BBC and Channel 4 as to how they allowed employment of an alleged misogynist and sexual predator to continue .
Turning back to the workplace , it ’ s clear that addressing EDI matters can be part of the answer to ensuring equality and diversity of thinking as well as encouraging greater innovation and creativity . There is lots of evidence to suggest EDI awareness , training and fairer representation in the workplace has a positive impact . For example :
• Diverse teams make better decisions 87 % of the time , compared to individual decision-makers . ( Harvard Business Review )
• Inclusive workplaces have a 50 % reduction in conflicts among employees . ( Josh Bersin )
• Diverse teams solve problems faster and more accurately , improving decision-making by up to 87 %. ( Forbes )
• Organisations that actively promote diversity and inclusion have 57 % fewer instances of conflict . ( Culture Amp )
Getting EDI right is a journey , not a destination . It takes thought , work and effort . The reward for getting it right is a fair and respectful workplace for all . Surely that ’ s something we all want ?
“ Diversity is being invited to the party , inclusion is being asked to dance ” - Verna Myers
Ruth George - HR Consultant ruth @ ruthgeorge . com ; 07899 920075
This is not legal advice and is provided for general information only . © Ruth George HR Consulting .
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