Natasha Miller Williams, a TEDx speaker and DE&I thought leader, is Ferrara's vice president and head of diversity, equity and inclusion.
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Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace build value—from boosting employee well-being to bolstering a company’s bottom line.
Despite these competitive advantages, businesses sometimes overpromise and underdeliver on their diversity pledges. Companies notch one DE&I goal, such as hiring more diverse employees, then assume the work is done without embarking on a path to systemic change.
A more strategic approach defines DE&I goals, analyzes and changes the processes that perpetuate inequity and focuses on ongoing measurement. Here are four tips to help set meaningful, sustainable, systemic DE&I change in motion:
1. Make sure leaders are aligned with DE&I.
Misalignment can spell doom. The CEO and the executive team must all agree that DE&I is a priority because their joint commitment cascades down to mid-level managers, who make the majority of decisions about who gets hired, promoted, heard and included.
One way leaders can fully appreciate the importance of DE&I and align themselves with the mission is through listening. A proven strategy we employ at my company, Ferrara, is to go on a listening tour. Twice a year, the CEO has open conversations with 10 to 12 employee groups to hear their unfiltered thoughts about what is working well for the company and group—and what isn’t. Doing so allows the company to see how well it is aligning with the DE&I goals that have been established.
2. Don’t confuse a programmatic approach with a systemic approach to DE&I.
It’s simple to bring in speakers and host celebrations. It’s much harder to root out ingrained inequities within a system. Yet the only thing that can lead to a more equitable outcome is doing the hard work of deeply analyzing and thoughtfully redesigning business processes like hiring, development and promotion patterns. Sometimes, companies get caught up in a swirl of programming disconnected from a larger strategic plan, akin to trying to cure an illness by treating its symptoms. Programming that is connected to a strategic plan is only one small part of a multifaceted, sustainable DE&I plan.
3. Let the data lead.
For meaningful, measurable progress in DE&I, a data-led approach is non-negotiable. Data tells a story to inspire DE&I goals that fit your business and business objectives. Collecting and analyzing diversity metrics such as employees’ race, gender, sexual orientation and neurodiversity—alongside typical HR metrics like hiring, promotion and employee life cycle data—allows employers to identify underserved populations in their workforce and zero in on DE&I issues that need to be addressed.
For instance, let’s say a company is approaching gender parity. On the surface, this would seem like a big success, but a deeper look at the data may reveal that most women who work at the company are white, making it clear that hiring more women of color is an urgent diversity and inclusion goal.
4. Set realistic goals and put accountability measures in place.
Grand goals and promises left unfulfilled can alienate both employees and consumers. DE&I work, when done well, is rigorous. Whether you have one person, an entire team or just a few volunteers dedicated to leading DE&I initiatives at your company, be mindful of how much you can reasonably accomplish in a given time. As detailed in a recent Harvard Business Review article, after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, many businesses sprinted to make DE&I commitments and pledges they didn’t have the infrastructure to achieve.
Approach DE&I goals with the same importance as financial targets or any other important business objectives. Ensure that they’re specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (yes, the best DE&I goals are SMART). Clearly explain expectations for managers, provide any necessary training and resources, set timelines and address progress toward goals during performance reviews.
True diversity and inclusion can be transformative.
Driving systemic change in DE&I builds the capacity to make meaningful change as employees feel seen and heard. This connection can enrich company culture, add to employee retention and increase discretionary effort and fresh approaches that make the company more profitable.
When businesses succeed at DE&I, they can expand their efforts to benefit the vendors in their supply chain, the communities in which they work and the customers who derive value from their innovations.
Meaningful DE&I change takes intentionality, patience and nimbleness; leaders shouldn’t be afraid to regroup and revise their strategy if they realize their company’s DE&I efforts aren’t sustainable or deep enough to matter. When diversity, equity and inclusion work is thoughtful and effective, leaders and their companies can change their workforce and impact the world.
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