Diversity and inclusion are lacking in most companies, both large and small. This is limiting the ability for organizations to optimize their success for the future. However, to increase diversity and inclusion, your organization must invest in a strategy.
The following 4-step strategy has been designed by two highly-respected professionals and experts to help your organization create a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
1.) You need to understand your metrics
How do businesses measure success? By analyzing data results. Along with sales, marketing and accounting, you should develop a method to the measure the amount of diversity and inclusion of employees at your organization. This will allow you to gain visibility and gain positive growth. To analyze the diversity in your company, take a look at the following:
- Resumes received
- Interviews granted
- Job offers extended
- Hires made
- Promotions and career development
- Turnover
Be sure to track this information across each business function and office/region of your organization. Once you are able to collect and analyze this data, “you are tracking what’s valued by your business.” In turn, you will be able to raise awareness and begin formulating a plan to ensure the important of diversity and inclusion.
2.) Train people to become more aware of their biases so they can start to counterbalance them and make better decisions
“A bias is a preference and mental shortcut that impairs rational judgement.”
Inherently, humans tend to associate with people who are similar to themselves. In the workplace, this may become an issue if it is not made consciously aware. It is helpful to create a work environment that encourages employees to engage in open discussions that acknowledge bias thinking/behavior, and work to solve the problem. “Phyllis Cheng, a workplace expert and former Director of Department of Fair Housing and Employment (DFEH), recommends a communication campaign with ‘consistent messaging that helps raise everyone’s awareness about unconscious biases that can affect our conduct. Letting everyone know that we all have unconscious biases, acknowledging them, and showing how they can impact the workplace starts the process of minimizing its negative impact on the workplace are ways to start that safe, informal discussion.’”
3.) You need to foster a supportive environment with opportunities for coaching and mentoring
Assuring young people will have mentors is a key component to a successful future for the work world. By providing professional connections, helping develop career skills and giving ideas on how to get ahead in your career, mentorship is essential.
Why should you care about mentors?
- Mentors provide a career playbook and expedite development
- Mentors open doors
- Mentors add credibility and personal branding
- Mentors increase odds for success
However, not everyone has access to a mentor that will help him or her along the way. Eileen Carey, peer mentor expert and co-founder of Glassbreakers, is working to increase opportunities through peer mentorships.
“The traditional mentorship program was established by men and was hierarchical — mentor, mentee — and when you look at the workforce, there are way too many mentees and not enough mentors. Peer mentorship allows you to have multiple mentors and support each other as you come up.”
With professional support and peer mentorships, young professionals will have a much higher chance at succeeding, and in turn, so will your company or organization.
4.) You need to create an HR system that helps minimize the bias in management’s decision-making
Relating back to the first point, you must be able to audit and assess the possible judgments made by your organization, and how it may be hindering opportunities for people in the minority.
“Phyllis Cheng notes that ‘an efficient way to screen out bias is to have a second and/or third person weigh in on management decisions such as interviewing, hiring, career development and discipline/termination. Audits can help discover problems and identify where bias may be negatively impacting the workplace.’”
Conclusion
Organizations and executive teams across the globe are recognizing the social demand for increased diversity and inclusion. In order to take steps forward to increasing diversity in your place of work, the next steps you should take may be as follows:
- Start with your metrics
- Start a dialogue and raise awareness
- Facilitate a supportive environment with coaching and mentoring
- Conduct audits and build a framework that screens our the bias in management decisions
After analyzing the data in your organization’s hiring process and promotion efforts, you’ll be able to effectively make smarter decisions and create diversity and inclusion. This will allow your business to prosper in a world of globalization and new ideas.
Source: http://blog.emtrain.com/4-great-ways-to-foster-diversity-in-the-workplace-and-stop-bias
