The problem with D&I initiatives? They’re often not diverse or inclusive

Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) have been firmly written into the HR landscape of most companies now, and it’s not only a nice to have. McKinsey’s research has found that companies identified as diverse and inclusive are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors.

But after more than two years of disrupted working and a rocky path for many businesses as they navigate the new normal of hybrid working, many organisations are still clinging to an out of date, top-down approach to diversity and inclusion. With leaders seeing it as a tick box exercise, without much substance beneath the surface.

This approach to D&I is neither diverse nor inclusive. It relies on ‘same old’ ideas, and doesn’t help employees feel heard or valued.

Case in point? The organisations that roll out the cupcakes every March 8 for International Women’s Day, but don’t actually commit to consistent efforts around gender equality or inclusion every other day of the year.

So how can smart companies take a holistic, longer-term view of diversity and inclusion, and use it to make their business stronger in the long term?

Focus on what’s strong, not just what’s wrong

As with most things, it’s easier to point out the problems than it is to find solutions. The best way to identify what’s working well is to ask your people — and not just those in management positions.

Often people on the ground have the best insights and ideas about the business — let’s face it, they’re the ones who’re speaking to your customers and clients, or struggling with processes or practices that aren’t working well.

One HR Leader recently shared that they encouraged their CEO to do a regular walk around the office, to speak in-person with team members and ask questions, something they were incredibly uncomfortable doing. The result? Their chief exec was inspired by the insights and ideas people shared, and has started incorporating this walk around into part of their regular schedule, and their team love having the opportunity to share.

Once you’re clearer on what’s strong and what’s wrong, you can put strategies into place to leverage the good, and do away with the bad.

Ask questions and embrace diverse perspectives

We all know assumptions can be our downfall, but many business leaders still assume rather than ask.

Create opportunities to ask questions about the current environment and culture and how it is or isn’t supporting diverse thinking. Invite people with diverse perspectives to be part of the conversation, as these perspectives play a crucial role in achieving business outcomes.

Town halls, focus groups, listening sessions and one-to-one conversations are all great opportunities, and make clear that every voice is equally important.

Consider creating in-house events facilitated by external consultants, who can interview your people and bring a bird’s eye view of what’s happening in your business. These events are also a great way to re-engage with teams who have been dispersed by remote working, especially as a way to re-connect with people and help them bring out their best, despite being physically dispersed a lot of the time.

Collaboration creates cohesion

We can’t have a business that’s truly diverse and inclusive until D&I is considered and embedded in every decision being made in the business. It should be treated as a priority rather than an obligation, and considered as a tool to achieve strategic operational and people goals.

While it takes longer to be truly collaborative in co-designing and co-creating new models within the business, it’s worth the effort to lay solid foundations for diverse thinking and an inclusive culture. One where people truly feel they belong and can bring their best selves to work.

Be sure to walk the walk

Are you walking the walk (not just talking the talk) when it comes to embedding D&I within your organisation? If there’s a difference between what your business says it values on the page, and what your actions, behaviours and reward structures show you value, people will sense there’s a disconnect.

When D&I feels tokenistic rather than authentic, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on, and time and resources dedicated to strategy offsites, leadership meetings and external programs will not deliver the desired return on investment.

One HR Leader recently shared the importance of underpinning any tokenistic gestures with genuine substance and solid, longer-term groundwork. For example, sending the message that leadership values the people within their team by putting small and large meaningful projects into place. A great way to frame this is by saying: “You said… We heard… So we’re doing…”

This helps people feel listened to, heard and acknowledged.

Another leader shared their organisation’s ‘welcome back’ campaign around employees coming back to the office — for example creating a pet wall where people could put up photos of the pets at home they were missing. It created a sense of community and talking point, but was also supported by genuine and meaningful help with transitioning back into the office, rather than just being seen as a tokenistic gesture.

Avoid exclusion or ‘othering’

Diversity and inclusion aren’t just about giving a voice to the less represented groups within your organisation. If we ‘other’ people in more highly represented groups, it can lead to feelings of being under attack then push back and defensive behaviour. It’s also not modelling genuine inclusion.

Ultimately, we want to create an environment where we attract diverse thinkers and contributors, where all voices feel welcomed and culturally safe. It’s the key to attracting and retaining the best people, and enabling them to do their best work.

Is your organisation taking a truly diverse and inclusive approach to D&I? If not, now’s the ideal time to start the conversation.