When it comes to the current state of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, there’s good news – and some bad news. The good news: one report found nearly 97 percent of employers report they have introduced new inclusion measures in the past year. The bad news? “Employees aren’t always aware of their company’s DEI efforts,” states Annie Lin, VP of People at Lever, in a recent press release. Lever, a talent acquisition company, released its State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Efforts: Progress, Priorities, and Opportunities report, uncovering significant gaps between employer efforts and employee perceptions of DEI initiatives in the workplace.
Below, we uncover the details of this report and speak with DEI experts to learn how managers can better communicate to make sure teams are aware of DEI efforts within their organization. We also reveal how leaders can make themselves more accessible to feedback on DEI initiatives to create a more representative, fair, and high-performing workforce.
DEI: What’s Really Happening in the Workplace?
The Lever report revealed that while 64 percent of companies added DEI efforts to their home page, just 29 percent of employees were aware of their company’s efforts. Additionally, 51 percent of employers report sharing DEI through workplace channels, but just 24 percent of employees say this was happening at their organization. Other eye-opening statistics revealed that employees and employers have different perceptions of DEI measures within their company, including:
- In the last year, 52 percent of companies have introduced measures to ensure employee pay is equal across titles or positions. Still, just 24 percent of employees report these actions at their organization.
- Nearly a third of companies began using gender-inclusive language in their employee handbooks, but just 18 percent of employees report their company implementing this measure.
The report also adds that employers and employees have different perspectives on inclusivity efforts, such as:
- More than a third of employers have replaced educational requirements with relevant skills or core competencies in the last year. Still, only 19 percent of employees knew their company took this action.
- Nearly half of employers make sure job postings are worded to eliminate bias. But, only 27 percent of employees knew their company did this.
Finally, both leaders and their teams were asked about future DEI concerns. Employees reported they are most concerned about improving communication around ongoing and prospective DEI plans. Employers are most concerned about internal alignment around what DEI means for the organization and adopting more diverse hiring tactics.
DEI Starts With On-Going Communication & Training
According to Harvard Business Review (HBR), when making sure that employees are well-aware of DEI efforts in the workplace, one workshop or diversity training session won’t cut it. The article suggests, “One-shot diversity training programs that focus solely on reducing implicit bias do not typically result in sustained behavior change. Instead, according to research, diversity training is most effective when it’s part of an enterprise-wide strategic approach, includes both awareness and skills development, and is conducted over time.”
Endominance spoke with Ramona Sukhraj, DEI Editor and Director of Content at Impact, on this topic. When asked how managers and leaders can make sure that teams are aware of DEI measures, she offers, “Managers and leaders need to be vocal about their efforts and give regular updates on what is happening. This consistency will instill that workplace DEI is a real priority, not a flash-in-the-pan initiative. Team-wide training should also be a first step to lay the foundation for the entire organization. Many people don’t understand what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean. They think it’s simply a “race issue,” but it’s so much more than that. I know the conversations can be uncomfortable for some. Still, with proper education about the goal of DEI (i.e., better communication and collaboration) from the get-go, managers can be fully transparent about what’s ahead and get their support.”
We also spoke with Natasha Nurse, DEI Program Manager at Aspirant, on DEI and workplace transparency. She reveals, “Managers can make sure their team is aware of these measures by doing the following:
- Identifying the clear and present DEI gaps at the company.
- Openly provide the guidance and DEI company strategy/goals that have been shared from the top.
- Invite the team to weigh in on the matter and actively participate in the culture changes taking place.”
The Future of Workplace DEI
If real change is to happen in the future, Nurse believes that managers need to make themselves more accessible to suggestions regarding DEI initiatives. She tells Endominance, “If a manager wants to be more available to feedback on DEI initiatives, they should embed DEI conversations during ongoing team and individual meetings with team members and encourage them to “think outside of the box” for ideating diversity initiatives.” She also adds, “Managers should publicly acknowledge team members who are actively participating in the DEI changes taking place at the company.”
Sukhraj also feels that managers need to be more proactive when making themselves accessible to DEI suggestions. She shares, “Managers can start the conversation by actively reaching out to team members from marginalized backgrounds and asking for their feedback. Early on, people can be uncomfortable coming forward with a DEI issue, no matter how many times you say it’s a safe space. Many fear being seen as “complaining” or that they won’t be understood.” She adds, “However, when leaders initiate, team members know that they want to be heard. Once this candor is established, the conversations can arise more organically, but if there is a lull, managers need to take that first step.”
According to HBR, the hiring of DEI professionals spiked in the last two years, with more than 60 U.S. companies appointing their first-ever chief diversity officer (CDO). Still, in a recent survey, 93 percent of leaders agreed that the DEI agenda is a top priority, but only 34 percent believed it’s a strength in their workplace. In another survey, 80 percent of HR professionals viewed companies as “going through the motions.” The article adds there is widespread agreement on the need to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace, but it’s not easy to deliver on the promises made. It’s time to adopt more systematic, coherent approaches so that leaders can make more progress and create a more representative, fair, and high-performing workforce.
