including collaboration , curiosity , communication , openness , fairness , transparency , respect , celebrating what makes each person unique , commitment to growth and learning , are principles most people can get behind , because they know that those elements lead to increased happiness and engagement .
Leon : I would tell them that diversity means everyone . That D & I offers an opportunity to build an inclusive environment so that anyone can come to work authentically as themselves , which allows them to focus on making better business decisions .
Jared : Start with the facts . As a company , we opened our conversations with an incredible TedTalk from Valerie Alexander that made a significant impact on our leadership team – and later on our support team . There are also a plethora of compelling articles and white papers that clearly illustrate the need .
Delta : Making it a priority to create a space for your employees to be authentic at work assists in ensuring you remain competitive in your recruitment and retention . When individuals can bring their whole self to work it allows for vulnerability which is essential to have a connection with each other . When people feel connected they are less likely to go elsewhere . Coupled with great leaders your culture becomes one to be envied .
What is the best way to start a D & I program at a company and really embrace it ?
Lorri : It ’ s essential to have advocacy and support from the highest levels of the organization , and it ’ s best to start by determining your overall purpose , goals , areas of focus , internal and external stakeholders , and strategies for engagement and measurement . Additionally , designating internal program champions in departments throughout the company is key to ensuring that program messaging and touchpoints are consistent .
Leon : Start small , make changes within your control then lean on those success to keep building . This type of change takes time so give yourself grace to make mistakes .
Jared : With D & I it is critical to start at the top . A lack of buy-in and support from the top will be evident and will absolutely crush D & I initiatives . The result can be worse than never broaching the subject . For RedPeak , we updated our core values as part of our 20th anniversary and included a core value specific to D & I .
Delta : To make any change you have to start from a place of acceptance and understanding of each other . If you are not intentionally being inclusive you are unintentionally being exclusive . This means accepting of all , challenging ourselves to be inclusive in all we do . When you do this , you pave the way for deeper awareness and understanding of each other .
Do you do any type of measurement around D & I ?
Lorri : We established a program performance baseline a few years ago that measures diversity and inclusionrelated areas including recruiting , hiring , promotions , pay , benefits , retention , demonstrated commitment to our core beliefs , and employee engagement . We track metrics quantitatively as well as qualitatively through means including anonymous associate surveys and dedicated associate listening sessions .
Leon : Yes mainly in the talent space – retention , hires , equitable pay evaluation .
Delta : We do not look at metrics specific to the program itself but look at each initiative individually . Measuring and gauging engagement that allows for adjustments to future initiatives accordingly .
Jared : This is still evolving and one of the most significant challenges . We are looking at some metrics and how to track those , but it is early .
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Practical Initiatives to Get Started On
Here are four practical ideas to implement change that has a staying , powerful and longterm impact at your company :
1
2
3
4
Review Company Materials : Your handbook , onboarding policies , websites / digital media , career development , hiring practices - identifying demographics and underrepresentation , and make adjustments accordingly . Offer materials in a variety of languages and plaforms .
Gather together to talk Host informal meetings with executives , and create small groups of your team to come together for fireside chats or live webinars .
Tell Stories : Stories are a strong way to build empathy and representation . Welcome anyone to speak or present their story or ideas .
Communicate : Celebrate differences and acknowledge where your company has fallen short . www . aamdhq . org JANUARY 2022 TRENDS | 27