Black History Month happens to be the time for most leaders to assess their company’s DEI efforts. DEI consultant and author Dr. Nika White says it takes more to be an ally than adding a statement of inclusion. DEI efforts must be embedded in the ground floor of an organization.
It’s not unusual for companies to commit to diversity, equity, and inclusion – perhaps with the best intentions – and fail to follow through over time.Â
This might be because leadership failed to understand that DEI is not a one-time that is achieved and then forgotten. DEI, instead, is an ongoing journey, a job that is never finished.
Which raises this question for leaders in the tech industry: How committed are you to DEI – really?
Unfortunately, evidence suggests that for many tech companies, commitment is lacking.Â
Women hold just 26.7% of tech jobs in the U.S. compared to 73.3% for men, according to a report by the career-planning website ZippiaOpens a new window . Other statistics from that report: Black Americans hold 7% of tech jobs, even though they are 14% of the overall population.
There’s work to be done in diversifying the tech workforce, and what better time than Black History Month to begin to refocus your efforts? The good news: There are strategies companies can use to do a better job in the DEI space, resulting in a more diverse workforce and a culture that attracts top talent.Â
And young people especially want to work for organizations that value diversity. They are showing up to job interviews with a list of questions, and a high ranking on that list is this: “What are you doing to help manifest a strong culture of inclusion, equity, and belonging?†They will likely go elsewhere if you don’t have a satisfactory answer.
Of course, business leaders have to worry about the bottom line based on the nature of their jobs. If that makes you hesitant about fully embracing DEI, you will be happy to learn that there is evidence that diversity and profitability go hand-in-hand. A McKinsey & CompanyOpens a new window study found that diverse companies were more likely to outperform non-diverse companies when making money. The further good news is that this was true for both gender diversity and ethnic and cultural diversity.
So how can your tech company improve your diversity, equity, and inclusion score? Here are a few:
Revisit Job Requirements To Include Quality Candidates
What efforts are you making to encourage women and minorities to choose technology fields? Most jobs have minimal requirements for each position, which is understandable, but sometimes those requirements hinder hiring the most diverse – and potentially best – workforce. For example, your business may assign specific educational requirements to a job and hire only those who meet those degree or certification levels. Rethink whether that is necessary. Could a job be successfully filled by someone with relevant experience and essential skills but doesn’t meet those educational requirements?
See More: Building a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program That Actually Works
Encourage a Culture of Healthy Conflict
One of the advantages of a diverse workforce is that people come to the table with different life experiences and points of view, enabling them to see things in ways that others might not. This can lead to differences of opinion, but that’s an asset, not a flaw. Encouraging such banter produces greater problem-solving, a higher level of creativity, and greater innovation. That eventually leads to a more competitive advantage. So encourage disagreement and healthy conflict. Take note, though, that this cannot be done passively. It must be integrated into leadership, general communication, and company culture. In other words, people need to know without a doubt that they can offer opinions and insights contrary to the group consensus.
Create and Manage More Diversity
I’m sorry to report that diversity alone doesn’t necessarily bring results. It’s the effective management of that diversity that creates change. This is why we pair it with the concepts of inclusion and equity. Studies have shown that even in organizations that had a stated commitment to inclusion, employees often feel compelled to downplay their differences from the mainstream, avoid sticking up for their identity group, refrain from behavior commonly associated with a given identity, and even alter their attire, grooming, or mannerisms to make their identity less obvious. Those organizations weren’t as committed to inclusion as they claimed – or at least their employees didn’t think they were. That leads us to this next recommendation.
See More: 3 Levers to Focus On To Build a DEI Program That Actually Works
Foster a Feeling of Belongingness
Place a high emphasis on authenticity and a sense of belongingness. Create a culture of acceptance. If you have a leader high in belongingness and a high value of authenticity, you usually have a very inclusive environment. This means individuals are treated as insiders but allowed, encouraged, and welcomed to maintain authenticity in that workgroup. That’s as opposed to an environment of exclusion. What does that look like? That’s when people in an organization are not treated as insiders with unique value. Instead, they are viewed as the “other†or the “lesser than.†If the people on the outside view specific employees as insiders, then an issue that needs to be resolved exists. What does inclusion look like? Insiders of all types are welcomed and expected to keep a high level of authenticity.
Finally, make DEI a part of the employee life cycle right from the start, not something they learn about several weeks or even months into their employment. A DEI focus should begin even before an employee’s first day on the job. It should be part of employee recruitment and feature in the conversations during the interview period. This will help align the company’s and the job candidate’s values.
When the new employee comes on board, provide training initiatives, career development opportunities, and any necessary accommodations to help these employees succeed within the company.
That way, you will send an unmistakable message: You are committed to DEI and recognize it as a job that’s never finished.
How committed is your company to DEI? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .
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