Measuring diversity without measuring inclusion is fruitless
According to CNBC, Big Tech companies, such as Facebook, Google, Apple and Microsoft have been publishing annual diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I) reports that focus on representation since 2014. However, few have made much ground.
We’ve seen sizeable budgets created for this work, with minimal change. Organizations are hiring more and more in this space, with the goal of appointing leaders who can drive and strategize inclusion, to create more equitable workplaces, with an employee-base that reflects that the societies which use the products and solutions they create.
But yet, time and time again, we’re seeing little to no movement. Why is that?
Diversity without inclusion is fruitless
This work is becoming more of a priority, yet many methods remain the same. Can we expect things to change when we continue to use the same methods, over and over again? Obviously not.
When we talk about “diversity,” we are typically speaking about representation from underrepresented groups, whether that be people of colour, disabled people, LGBT+ people, underrepresented genders and so on. Representation is a marker of potential inclusion, but it does not dictate an inclusive workplace. Representation signifies that people may have been hired/promoted into roles, however, this does not signify their experience when they get there. What do attrition or retention rates look like for these groups?
It’s also important to note that not all representation is good representation. Remember that we cannot assume someone is inclusive, simply because they are a member of an underrepresented group. Internalized misogyny, racism, homophobia, etc are all very real things. Representation doesn’t signify an inclusive organization on its own.
What gets measured gets done
You’ll have heard this phrase over and over again, but how are you mapping it to your inclusion work? Do you measure inclusion, and if you do, do you measure it more granularly than attrition and retention only?
Data is key here. There is no arguing with data. It is plain and simple. For many years, professionals have viewed inclusion as immeasurable, meaning inclusion-focused initiatives had not been measured as a success or a failure, without long-drawn out efforts which haven’t yielded the impact expected.
Inclusion can be measured. People’s perceptions around diversity, inclusiveness and non-discrimination are key, ensuring the overlay of underrepresented groups to slice this data. Do Black women in the U.S. feel a different sense of belonging than Black women in the U.K.? Do disabled employees feel differently about benefits and reward than non-disabled employees? Do older employees feel differently about diversity than younger employees? All of these are very real questions that must be answered.
Using a listening platform is key to listen at scale. 1:1 sessions, employee resource group roundtables or group facilitated conversations aren’t good enough - they demand a level of privilege to share, feel psychological safe and be in the sphere to be asked.
It also means you don’t have a scalable solution - what about these very same people’s views in 1 month’s time? In 1 year’s time?
Consider what “being included” meant for people at the start of 2020, to March 2020 when Covid-19 lockdowns began, to the summer after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police brutality, to September when corporate support for Black people didn’t turn to action, leaving people disappointed and finally to the end of year with new lockdowns, a new U.S. administration. Not to mention, the start of 2021 with an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. All of these events shape societal views and therefore, they shape your employees views and needs. If you’re not capturing this, you’ve no way of telling if your work is meeting their needs.
How to use data in DE&I strategies
Data is crucial in your strategy. Here are some ways you can incorporate it into your strategy.
Utilize an Applicant Tracking System
Using this kind of system, you should be able to concisely see who is coming into your talent pipeline (and more importantly, who isn’t) and where they are falling out of the process. This allows you to get a clear understanding of bias that will exist, and be able to intervene to remedy this. Remember that racism, sexism and ableism is not always obvious, and it will manifest itself in who hiring managers and team leads define as “good enough” to progress.
Capture protected characteristic data
Knowing who works in your company is key. You cannot define where you want to go if you don’t know where you are right now. Trust must be embedded to enable employees to feel comfortable sharing this data. To do this, you should be clear on why you’re asking it, who has access, what it’s being used for, how often you’ll report on it and what insights you hope to get from it. Ensure your Legal teams are involved in this process.
This data overlaps. No one fits in one singular box so remember, intersectionality is key!
Listen at scale
Listening and capturing perceptions cannot be done in 1:1’s, facilitated or group sessions only. Invest in a tool which enables you to have a clear touch point and temperature check on how people feel from all different backgrounds (using the overlay of anonymised protected characteristic data). Do not assume that your workplace is inclusive because you get an overall positive perception - again, digging deeper is key.
Overlay DE&I data on all your processes
Promotion rounds, grievances raised, probation passing - all of it. It is impossible to genuinely state if your processes are equitable or fair if you don’t have proof. It is not good enough to assume things are ok, because the people in charge of the processes are “nice people”. “Nice” isn’t good enough. “Nice” isn’t anti-racist, anti-sexist, and so on.
Be clear on what “good” looks like. How will you determine if things are fair and what will you do if you determine they aren’t? A clear policy and code of conduct is needed to deal with employees who are discriminating or being biased. This must be applied regardless of level. No one is above this.
Embed action
Gathering data, and having employees share sensitive information with you is pointless if you don’t do anything with it. Be clear on action, reporting lines and regularity of updates. This means people are clear on what’s happening and why. Again, it is key that when employees are not inclusive or are discriminatory, consequences must be had. Otherwise, data is just a talking point.
Gathering data and using it may seem like a daunting task, however it is a necessity. DE&I leaders and companies prioritising this work must invest in building trust and accountability in their workforces, enabling them to go on this journey with clear metrics on what success (and failure) looks like.
Data capture is a necessity, alongside action afterwards. Capturing data with no action or strategy is pointless.
This means having an experienced DE&I leader to lead this work - do not confuse passion for skillset. This work is too important.
We cannot continue with the same vague, immeasurable approach to DE&I - it simply doesn’t work and it allows organizations and leaders to skirt responsibility and accountability. That must stop, now.
