WORKFORCE DIVERSITY EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI) IN AN ORGANIZATION

GLOBAL  CONTEXT

In the modern era, the corporate world has expanded its focus on diversity and inclusion. The major reasons for this transformation are an increase in the participation of women workers, and the involvement of people belonging to different backgrounds and multiple generations. While there have been many points in history where society reflects on expectations of diversity and inclusion, an actual opportunity for change. As employees across the world engage in discussions of racial justice, leaders are grasping this moment to regard their roles and possibilities to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in their organizations. 

In this Gartner ThinkCast special series on the Executives' Role in Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Kasey Panetta interviews Lauren Romansky, Managing VP of the Gartner HR practice

The evolution of the Global Impact of Generational shifts involvement, expansion and application of DEI happened in less than a decade. Further, a study conducted by Miller and Katz (2002) shifted the discourse from managing diversity to leveraging diversity, which emphasized that merely adopting the practices to manage the diverse workforce will not serve the purpose, rather organizations should take a step further and adopt initiatives that help organizations to leverage or capitalize diversity for achieving and sustaining higher performance. Several other authors have explicitly stated that current diversity efforts have led to the emergence of the concept of inclusion (Sabharwal, 2015). As a result, the term ‘inclusion’ was paired with diversity in the 1990s (Holvino et al., 2004). Therefore, the concept of inclusion needs to be examined along with diversity so that important questions about leveraging the potential of a diverse workforce can be answered.

Figure 1. Number of Research Papers Indexed by Thomson Reuters SSCI and ESCI (2010–2017)

Source: Social Sciences Citation Index, Emerging Sources Citation Index and SCImago.

Farndale, E., Biron, M., Briscoe, D.R. and Raghuram, S., 2015. Insighted there were three challenges in DEI in a Global context.

1.  Develop more context-specific definitions of diversity and inclusion.
2. Include dimensions pertinent to a global context in the definition of diversity and inclusion
3. Consider the impact of diversity and inclusion practices on performance outcomes across countries as well as within multinational corporations.

These challenges were based on three diversity and inclusion lenses –

                                                                                       

   GENDER         AGE        NATIONALITY

  

                

Benefits of having a Diverse workforce

• Increase in Creativity and Innovation

Individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences collaborate, which tends to bring different ideas and perspectives which can lead to creative problem solving strategies and innovations. It encourages individuals to think outside of the box in new possibilities and opportunities which would lead to more creative solutions. ( Cox 1994)

• Assist businesses in better understanding

A diverse workforce will have an impact on organizations with a better understanding of organizational goals and servicing the customers. With a more diverse world organisations must ensure that the workforce reflects the diversity of the customer base. By employing from diverse backgrounds and cultures organizations can get important insights into the needs and preferences of different customer segments. this ultimately can result in enhancing customer service loyalty and the profitability of the company.

• Key Element in Talent Recruitment

In the competitive job market when recruiting talent organizations can attract applicants and seek out employers who value diversity and inclusion. this could preserve top talent. Therefore organizations that are known for their commitment to diversity and inclusion have a better chance of attracting top talent.

• A valuable addition to employee Retention

A diverse workforce can aid in employee retention, as individuals are more likely to

remain with employers who respect and value their unique perspectives and contributions.

A diverse workforce can ultimately result in a more positive workplace culture.

•  Adopts a Positive Workplace Culture

Employees are engaged and committed to their work when they feel valued and respected for their differences. A positive workplace culture can result in increased productivity, decreased employer

 turnover and a more enjoyable dynamic valuable workplace for all.

Benefits of having Equity in a Work Space

Equality in the workplace is a critical code that's important in treating all individuals equally,

without discrimination or prejudice. It operates with many principles and values created to ensure the employees are treated fairly and equitably, regardless of their race, gender, age, religion or other personal characteristics. Ient that encourages mutual respect

• Building Trust
• Better Team Work
• Increase of productivity
• Employee Satisfaction 
• Profitability

Importance of Inclusion in the workplace

Inclusion in the workplace refers to fostering a welcoming and diverse work environment where

every employee feels valued, respected, appreciated and welcomed. a diverse work environment is an inclusion in the workplace. In modern workplace culture, its importance has increased in recent years.  a welcoming and diverse environment that values and respects people of all backgrounds. This includes providing equal opportunities for all employees to succeed, promoting open communication and cooperation, and facilitating a culture of inclusivity.

• Improves employee morale
• Increase productivity
• Better job performance
• The better bottom line for business

Challenges in DEI at Organizations

• Lack of Diversity at the Top Level of an organization

One of the biggest challenges in DEI in the workplace is the lack of diversity at the

top of organisations. While many organisations have tried to diversify their workforce, the

number of women and minorities in executive positions remains low. This lack of diversity at the

top can create a culture where DEI is not a priority and can limit opportunities for

underrepresented groups.

• Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias refers to individuals' subtle, often unintentional, biases towards certain groups. These biases can manifest in hiring decisions, promotions, and performance evaluations, among other areas.

To address unconscious bias, organisations can provide training to employees on recognising and

overcoming their biases.

• Resistance to Change

Some employees may resist new policies or practices aimed at promoting DEI, which can create

tension and conflict in the workplace

• Lack of Accountability

Another challenge is the lack of accountability for DEI initiatives. Some organisations may implement DEI initiatives but might fail to hold individuals accountable for their success or failure.

• Tokenism

Tokenism refers to hiring or promoting individuals from underrepresented groups exclusively to create the appearance of diversity. To address tokenism, organisations must prioritise hiring and promoting individuals based on their qualifications and abilities rather than their race, gender, or other characteristics. Additionally, organisations can establish diversity metrics that measure the diversity of the workforce at all levels rather than just at the entry level.

DEI is a critical element of a successful business and sustainable workforce. Organisations prioritising DEI can reap the advantages of improved performances, Increased innovation, and higher employee engagement and retention rates. However, implementing DEI  procedures can present several challenges, and it needs long-term commitment from organisations to create a culture that prioritises DEI. Eventually, a diverse and inclusive workforce is necessary to meet the developing needs of today's global Organizations as well as economies.

References

https://www.gartner.com/en/podcasts/thinkcast/advancing-diversity-equity-inclusion-what-organizations-get-wrong

 

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