Embrace the Call for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
In the spring of 2020, as companies scrambled to act in the face of nationwide protests denouncing racial injustice after the appalling deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, we wrote about how cultivating diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces requires long-term commitment. We recognized that many companies would make external statements supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and racial equity (in fact, about one-third of Fortune 1000 companies made a public statement on racial equity, committing over $66 billion to the cause). But the work of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) doesn’t stop with a statement or a donation. It’s an ongoing initiative that requires vulnerable conversations, deep reflection, and significant investment.
In the year that has passed, this work continues to be more important than ever. The pandemic has taken a much heavier toll on Black workers, created a troubling and dramatic backslide in workplace gender equality, and it’s become a catalyst for horrific attacks on the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Issues related to race, equality, belonging, and psychological safety are more important now than ever, and they will continue to shape our workplaces for the foreseeable future.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to support companies both big and small on their DEI journey. As we’ve continued to entrench ourselves in this effort, we wanted to share a couple of observations about how we approach this work and what we’ve seen to be effective.
A thoughtful approach to DEI focuses on 3 pillars:
1. Leadership and strategy
An effective DEI approach begins at the leadership level. If senior leaders and executives don’t understand the need for an aligned and ingrained DEI strategy, then all efforts will fail. The good news is that most of the C-Suite now recognizes the importance of a robust DEI strategy, especially after a tumultuous 2020 brought racial equity to the forefront. At sr4 Partners, we support our clients in creating or enhancing a defined DEI strategy, informed by the voices of their people. It begins by facilitating a strategic planning process with the company’s DEI Council or key stakeholders to put together the plan of action that best reflects the organization’s needs and priorities. We share our experience and offer recommendations on best practices, culminating in a co-developed DEI strategy and plan that is eventually communicated throughout the organization to ensure buy-in at all levels.
2. HR and Operations
A successful approach to DEI takes ALL voices of the organization into account, and digs below the surface to understand an organization’s employee representation as well as the explicit and implicit behaviors that limit diversity and prevent inclusion. This can often be the hardest part for senior leaders to prioritize as it requires holding a mirror up to honestly look at diverse representation within the organization and to identify the practices, procedures and power dynamics at play. When we approach DEI work with our clients, we conduct an organizational assessment that includes leadership and employee interviews, company-wide listening sessions, an HR policy/procedure review, and analysis of representation data. A thorough report and executive summary of the findings helps to inform the company’s evolving strategy and identify opportunities for greater alignment and impact.
3. Team and Culture
Overlapping the strategy and assessment work, we typically recommend team trainings to begin to plant the seeds for inclusive leadership and a culture of belonging. Trainings cover topics such as approaching diversity and inclusion with authenticity, recognizing bias and promoting belonging, and exploring privilege & leaning into allyship and are customized to align with the specific needs of the organization. As awareness grows, skills are developed, and authentic and vulnerable conversations are facilitated, we begin to see a shift in culture that both reinforces and is reinforced by the other DEI work being championed within the organization.
This work isn’t easy. It requires significant time, effort, and investment, often above and beyond the day-to-day tasks of the job. Aligning the 3 pillars above is critical, and as leaders, we have to recognize that this work is ongoing and doesn’t end with a singular statement, donation or unconscious bias training. It will require all of us working together to build a better and more equitable world. We hope you join us - let us know if we can support your DEI journey here.