Guest: Three steps to building a DEI plan

Three steps to building a DEI plan

DIMA GHAWI

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, and inclusion (DEI) has become much more than a “nice to have.” In recent years, there has been a strong shift in business thought as strong DEI teams provide a definitive competitive advantage. While many organizations are moving in the right direction by increasing their focus in this area, a majority of these companies are rushing to join this wave without the proper direction or guidance.

Creating a thoughtful DEI strategy can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With more than 20 years of experience leading global teams and increasing diversity within Fortune 20 organizations, I want to share three steps that are foundational to building an impactful DEI plan.

1. Get employee input to understand the organization’s

current. A successful DEI strategy begins with a strong understanding of the business’s starting point. We accomplish this by looking inward and identifying possible challenges and strong suits within the organization. The best way to find the pulse of DEI within the organization is to listen to employees. In most companies, executives hold the power and determine which DEI initiatives will be implemented. However, for the organization’s culture to truly change, we must account for employee needs. A bottom-up approach asks employees for their feedback regularly and utilizes DEI surveys and focus groups to recenter the DEI strategy on targets that matter. This step ensures that the final initiatives and workshops are relevant to the team’s needs.

2. Pinpoint areas of focus. Once we have listened to employees and analyzed their feedback, we can better address specific areas that require attention within our organization. Here are some common focal points of a DEI strategy:

• Recruitment and advancement. Research and understand the systematic barrier that historically affects the recruitment and advancement of marginalized groups and actively seek a diverse group of candidates. Training to guard against unconscious bias should be commonplace for hiring managers as well as team leaders to ensure that stereotypes, prejudices and misconceptions do not affect business decisions. Finally, implement equitable advancement opportunities like diverse leadership pipelines or mentorship programs for underrepresented employees.

• Dialogue and education. Increased awareness leads to greater understanding and acceptance of minority communities. We can achieve this by scheduling ongoing workshops on DEI topics like working across generations, managing unconscious biases, and reviewing discrimination case studies. By creating employee resource groups, we promote inclusion by bringing together individuals with similar backgrounds, such as women, people of color, parents, or the LGBTQ+ community. These groups should be open to

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both members and allies as a space for open dialogue, nonjudgmental learning, and support.

• Internal and external communications. Regularly share the company’s focus on DEI throughout the organization using corporate values, the mission statement, and other forms of communications. Demonstrate commitment to these goals by creating feedback channels for employees to discuss recent workshops or privately file discrimination complaints. Once internal communication has been solidified, begin to look outward. Improve the overall brand by updating the company’s website to include a DEI page and post appropriately on social media about recent diversity efforts.

• Implementation through leadership. Showcase the leadership team’s commitment to DEI through monthly small group discussions with supportive executives and diverse employees. These conversations allow all members to gain a deeper understanding of workplace culture, DEI challenges, and successful initiatives. Additionally, integrate DEI measures into the leadership team’s performance evaluation and compensation plans to encourage improvement and action.

3. Establish a DEI council. A DEI council is a group of dedicated, passionate, and committed employees focusing on DEI priorities. This selected cohort will set short-term and long-term goals for the organization and manage their execution alongside executive sponsors. The size of this group depends on the scope of the company’s DEI strategy. From five members to as many as 20, the DEI council must be structured and collaborative to ensure participation and proper implementation of DEI programs. This group functions both as a DEI initiative as well as a professional development opportunity for members. While implementing a new

DEI strategy can feel overwhelming, it is important to know that we are not alone in our efforts. With support from diversity and inclusion consultants or well-informed teams, we can make positive progress through a phased approach. Start by identifying the low-hanging fruit—initiatives that target challenging areas. The main goal is to create momentum from employees, leaders, and executives. This buy-in will help propel us to real long-term change.

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