Page 20 - BusinessWest July 25, 2022

the company’s reputation.
The reason why DE&I initiatives work so well
in this manner is because DE&I initiatives foster equity in the application of all workplace mecha- nisms and thus, once firmly established, naturally create a workplace environment free of discrimi- nation and harassment, to the extent practicable. This is because, once DE&I initiatives are firmly established, most employees will feel a sense of belonging as they will feel heard and have a sense of empathy for their colleagues which fosters
a team-oriented culture and problem-solving mindset. That not only prevents lawsuits, but it will also save money in the form of retention. Fur- thermore, data has shown that productivity and creativity increase, as does employee wellness.
Unfortunately, many companies have leaders who have not identified DE&I as a cost-savings measure, or many leaders don’t know where to start. This article cannot, in the limited space pro- vided, cover the entirety of what can be discussed in the realm of DE&I. However, we seek to plant a ‘can-do’ seed of desire to create DE&I initiatives in one’s workplace as a means of creating safe and discrimination- and harassment-free workplaces, by showing that creating such a workplace just takes a plan and a commitment to execute.
This article is one of a series that seeks to assist businesses with an inside-out approach, using existing resources to set up a sound foundation
to grow a robust DE&I initiative within their com- pany, and to create a workplace that is discrimi- nation- and harassment-free while also becom- ing more ethical and more financially successful. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be tweaked along the way.
First, we start at the beginning. Let’s demystify DE&I.
What Does DE&I Even Mean? And What About Belonging?
Let’s broaden the concept to DE&I and B, or belonging.
Diversity means to be composed of differ-
ent elements or offer variety. In application to
the workplace, this translates to different people, through race, gender, and/or sexual orientation, with different cultural, social, and economic backgrounds, bringing their thoughts and ideas to the table.
Equity is the act of giving everyone in your pool of diversity fair treatment in access, opportu- nity, and advancement in the workplace, through processes and procedures implemented in a con- sistent manner. It’s recognizing we don’t all start from the same playing field and carries an idea
of fairness and neutrality. That’s the difference
between equity and equality.
Inclusion means being included in or involved
in material decision making in the workplace at the appropriate level, and having the freedom or enterprise-level permission to weigh in on items of import that are relevant to one’s job and actu- ally being heard. Identification of stakeholders are important here.
Belonging is what happens when a company has a strong foundation of continued diversity, equity, and inclusion processes, protocols, habits, and other customs of practice, and having a sense
look different for the frontline supervisors than
it does for procurement or accounting. Analyze the upfront costs, such as change in recruitment tactics, utilizing more networking forums, and potentially creating new roles to support the new business outlook
Where can we implement DE&I initiatives? DE&I can be external, by using diverse vendors, or internal, by establishing an equitable approach to handing out assignments. Every time a new business development is discussed, whether internally or externally, it creates another oppor-
“It can be difficult to calculate a financial return on prevention; however, in the realm of discrimination and harassment, prevention can be calculated by the declining costs of litigation.”
tunity to include DE&I.
Identify stakeholders and talk to them.
Encourage discussion on the topic of DE&I. Dis- cuss their opinions on issues that impact them in the workplace. Gathering employee opinions and concerns will enable the company to make posi- tive changes that will prevent issues and increase employee engagement. Hold open-forum discus- sions such as town-hall listening sessions — not talking sessions, where company executives talk at employees. These are great opportunities to lis- ten to others and allow all staff to be heard.
A review of company documentation should be conducted to find existing areas where improvements may be needed. Obtaining statis- tical knowledge and data of the current demo- graphics throughout the general workplace, as well as upper-level management, will help assist you in realizing where there is a need to imple- ment DE&I.
Sell It
Make DE&I identifiable in the company mis- sion. Make it a part of the company brand if pos- sible. Involve company leaders in the celebration of meeting goals around DE&I initiatives. It is vital to get leadership support for the success of any DE&I initiative.
Sell it to all employ-
ees. Create a well-
KYLIE BROWN
TANZANIA CANNON-ECKERLE
of being accepted as one’s authentic self at work that is supported by equity and inclusion. The goal should be to have an engrained DE&I model that is engrained in every aspect of the company so that it becomes common practice.
Where to Start?
First and foremost, focusing on DE&I must be in line with the overall business mission, values, and objectives in order to be successful. Second, there must be buy-in from all levels of the orga- nization. Identifying what it will take to get that buy-in is important and will vary depending upon the audience. Third, identify the DE&I goals and why these are the goals. This is most likely depen- dent on what industry your company belongs to and how your company is structured.
Fourth, create a DE&I committee and identify who should be on the committee, and provide them with defined authority to act. This will cre- ate company accountability for continuing on with the initiatives. Fifth, do gap assessment. Where is the company now? Where does the com- pany hope to be? What needs to be accomplished get there? What are the potential obstacles? How will they be overcome?
Gather Data
Focus on the return on the investment (know your audience). The return on investment might
DE&I
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