The case for diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace is strong. It can help you increase profitability, retain talent and enhance your brand reputation, among other benefits.
But where do you begin you might ask? Right where you are today. DE&I is a journey, not a destination, and people analytics can help you along the way. With the right data, you can track diversity and pay equity, inform your inclusion strategies, and make changes accordingly.
People analytics can also help you realize the following DE&I thought starters and move towards a workplace environment that supports everyone:
Lead effective DE&I initiatives
- If diversity in your workforce is lacking, examine your diversity hiring efforts.
- Consider investing in younger, historically marginalized talent in your community to support diversity in your local talent market.
- Remove discriminatory instances from policies, guidelines and handbooks.
Discover the value that veterans provide
- Consider partnering with an RPO organization that employs military recruiting experts.
- Provide mentorship opportunities, especially for veterans new to the private sector.
- Explore offering mental health support as part of your employee benefits program.
Support a multigenerational workforce
- Understand the benefits of a multigenerational workforce.
- Avoid stereotyping and don't assume every member of a generation is the same.
- Provide intergenerational learning and discussion opportunities to help drive generational awareness, innovation and inclusion.
Hire and include employees with disabilities
- Use inclusive language in job descriptions and other applicant-facing communications, e.g., "employees with disabilities," not "disabled employees."
- Consider the benefits of flexible scheduling for caregivers and employees with disabilities.
- Explore disability inclusion resources, such as the Disability Equality Index (DEI), a benchmarking tool that helps organizations achieve disability inclusion and equality.
Ensure women play pivotal roles in business
- Identify where increased flexibility in policies could better support working women.
- Explore avenues for supporting women in STEM, such as highlighting existing high performers, and providing entry-level opportunities and recruitment support.
- Consider establishing partnerships with women-owned businesses to improve your supplier diversity and support women entrepreneurs in your community.
