What is DEIB?
DEIB, or Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, is a concept that is becoming more and more crucial to a business’s long-term development and success. Companies in the top quartile of diversity are 36% more likely to exceed the financial returns of their industry medians, according to a McKinsey study. Furthermore, a study discovered that in order to bring about significant change in the workplace, nearly 80% of workers expect that their managers would execute and improve DEIB projects.
Let’s examine the definition of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), its importance, and how to promote DEIB within your company.
Together, the four ideas of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging can improve motivation, engagement, efficiency, success, and creativity at work. More than ever, HR departments and companies as a whole understand that DEIB projects can make the difference between an organization’s success and failure.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these four ideas.
- Diversity: This refers to several demographic aspects such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, location, and status of disabilities, among others. Your organization is more diversified the greater this range of demographics is. Still, having a diversified staff is insufficient. What counts is establishing a work climate that fosters and promotes a diverse workforce.
- Equity: Regardless of background, every employee in an equitable organization is given equal chances, fair treatment, and the tools necessary to succeed in their position.
- Inclusion: Regardless of differences, all staff members should be treated with consideration and respect in an inclusive work environment. They should also feel heard, respected, and welcomed. According to a Gartner analysis, inclusive teams outperform non-inclusive teams by up to 30%.
- Belonging: At work, every employee should have a sense of acceptance, worth, and voice. Creating a psychologically safe environment in which each team member can express themselves without worrying about criticism or retaliation is the essence of belonging.
No matter how long a worker has been with the business or team, they ought to feel valued and appreciated and be afforded the same opportunities and camaraderie as everyone else.
What makes belonging different from inclusion?
The terms inclusion and belonging have different meanings, but they are frequently used synonymously. The main distinction is that inclusion refers to the measures an organization takes, such as establishing fair and open employee practices, making the onboarding process friendly for new hires, and making sure all workers are always engaged and have their opinions heard.
In the meanwhile, an employee’s sense of belonging is influenced by their behaviors. Stated differently, it is the result of the behaviors and efforts for inclusion. A sense of recognition, respect, and value at work is a sign of belonging for employees. As a result, they have a great team dynamic and a deep bond with the company and their work.
It also has to do with an individual’s own motivation, which is an internal drive brought on by a sense of belonging and value. They feel fulfillment in their work and find it to be worthwhile, fascinating, and enjoyable.
Belonging and inclusion are intimately related concepts. To put it simply, it will be exceedingly difficult for people to feel like they belong in your organization if it is not inclusive. To maintain your employees’ sense of satisfaction and engagement at work, you must have a robust inclusion strategy.
DEI versus DEIB
DEI, or diversity, equity, and inclusion, are crucial elements that support the development of a sense of belonging. Their main concerns include integration, fair treatment, and representation of people from different backgrounds. DEI establishes a solid framework for creating a setting where everyone has a sense of belonging.
Having a sense of belonging at work guarantees that workers feel accepted, connected to their team and company, and that they are treated fairly in addition to seeing themselves represented.
Employee retention is low in organizations where they don’t feel like they belong. Because of this, belonging is now an essential part of DEIB.
Examples of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
The following examples of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging from various industries in the real world serve to highlight some of the typical challenges and the procedures needed to successfully adopt a DEIB framework.
Example 1: Women Influence Chicago
A Chicago-based startup incubator, 1871, and the DEIB consulting firm, Ethos, collaborated to establish a program for mid-career female engineers that will assist them in gaining the knowledge and abilities necessary to progress in their careers. The goal was to raise the proportion of female CTOs in the city’s IT industry.
They created a curriculum that included monthly discussions and mentor sessions to assist in integrating the strategies and techniques they taught. Also included were four workshops covering important topics like career development, management, negotiation, and effective communication.
Of the 17 women in the initial group, 16 succeeded in achieving their objective, which may have been a raise, a promotion, or the role of community thought leader.
Example 2: KPD Insurance
KDP Insurance intended to break the mold and current status quo of their industry, which saw middle-aged white women working mostly in service jobs and middle-aged white men holding ownership and sales positions. They aimed to establish a setting where everyone could thrive and contribute to greater diversity.
Percipio, a bias-specialist consultancy, collaborated with KPD to facilitate difficult dialogues that helped team members identify their own prejudices and to offer training that would result in long-lasting reform. KPD has been able to improve its hiring and retention procedures and establish a more inclusive workplace by putting DEIB practices into practice.
Workers have a stronger sense of community with one another, their jobs, and the company culture that fosters success for individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Example 3: The Poetry Foundation
In 2020, The Poetry Foundation was encouraged to present a strategy to address problematic practices within the organization and take steps to create a more equitable environment. After conducting an Equity Audit of the magazine’s published poets in collaboration with Ethos DEIB consultancy, they discovered that Black and Asian poets were disproportionately underrepresented.
Ethos spoke with the foundation’s staff, board members, and local residents in interviews. To find any inequalities, they also examined internal policies and practices.
The consulting firm provided recommendations based on the results, including creating an internal people operations team, diversifying the leadership team, empathetically resolving previous issues, and creating a formal leveling system.
Three BIPOC members joined the board in less than six months. The Poetry Foundation also established and implemented pay bands, held healing sessions with staff members to resolve previous issues, and invested in more HR resources.
The importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace
In today’s globalized business environment, incorporating DEIB principles is not only morally required, but also advantageous strategically. The following are some ways in which the interaction of the four components supports organizational success:
- Raising retention rates: According to an Achievers Workforce Institute survey, 5% of respondents with a low sense of belonging rarely consider looking for a job elsewhere, compared to 40% of respondents with a high sense of belonging that rarely think about doing so. Additionally, BetterUp discovered that DEIB programs can cut the risk of turnover by 50%.
- Increasing employee engagement: Workers are far more inclined to go above and beyond the call of duty at work when they feel appreciated and a part of the team. This encourages their peers to follow suit, raising the group’s general involvement levels.
- Increasing productivity: Workers perform better at work when they are supported and feel safe. According to 45% of respondents in the same Achievers research who have a strong sense of belonging, they are at their most productive when at work. Just 6% of those who don’t feel like they belong express that. Furthermore, according to BetterUp, effective DEIB programs can lead to a 75% drop in sick days and a 56% boost in job performance.
- Boosting your employer brand: Compared to 4% of respondents who had a low sense of belonging, 51% of respondents who had a high sense of belonging would recommend their organization as an excellent place to work. DEIB projects have the potential to raise employee net promoter scores by 167%.
- Increasing bias awareness: Putting DEIB efforts into practice at work helps raise awareness of unconscious prejudice in a variety of contexts, including hiring, performance reviews, promotions, and raises.
- Expanding your talent pool: Regardless of what an organization claims on its website, prospects may easily discover what it’s really like to work for with a few clicks thanks to the increased transparency that’s accessible today (e.g., employee evaluations on websites like Glassdoor). Candidates from Generation Z and Millennials are more inclined to apply to work for an organization if they can see that company is actively committed to DEIB. According to an EY poll, 68% of Millennials and 73% of Gen Z would pick a company that promotes DE&I over one that does not.
DEIB problems
Although many contemporary businesses understand the advantages of DEIB, accomplishing these goals can be difficult and bring its own set of difficulties.
Let’s study a few of them.
- Resentment towards DEIB divisions
Numerous organizations let go of DEI workers in the wake of the 2022 and 2023 tech layoffs, and the number of job postings fell. This implies a lack of satisfaction with DEIB departments and the improvements and benefits they provide to the company.
According to Gartner research, an increasing proportion of workers perceive their workplace’s DEIB initiatives as divisive and feel estranged from them, which makes them resentful.
- Remaining in compliance
The US Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision on affirmative action in college admissions in June 2023. This ruling overturned Harvard College’s and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s affirmative action policies for student admissions.
The decision affects university admissions specifically, but it also has wider ramifications for corporate hiring policies and other DEIB activities. For instance, it’s possible that companies’ implementation of these programs will come under more legal scrutiny. In order to comply with the legal precedents established by this decision, they might need to review their DEIB strategy.
In order to stop discrimination throughout the hiring process, additional laws and regulations are in place as well (such as those enforced by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance, or OFCCP), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Adhering to all relevant legislation is crucial while developing and executing DEIB activities.
- Improving recruitment methods
Adopting inclusive recruiting procedures, getting rid of unconscious prejudice, and drawing in more applicants from other backgrounds are some of the best ways to create and preserve a diverse staff. This can be difficult, though, if you don’t know where to look to identify applicants who would fit in well with your organization’s culture.
Furthermore, it will probably be difficult for you to draw in top applicants who genuinely care about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging if you don’t have any other DEIB programs in place to show your dedication to the cause.
- Instruction for DEIB
Ensuring that every worker is aware of their prejudices or know what to do if they or another worker is confronted with inequality, marginalization, or prejudice is a significant challenge when training your entire workforce on DEIB best practices.
Annual workshops and training have been shown to temporarily increase DEIB, although employees frequently progressively revert to their pre-training behaviors after the training.
Additionally, you must ensure that your trainings adhere to the laws and guidelines mentioned above.
- How to Measure DEIB
Employers frequently use employee surveys to gauge the effectiveness of their DEIB programs. Nevertheless, there is rarely 100% involvement, and they frequently fall short of probing deeply into the feelings of candidates and staff. Furthermore, issues are often allowed to fester before being recognized, and it may take a long time before significant improvements are made.
How to Promote Belonging, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity
Creating a creative and productive work atmosphere where each person feels respected and empowered requires embracing DEIB. Here are some pointers to assist you in tackling some of the typical DEIB issues and developing an inclusive work environment in your company.
- Approach DEIB comprehensively
Rather than concentrating on DEIB initiatives with high visibility, concentrate your efforts on integrating DEIB into the core business. This strategy is frequently thought to be more genuine, which increases its likelihood of being adopted and working. This is known as Systemic DEIB.
Establish inclusive policies by paying equal wages and providing equal access to training and education. Give a clear definition of your position on certain matters, outline the steps you are taking to alleviate inequality, and discuss your long-term objectives.
HR should work with the marketing team to create authentic, persuasive material for internal and external DEIB discussions.
Once your message is understood, it’s critical to take appropriate action.
For instance, you might wish to go from conventional criteria like degrees and demographics to a skill- and behavior-based strategy if you want to provide more people with access to opportunities.
To boost diversity, you might also look at different talent pools, such as developing an apprenticeship or internship program or leveraging the potential of the hidden workforce. This phrase describes people who are eager and able to work but are either unemployed or underemployed at the moment, frequently as a result of multiple obstacles like caregiving obligations, disability, or a lack of traditional credentials.
- The foundation for growth is DEI
People will find it difficult to feel like they belong in a workplace that lacks diversity, inclusivity, and equity, as we have already established.
When you shift your perspective to consider how everyone in the company can prosper, you will notice both minor and significant changes that can be made to benefit everyone.
Lorraine Vargas-Townsend, the Chief People Officer of ESO, spoke about the following important questions to think about:
- Which mix of individuals occupies each leadership position?
- Are all the voices in the room being acknowledged and heard equally?
- Can each employee contribute in a way that feels comfortable, using their individual talents and gifts?
These are easy methods to find out if you have a diverse, inclusive workplace where employees feel like they belong.
- Pay attention to your goals
More than ever, people are searching for meaning in their work. This indicates that they want to align themselves with the vision and mission of the company they work for, or are interested in working for, in the workplace. These are the “what,” “how,” and “why” of the business.
Examine the purpose and vision statements of your own organization. How are they put together? Do they still embody the core values of your business, or do they require updating?
Second, you must make your vision and objective clear. You want it to be nearly impossible for potential employees to overlook the goal of your business. Ensure that it appears on the business website and think about adding it to the email signature used by your company.
You might wish to include it in job postings as well. Candidates will be gently introduced to your goal and values in this way, allowing them to assess your compatibility with their own values and learn more about who you are and what you stand for.
- Recognize that not everyone is a fit for your business
That not everyone can work for your company is a positive thing. To make sure that a candidate’s expectations are satisfied, it is important to be open and honest about your values and the work environment.
This will raise the quantity of applications from qualified applicants who will flourish in your company and discourage inappropriate candidates from applying for your available positions. In addition, it will lower the rates of turnover for new hires.
Not everyone will be suited for your mission. On the other hand, it will help those who do connect with your mission feel like they belong.
- Track and evaluate progress using data
It’s critical to monitor and evaluate the appropriate data in order to assess the effectiveness of your DEIB initiatives. For example, tracking data throughout the entire employment process might help you identify areas where your recruitment tactics are not working. Although a wide range of talented candidates may apply for your available positions, it’s possible that only a small percentage of them pass the evaluation or resume screening stages.
This may indicate that there is some pay bias in your hiring procedure. Or, it may suggest that a minor adjustment to your recruitment strategy will raise the proportion of diverse candidates who move on to the interview and hiring stages.
In addition to KPIs related to recruitment, you can monitor:
- Employee advancement/promotion rate: This statistic shows the rate of advancement that various employees receive within your company. The rates of promotions for various employee groups can be compared.
- Metrics centered on projects: Establish objectives for your DEIB projects, then give metrics to each one so you can monitor your progress and adjust as necessary.
Distribute questionnaires to staff members on a regular basis to get their input on how well you are accomplishing your DEIB objectives and keeping your word.
- Make a conscious effort
Belonging does not just happen, and it is even more difficult when the company is rapidly expanding. It requires deliberate action on your part.
Here are some everyday examples of what this means:
Team leaders are responsible for ensuring that everyone is heard. Provide a gentle prod if any team members, for example, are reluctant to speak up during meetings or group discussions. That doesn’t mean that you confront them. Try to get them to prepare their remarks by providing them with advance access to the meeting agenda.
Respond to feedback that you get. This could also imply that you are not going to be able to address this at this time. People will feel overlooked, undervalued, or unheard if there is radio silence, and this undermines their feeling of community.
Giving employees in your company the chance to discover their tribe inside the tribe—an affinity group or employee resource group (ERG)—is another strategy to promote a sense of belonging. These groups give people the chance to connect with one another through shared interests or traits.
- Incorporate your gig workers fully
The majority of businesses employ a combination of full-time staff, independent contractors, freelancers, and other contingent labor. Regrettably, many companies handle their contingent workers in a different way than their “regular” employees. Here are a few cases where this may show up:
- Not making timely payments to their contract workers
- Not providing them with all the information they require to do their duties effectively
- Not bringing temporary employees along to team or business functions.
Being a truly inclusive firm is challenging if you aren’t fostering an atmosphere where all employees, regardless of contract length, feel heard, respected, and connected in some way. When creating your DEIB efforts, don’t forget about your gig and temporary employees.
- Set a good example
Trust is a key component in creating a varied, inclusive, and egalitarian atmosphere where individuals feel like they belong. But how can trust be developed?
Leaders who demonstrate their vulnerabilities to their staff might gain their trust. For instance, discussing their hopes, worries, and past and present challenges. In a lot of workplace environments, leaders are seen as idols, spoken about and seen almost like celebrities. Leaders must show they are human in order to humanize the workplace. This builds empathy, which in turn fosters trust.
It’s crucial for leaders to hold other people in leadership roles responsible and to set an example of the change they want to see. This consists of:
- Increasing one’s awareness of implicit prejudices
- Paying attention to what coworkers have to say
- Amplifying others’ voices
One of your top priorities for developing your DEIB initiatives should be setting an example for others to follow.
In sum
By 2026, businesses are expected to spend a total of $15.4 billion (more than twice as much as they did in 2016) on DEI-related projects. DEIB has shaped and will continue to define the workplace of the future, therefore it is imperative that you begin transforming your company into a more varied, egalitarian, and inclusive one where everyone feels like they belong.
DEIB can benefit your bottom line by increasing productivity, retention rates, and talent pool strength. It can also positively affect your employees by making them happier and more engaged at work. Make the most of the advice we’ve provided to help underrepresented groups, strengthen DEIB programs, and foster a more welcoming work environment where everyone can succeed.
