presentation on diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Diversity and inclusion presentation: The all-in-one guide

Learn everything you need to know about from planning and delivery to tips for engaging your audience.

Raja Bothra

Building presentations

Hey there, fellow presenters!

Today, we're diving deep into the world of diversity and inclusion presentations.

Whether you're an experienced presenter or just getting started, this all-in-one guide will equip you with the knowledge and tools to create compelling presentations that promote diversity and inclusion in your organization.

So, let's embark on this enlightening journey together!

What is diversity?

Diversity is more than just a buzzword; it's the beautiful tapestry of differences that make our world unique. In a workplace context, diversity encompasses a wide range of characteristics, including race, gender, ethnicity, background, and more. Embracing diversity means recognizing and valuing these differences, making space for everyone's unique perspectives.

What is inclusion?

Now, let's talk about inclusion. Inclusion goes hand in hand with diversity. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued. Inclusion means removing barriers and fostering a sense of belonging for all employees, regardless of their background or characteristics.

Benefits and challenges of diversity and inclusion

Now, let's delve deeper into the compelling world of diversity and inclusion, exploring the remarkable benefits they bring to the workplace, as well as the complex challenges that must be addressed. When done right, diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords; they are powerful tools that can transform your organization in the following ways:

Benefits of diversity and inclusion

• Improved decision-making: Imagine a team where each member brings a unique perspective to the table. Diverse teams are more likely to consider a wider range of perspectives, leading to more creative and innovative solutions. When individuals from various backgrounds collaborate, they bring fresh ideas and approaches that can revolutionize decision-making.
• Increased creativity and productivity: Diversity of thought and experience can act as a catalyst for new and better ideas, products, and services. When individuals with different life experiences come together, they spark a synergy that drives creativity and boosts productivity.
• Stronger business results: Research has repeatedly demonstrated that companies with diverse and inclusive workforces perform better financially. Embracing diversity isn't just a moral imperative; it's also a smart business strategy.
• Improved employee engagement and satisfaction: Employees are more likely to be engaged and satisfied with their jobs when they feel valued and respected for their unique contributions. Inclusivity fosters an environment where every team member feels heard and appreciated.
• Reduced turnover: Employees are more likely to stay with a company that values diversity and inclusion. When individuals feel a sense of belonging and see their contributions recognized, they are less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.
• Enhanced brand reputation: Companies that are seen as diverse and inclusive are not only attractive to customers but also to potential employees. A reputation for inclusivity can set your organization apart in a competitive job market.

Challenges of diversity and inclusion

However, it's crucial to acknowledge that the path to diversity and inclusion isn't without its obstacles. Some of the challenges include:

• Unconscious bias: We all have unconscious biases, which can lead to discrimination and exclusion. These biases are often deeply ingrained and require conscious effort to address.
• Communication barriers: Language and cultural differences can create communication challenges within diverse teams. Effective cross-cultural communication is key to breaking down these barriers.
• Power dynamics: People from different backgrounds may have varying levels of power and privilege. Navigating these dynamics can be complex and requires a commitment to creating an inclusive environment.
• Fear of change: Change can be intimidating, and some individuals may resist diversity and inclusion efforts out of fear or discomfort. It's essential to provide education and support to address these concerns.

Overcoming the challenges

To overcome these challenges, organizations can take proactive steps:

• Provide training and education on unconscious bias: Awareness is the first step towards change. Training programs can help individuals recognize their biases and take steps to mitigate them.
• Create opportunities for cross-cultural communication and collaboration: Encourage employees to learn from each other and build relationships across different backgrounds. This can foster mutual understanding and respect.
• Implement policies and procedures that promote equity and inclusion: Diversity recruiting, anti-discrimination policies, and unconscious bias training for managers are just a few examples of measures that can promote equity and inclusion.
• Create a culture of respect and inclusion: Valuing all employees for their unique contributions and creating a workplace where everyone feels safe and welcome is at the core of diversity and inclusion efforts.

By understanding both the remarkable benefits and complex challenges of diversity and inclusion, organizations can take concrete steps to create a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

How to structure an effective diversity and inclusion presentation

Creating an impactful diversity and inclusion presentation is like sculpting a work of art – it requires careful planning, skill, and a deep understanding of your audience. A well-structured presentation can make all the difference in conveying your message effectively.

Here's a comprehensive breakdown of how to structure your diversity and inclusion presentation, inspired by best practices:

1. Start with a compelling introduction:

Begin with a captivating hook that grabs your audience's attention. Share a real-life story, a compelling statistic, or a thought-provoking quote related to diversity and inclusion. Make your audience curious and eager to learn more.

2. Define key terms:

Clear communication is essential. Start by defining essential terms like diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging. Ensure that your audience comprehends these concepts from the get-go. Provide real-world examples to illustrate each term.

3. Discuss the benefits of diversity and inclusion:

Delve into the many advantages of embracing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Explain how diverse teams lead to improved decision-making, increased creativity, heightened productivity, and enhanced financial performance. Use real-life case studies or success stories to underscore your points.

4. Identify the challenges of diversity and inclusion:

Honesty is key when addressing the challenges organizations may face in promoting diversity and inclusion. Acknowledge issues such as unconscious bias, communication barriers, power dynamics, and the fear of change. Relate these challenges to real-world scenarios to make them relatable to your audience.

5. Offer solutions to the challenges:

Transition smoothly from discussing challenges to presenting actionable solutions. Share strategies and best practices that organizations can implement to overcome these obstacles. Emphasize the importance of unconscious bias training, cross-cultural communication, diversity recruiting, and the creation of inclusive policies.

6. End with a compelling call to Action:

Leave a lasting impression by concluding your presentation with a strong call to action. Encourage your audience to take concrete steps towards promoting diversity and inclusion in their workplaces or communities. This could include further education, engagement in diversity initiatives, or supporting organizations dedicated to diversity and inclusion efforts.

When delivering your presentation, remember to incorporate visuals, stories, and real-world examples to engage your audience and make your message memorable. Be prepared to answer questions and be open to feedback. Maintain a respectful and positive tone throughout, avoiding stereotypes or generalizations.

Finally, remain optimistic about the future of diversity and inclusion, and convey that positivity to your audience. By following this structured approach, your diversity and inclusion presentation will undoubtedly make a lasting impact.

Do’s and don'ts on a diversity and inclusion presentation

Now, let's explore some do's and don'ts when creating diversity and inclusion presentations:

• Embrace diversity in your organization.
• Celebrate differences and promote acceptance.
• Value the contribution of every team member.
• Promote a culture of equality and fairness.
• Use diverse templates and designs to emphasize your message.

Don't:

• Use discriminatory language or behavior.
• Rely on stereotypes.
• Exclude anyone from the conversation.
• Neglect to emphasize the value of diversity.
• Use slang or phrases that may be offensive or exclusionary.

Summarizing key takeaways

• Diversity includes differences like race and gender.
• Inclusion fosters a respectful environment.
• Better decision-making, creativity, and satisfaction.
• Stronger results and reduced turnover.
• Unconscious bias and communication barriers.
• Bias training and inclusive policies.
• Respect and a culture of inclusion.
• Start strong, define key terms, discuss benefits and challenges, and end with a call to action.

Inclusivity is not just a checkbox; it's a principle that should be ingrained in every aspect of your organization. When you emphasize diversity and inclusion, you empower your employees to speak clearly and slowly, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.

1. What should I consider to ensure accessibility for audience members with disabilities?

To ensure your presentation is accessible to all, consider using sufficient contrast in your slides, and you can even use a blindness simulator tool to check. Additionally, avoid flash animations, as they can be problematic for individuals with epilepsy or migraine.

2. How can I eliminate discriminatory behavior in my corporate presentations?

Inclusive leadership plays a vital role in eliminating discriminatory behavior in corporate settings. Leaders should aim for ongoing integration of diversity and inclusion principles into the workplace culture to make a difference.

3. How can I make sure my slides represent a variety of backgrounds and ethnicities?

When crafting your presentation, aim to include images, icons, and charts that are representative of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. This promotes a more inclusive visual experience.

4. What is the outcome of using inclusive leadership principles in corporate presentations?

The outcome of implementing inclusive leadership in corporate presentations is improved retention and recruitment. Inclusive leaders create an environment where individuals from all backgrounds feel valued and motivated to stay, and this attracts new talent.

Here is a guide on recruitment presentation .

5. Why is it essential to aim for ongoing integration of diversity and inclusion principles in presentations?

Ongoing integration ensures that diversity and inclusion become ingrained in the culture of your organization. This commitment helps to eliminate discriminatory behavior and fosters an environment where everyone can thrive.

Create your diversity and inclusion presentation with Prezent

Now that you're equipped with knowledge and best practices, it's time to take action. Crafting a powerful diversity and inclusion presentation has never been easier with Prezent. In today's world, embracing inclusion isn't just a choice; it's a necessity for organizations to thrive.

By using Prezent to create effective diversity and inclusion presentations, you're not just delivering information; you're promoting a culture of acceptance and innovation. Remember, diversity is our strength, and inclusion is our path to excellence.

So, take the lead, empower your team, and make a meaningful difference!

Signup our Free Trial or book a Demo today with Prezent!

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DEI: What It Is & How to Champion It in the Workplace

• 03 Oct 2023

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are essential to fostering a positive work culture. Through exposure to diverse perspectives, you can improve employee morale, promote business ethics , and drive creative problem-solving and innovation .

According to a LinkedIn survey , 69 percent of recruiters and human resources professionals believe their organizations commit to diverse hiring practices. Yet, only 47 percent think they hold hiring managers to those standards.

If you want to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion at your organization, here's an overview of DEI’s goals, why it’s important in business, and how you can implement it.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

According to the online course Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , DEI comprises:

• Diversity: The presence and participation of individuals with varying backgrounds and perspectives, including those who have been traditionally underrepresented
• Equity: Equal access to opportunities and fair, just, and impartial treatment
• Inclusion: A sense of belonging in an environment where all feel welcomed, accepted, and respected

To better understand DEI, here’s a breakdown of its components and benefits.

Your organization can achieve workplace diversity by employing people from various backgrounds based on:

• Sexual orientation

Doing so can produce several benefits for your company's bottom line. For example, research shows that businesses with diverse teams experience more than twice as much cash flow per employee .

Employees can also file charges against your organization if they've been discriminated against. According to a Good Jobs First report , 99 percent of Fortune 500 companies have been involved in at least one lawsuit related to discrimination or sexual harassment since 2000.

Such conflict resolution can be costly, but workplace diversity involves more than difficult conversations with employees .

“I don’t want diversity to be about policing people,” says Oona King, vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Snap Inc., in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “I want diversity to be about unleashing innovation and having more diverse perspectives in the room to come up with solutions to the most pressing problems of our day.”

Equity in the workplace requires treating all employees fairly and justly—regardless of their backgrounds—and ensuring equal opportunities for growth, development, and success.

While diversity provides financial benefits, equity ensures all employees feel valued. Yet, this isn’t always the case. According to a Gallup poll , 24 percent of Black and Hispanic employees experienced workplace discrimination between 2019 and 2020.

Since people often hire or promote individuals who share similar characteristics as themselves , proactively combatting influences—such as unconscious bias —can lead to workplace equity in the form of:

• Equal opportunities
• Fair compensation
• Balanced training and educational opportunities

“What you have to do around equity is tell people there are a lot of biases we’ve built up since we were kids that have been reinforced repeatedly,” King says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “And you need more awareness around them if you want to do well in a forward-thinking company.”

Inclusion extends beyond diversity and refers to employees’ workplace experiences.

It involves creating an environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and fully integrated into your organization's culture and operations.

According to Forrester , 60 percent of sales teams believe inclusion in the workplace has contributed to their success, while a Pew Research study indicates that over half of employees value DEI initiatives at work.

If you hope to make your organization more inclusive, consider your role as an ethical leader . According to Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , thinking about the biases and concepts that influence your decision-making is essential to creating an inclusive workplace.

Related: The Importance of Reflective Leadership in Business

How to Implement DEI Within Your Organization

DEI is only effective when you implement it into your overall business strategy .

“You cannot have a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy as a separate strategy,” King says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “It's not going to work. You have to tie it into the heart of your business strategy because separate is never equal.”

Here are four tips for implementing DEI effectively.

1. Invest in Diversity Initiatives

Investing in DEI initiatives can take several forms in business.

For example, Walmart invests in DEI by offering a Supplier Inclusion Program that supports businesses and suppliers from communities often underrepresented in large-scale retail.

Companies like Salesforce also emphasize DEI education . Through its partnership with professional skills-based platform Trailhead , employees can take courses and earn certifications in subjects such as inclusion guidelines for data visualization and inclusive content creation. According to the company’s Annual Equality Update , its commitment to DEI education and inclusive hiring tactics has resulted in nearly 51 percent of U.S. employees coming from underrepresented groups.

2. Offer Bias Training Sessions

Stereotypes—whether blatant or unconscious—can negatively impact your organization and result in decreased motivation and employee engagement.

One way to overcome workplace stereotypes is by offering unconscious bias training sessions to increase employees’ awareness of implicit biases. For example, the Implicit Association Test (IAT) —developed by professors from Harvard University, the University of Washington, and the University of Virginia—helps identify implicit associations or stereotypes you might be unaware of.

You can also provide employees the opportunity to earn a business ethics certificate to gain skills to identify and surmount biases.

Don’t be afraid to make training mandatory. According to Pew Research , approximately 53 percent of employees find DEI training helpful, with only 13 percent finding it unhelpful.

In addition, companies like Google provide this type of training through workshops that more than half of its employees participate in.

Related: Leadership in Big Tech: How to Make Ethical Decisions

3. Promote Pay Equity

Ensuring employees earn equitable salaries is crucial to championing DEI.

“When you measure objectives for metrics in corporate America, you’ll see very clear differences for different groups,” King says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “That's the data; we know it's a fact. So our job is to change those objectives in the workplace.”

One of those data points is pay equity. In the U.S., women earn approximately 82 percent of what men do—a figure that's only increased two percent since 2002. While various factors impact that statistic, it's critical for your organization to offer equitable compensation, regardless of gender.

“That's where today's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts really come in,” King says. “What levers and tools do we have to change, so that whoever walks through the door has the same chance as anyone else of success?”

4. Prioritize Developing Talent from Underrepresented Groups

Developing talent from underrepresented groups is crucial to fostering diversity and inclusion. By providing opportunities for personal and professional growth, your organization can help address historical workplace disparities.

For example, Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability highlights Google’s push for DEI initiatives, including:

• Funding research on why fewer students who identify as female or are from underrepresented groups enroll in computer science programs
• Offering financial support to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs in underrepresented communities
• Forming recruiting teams that establish a “pipeline program” with universities that have large populations of underrepresented students

These align with what Harvard Business School Professor Nien-hê Hsieh calls “the pipeline problem” in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability .

“There simply aren’t enough qualified members of underrepresented groups available to hire for these jobs,” Hsieh says. “In the United States, this theory points to patterns like fewer women and Black people receiving degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math than their male, white, or Asian counterparts.”

Make Your Organization More Equitable

When implemented properly, DEI’s benefits can't be overstated.

“The underlying point of DEI is to understand the impact of culture and the way we do things in business strategy,” King says.

If you want to promote DEI, Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability can help you learn how to make ethical leadership decisions and create a fair workplace culture through interactive learning activities and real-world business examples.

Ready to champion DEI at your organization? Enroll in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability —one of our online leadership and management courses —and download our free leadership e-book on how to become a more effective leader.

About the Author

A blueprint for diversity in the workplace

The basics on how to nurture and manage groups of people with different backgrounds and perspectives -- on a micro and macro level. (Supported by American Family Insurance)

How diversity makes teams more innovative

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How to design gender bias out of your workplace

How megacities are changing the map of the world

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October 2023

• Great Workplaces
• DEI Leaders
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• Ava Martinez
• April 21, 2024

Fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace is crucial for organizations that want to stay competitive and successful. Diversity and inclusion (D&I) policies promote an environment where people from different backgrounds are culturally and socially accepted, valued, and integrated. The benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace range from accessing a broader talent pool and increased employee engagement to stronger business results and higher profits.

A majority of U.S. workers recognize the importance of focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, although opinions vary along demographic and political lines. Companies that embrace workplace diversity policies perform better financially, earn higher cash flow per employee, and have more productive teams. Implementing effective diversity policies in the workplace is a comprehensive process that involves measures like recruitment strategies, flexible work arrangements, and dignity at work policies, as discussed in this guide.

Image: Freepik

Diversity and Inclusion Policies

A comprehensive diversity and inclusion policy is the foundation for fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace culture. The key elements of an effective diversity policy include:

• Clear Definition : Clearly define what diversity and inclusion mean for the organization, encompassing factors like race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and other dimensions of diversity.
• Leadership Commitment : Demonstrate visible commitment from senior leadership to promote and uphold the D&I policy, setting the tone for the entire organization.
• Equal Opportunity : Outline the organization’s commitment to providing equal employment opportunities, ensuring fair treatment in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, and promotion.
• Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment : Establish a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics, with clear procedures for reporting and addressing violations.
• Inclusive Practices in the Workplace : Encourage inclusive practices that value diverse perspectives, promote open communication, and foster a sense of belonging for all employees.
• Reasonable Accommodations : Outline the process for providing reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities or religious beliefs, ensuring their full participation and integration.
• Training and Education : Mandate regular training and education programs to raise awareness, build cultural competence, and equip employees with the knowledge and skills to support D&I initiatives.
• Accountability and Monitoring : Establish mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the D&I policy, with clear accountability measures and consequences for non-compliance.
• Continuous Improvement : Commit to regularly reviewing and updating the D&I policy to align with evolving best practices, legal requirements, and the organization’s changing needs.

Implementing comprehensive workplace diversity policies demonstrates the organization’s commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. Diversity and inclusion policies are more than just buzzwords.

Recruitment and Selection Policy

An effective recruitment and selection policy is crucial for promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It ensures an unbiased and inclusive hiring process that attracts and selects candidates based on their qualifications, skills, and potential, regardless of their background or personal characteristics.

• Inclusive Job Postings : Job descriptions and advertisements should be written in an inclusive and non-discriminatory language, avoiding any biases or preferences based on protected characteristics such as race, gender, age, or disability. This falls under key elements of a diversity policy, as it lets prospective candidates see that the organization is a safe space to work at.
• Accessible Application Process : The application process should be accessible to all candidates, including those with disabilities. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations, such as offering alternative formats for application materials or ensuring that online application systems are compatible with assistive technologies.
• Diverse Recruitment Sources : Organizations should actively seek out diverse talent pools by partnering with organizations that support underrepresented groups, attending job fairs focused on diversity, and leveraging employee referral programs that encourage recommendations from diverse networks.
• Structured Interviews : Implementing structured interviews with standardized questions and evaluation criteria can help minimize unconscious biases and ensure that candidates are assessed objectively based on their qualifications and job-related competencies.
• Diverse Interview Panels : Involving a diverse panel of interviewers can help mitigate individual biases and provide different perspectives during the evaluation process, leading to more inclusive hiring decisions. Consider it to be a critical element of your workplace diversity policies.
• Unconscious Bias Training : Providing unconscious bias training to hiring managers, recruiters, and interviewers can help them recognize and mitigate their own biases, promoting fairer and more inclusive hiring practices. Diversity and inclusion policies are incomplete if they don’t include getting your workforce on board.

By implementing an inclusive recruitment and selection policy, organizations can attract and retain a diverse workforce, fostering an environment that values different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.

Flexible and Home Working Policy

Flexible working arrangements have emerged as a crucial component of promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. By offering options such as remote work , hybrid work, flexitime, compressed hours, job sharing, and part-time roles, organizations can reduce barriers for professionals with childcare/caregiver responsibilities or disabilities, improving their work-life balance, well-being, and job satisfaction.

Benefits of Flexible Working

• Improved Employee Retention : Flexible work arrangements are a top motivator for job seekers, second only to salary. Research shows that the vast majority (87 percent) of workers would like to work more flexibly, and it can be a greater motivator than financial incentives.
• Cost Savings : Flexible working can help businesses reduce office overhead costs by allowing employees to work remotely or on a hybrid schedule.
• Increased Accessibility : Access to flexible working is often unequal, with those in higher-level occupations having more access. Organizations should strive to provide equitable access to flexible working options for all employees, regardless of their role or level. As a part of your diversity and inclusion policies, constantly evaluate how you can make the workspace adapt to the needs of your workers.

The feasibility of flexible working may vary across industries, as shown in the table above. However, organizations should strive to implement flexible working policies that enable employees to better manage their workload, well-being, and work-life balance.

Dignity at Work Policy

A Dignity at Work Policy is a crucial component of an organization’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace environment . Its primary objective is to prevent and address instances of disrespect, bullying, harassment, or any form of conduct that undermines an individual’s dignity or creates an intimidating or offensive atmosphere. While you might bring out workplace diversity policies regularly, employees who are not supportive of it will still create a hostile workspace that is not inclusive. There needs to be strict consequences of violations of these workplace policies.

Key Elements of a Dignity at Work Policy

• Clear Definitions : The policy should provide clear definitions of unacceptable behaviors, such as offensive remarks, inappropriate jokes, discrimination, sexual harassment, intimidation, and unwarranted physical contact. This clarity helps employees understand what constitutes a violation and promotes a shared understanding of acceptable conduct.
• Scope and Applicability : The policy should explicitly state that it applies to all employees, managers, supervisors, contractors, and suppliers, regardless of their position or role within the organization. This ensures that everyone is held accountable to the same standards of respectful behavior.
• Responsibilities and Expectations : The policy should outline the responsibilities of various stakeholders:
• Managers and supervisors are responsible for promoting the policy, leading by example, addressing violations promptly, and maintaining confidentiality.
• Employees are expected to read, understand, and comply with the policy, treat others with respect, report violations, and maintain confidentiality.
• Reporting Mechanisms : The policy should establish well-defined and confidential reporting mechanisms for employees to report incidents of disrespect, bullying, or harassment. This could include designated contact persons, helplines, or online reporting systems. Diversity and inclusion policies will only be as strong as those who uphold them.
• Investigation and Disciplinary Procedures : The policy should outline a comprehensive procedure for impartial and fair investigation of complaints, as well as specify potential disciplinary actions for policy violations, up to and including termination.
• Training and Awareness : Regular training sessions should be conducted to educate employees on recognizing and preventing harassment, discrimination, and disrespectful behaviors, as well as the reporting procedures outlined in the policy.
• Support and Resources : The policy should provide access to professional counseling services, employee assistance programs (EAPs), or other resources to support employee well-being and address any concerns related to workplace dignity.

By implementing a robust Dignity at Work Policy, organizations demonstrate their commitment to creating a positive and professional work environment where all individuals are treated with respect, dignity, and fairness, fostering an inclusive culture that values diversity and promotes collaboration.

Disability and Reasonable Adjustments Policy

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, government programs, and public accommodations [15]. Under the ADA, a “qualified individual with a disability” is someone who can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Diversity and inclusion in the workplace must always be considerate of the legal accommodations that are available for employees and adhere to them religiously.

Reasonable Accommodations

A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a job, work environment, or hiring process that enables an individual with a disability to have an equal opportunity to apply for, perform, and enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment. Reasonable accommodations can include physical changes, accessible communications, and policy changes.

• Interactive Process : While planning diversity policies for the workplace, employers must engage in an interactive process with the employee to determine effective accommodations. This involves open communication to understand the individual’s specific needs and identify appropriate solutions.
• Medical Documentation : Employers can request medical documentation to establish the need for accommodation, but must keep the information confidential.
• Undue Hardship : Employers are not required to provide accommodations that would cause undue hardship, considering factors such as the nature and cost of the accommodation, the organization’s financial resources, and the impact on operations.
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) : The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides free, expert guidance on workplace accommodations, helping employers and employees identify and implement effective solutions.

In England, Wales, and Scotland, the Equality Act 2010 requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for staff with disabilities or neurodivergence. Factors considered include the individual’s specific condition, the ease of making the adjustment, cost and resources, and the size of the organization. The Access to Work (AtW) scheme provides government funding for adjustments up to £60,000.

By implementing a comprehensive Disability & Reasonable Adjustments Policy, organizations can remove barriers, provide support, and ensure equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce.

Fostering diversity and inclusion within the workplace is an ongoing commitment that demands a multifaceted approach. Recruitment, flexible working arrangements, dignity at work, and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, are key elements of a diversity policy and by adhering to them, organizations can create an environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. This not only cultivates a positive workplace culture but also unlocks the potential for enhanced creativity, innovation, and business success.

Ultimately, a truly diverse and inclusive workforce is not merely a moral imperative but a strategic advantage. As the workforce continues to evolve, organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion policies will be better equipped to attract and retain top talent, foster a sense of belonging, and drive sustainable growth. By embracing these principles, businesses can create a legacy of equity, fairness, and opportunity for all.

How can a diversity and inclusion policy be implemented effectively?

To effectively implement a diversity and inclusion policy, follow these steps: 1. Leadership Commitment: Secure the commitment of top leadership to champion diversity and inclusion. 2. Formulating a Policy: Develop a comprehensive diversity and inclusion policy. 3. Training and Education: Provide ongoing training and education to employees. 4. Recruitment and Retention: Implement strategies to attract and retain diverse talent. 5. Cultivate Inclusion: Foster an inclusive culture where all employees feel valued. 6. Monitor and Feedback: Regularly monitor progress and solicit feedback to improve initiatives.

What steps are involved in launching a workplace diversity and inclusion program?

Launching an effective workplace diversity and inclusion program involves: 1. Compile Data: Gather data to understand the current workplace diversity landscape. 2. Identify Needs: Pinpoint specific needs or areas of concern regarding inclusion and diversity. 3. Address Policies: Modify any policies or practices that negatively affect inclusion and diversity. 4. Identify Business Objectives: Align diversity initiatives with overall business goals. 5. Secure Support: Obtain buy-in and support from all levels of the organization.

What are the best practices to ensure successful implementation of diversity policies in the workplace?

To ensure successful implementation of diversity policies, consider these actionable steps: 1. Address Unconscious Bias: Be conscious of and address unconscious biases within the organization. 2. Diversity Recruitment: Implement recruitment processes that enhance workforce diversity. 3. Appoint a D&I Officer: Designate a responsible officer to oversee diversity and inclusion efforts. 4. Promote Through Training: Offer training and development opportunities focused on diversity. 5. Understand Cultures: Gain an understanding of the various cultures represented in your workforce. 6. Review Policies: Continuously review and update outdated policies. 7. Celebrate Cultures: Actively celebrate different cultures within the organization.

How do you implement an effective Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategy?

Implementing an effective EDI strategy involves: 1. Authentic Initiatives: Ensure that the diversity initiatives are authentic and genuinely aimed at fostering inclusivity. 2. Accountability: Assign clear responsibilities for the implementation and success of the EDI strategy. 3. Employee Resource Groups: Utilize employee resource groups or working groups to promote diversity. 4. Training and Development: Provide training and development programs to educate employees about EDI.

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What is diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. If diversity is another word for variety, how can it enhance or flavor the world?

Get to know and directly engage with senior McKinsey experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion

Bob Sternfels is McKinsey’s global managing partner and is based in the Bay Area office. Tiffany Burns and Sara Prince are senior partners in McKinsey’s Atlanta office; Michael Chui is a partner in the Bay Area office, where Alexis Krivkovich and Lareina Yee are senior partners, and where James Manyika is a senior partner emeritus; Maurice Obeid , Shelley Stewart , and Jill Zucker are senior partners in the New York office; and Jonathan Woetzel is director of the McKinsey Global Institute and a senior partner in the Shanghai office.

Diversity—through the lenses of race, ethnicity, ability, gender, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, and beyond—can help to strengthen organizations, as studies have shown  time and again. Quite simply, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is used to describe three values that many organizations today strive to embody to help meet the needs of people from all walks of life. While concepts such as biodiversity are important offshoots of the core idea of diversity, this article focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion in business and society rather than in other contexts.

Companies that are diverse, equitable, and inclusive are better able to respond to challenges, win top talent, and meet the needs of different customer bases. With DEI in mind, companies are considering how to better support employees. Over the past few years, many organizations have taken strides to build diversity, equity, and inclusion  into their policies and hiring practices.

What are the differences between diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are often grouped together because they are interconnected and it is only in combination that their true impact emerges. Some organizations include related concepts, such as belonging, in their DEI strategies. But all of these terms are also easily misunderstood. It’s important to grasp the individual meanings and implications of each of these terms:

Diversity refers to who is represented in the workforce. Some examples of diversity in workplaces include:

• Gender diversity: What makes up the composition of men, women, and nonbinary people in a given population?
• Age diversity: Are people in a group from mostly one generation, or is there a mix of ages?
• Ethnic diversity: Do people in a group share common national or cultural traditions, or do they represent different backgrounds?
• Physical ability and neurodiversity: Are the perspectives of people with disabilities, whether apparent or not, accounted for?

These are a few of the most common examples, but what is considered diverse can range widely. Nobel Prize winner Richard Thaler touches on this in an interview with McKinsey on debiasing the corporation. “There’s lots of talk about diversity these days,” says Thaler. “We tend to think about that in terms of things like racial diversity and gender diversity and ethnic diversity. Those things are all important. But it’s also important to have diversity in how people think.”

• Equity refers to fair treatment for all people, so that the norms, practices, and policies in place ensure identity is not predictive of opportunities or workplace outcomes. Equity differs from equality in a subtle but important way. While equality assumes that all people should be treated the same, equity takes into consideration a person’s unique circumstances, adjusting treatment accordingly so that the end result is equal. In an episode of the McKinsey Talks Talent podcast on the inclusive workplace, McKinsey senior partner and talent expert Bill Schaninger offers a view on the implications of equity when sourcing talent: “There’s a real difference between equal and equitable. Suppose we said, ‘All interns are created equal. We pay them nothing.’ The people who can afford an entire summer without getting paid are likely already coming from a position of privilege.”
• Inclusion refers to how the workforce experiences the workplace and the degree to which organizations embrace all employees and enable them to make meaningful contributions. Companies that are intent on recruiting a diverse workforce must also strive to develop a sufficiently inclusive culture, such that all employees feel their voices will be heard—critical if organizations want to retain their talent and unlock the power of their diverse workforce. In an episode of the McKinsey Talks Talent podcast on the inclusive workplace, McKinsey partner and DEI expert Diana Ellsworth  shared an example of how a lack of inclusion can manifest in workplace culture: “The LGBTQ+ community is underrepresented in the workplace, especially at more senior levels. As a result, many feel like an “only” at work and are more likely to experience microaggressions ; they might feel unable to talk openly and comfortably about themselves, for example, or need constantly to correct assumptions about their personal lives.”

Learn more about our People & Organizational Performance  and Strategy & Corporate Finance  practices.

Why is diversity in the workplace important?

A series of three McKinsey reports shows the impact of diverse workplaces: Why diversity matters (2015), Delivering through diversity (2018), and Diversity wins: How inclusion matters (2020). The latest findings draw from a data set that encompasses 15 countries and more than 1,000 large companies, as well as research on employee sentiment, and the results show a correlative relationship between business performance and diversity. It’s worth noting that greater access to talent and increased employee engagement contribute to this performance effect. The business case for diversity is robust, and the relationship between diversity on executive teams and the likelihood of financial outperformance has gotten stronger over time. And the results have been replicated in further research, for instance, in Latin America  and Central Europe .

Some of the key findings from the latest Diversity wins report  include the following:

• Most employees support diversity, with overall sentiment on diversity 52 percent positive and 31 percent negative.
• There are clear correlations between diversity and business performance. Analysis of 2019 data shows that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity within executive teams were 25 percent more likely than companies in the fourth quartile to have above-average profitability (up from 21 percent in 2017 and 15 percent in 2014).
• The greater the representation of gender diversity, the higher the likelihood of outperformance. For instance, companies where more than 30 percent of the executives are women were more likely to outperform companies where this percentage ranged from only 10 to 30. The most gender-diverse companies see a substantial differential likelihood of outperformance—48 percent—over the least gender-diverse companies.
• The business case for ethnic and cultural diversity is also strong: in 2019, companies in the top quartile bested those in the fourth quartile by 36 percent in profitability. Notably, the likelihood of outperformance continues to be higher for diversity in ethnicity than in gender.
• Progress in building diverse workforces remains stubbornly slow.
• Despite employees’ support of diversity, there are high levels of negative sentiment on inclusion—namely, equality, openness, and belonging—particularly around equality and fairness of opportunity.

Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

Even during a crisis, when leaders might be tempted to shelve DEI efforts to ensure the company’s financial survival, there is value to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the words of McKinsey’s Bryan Hancock  from McKinsey Talks Talent : “D&I is good business. It doesn’t have to be at the expense of financial outcomes. . . . This isn’t an issue where leaders can say, ‘We can’t do diversity right now, because we’re under a lot of pressure.’ Diversity is one of the things you’ve got to be mindful of in every context.”

What other benefits can organizations realize from inclusion and diversity?

In addition to profitability, there are five key domains  in which inclusion and diversity can significantly affect an organization’s overall performance:

• Winning talent: Organizations that monitor the demographic profile of their workforces are better able to retain top performers while making sure that diverse talent isn’t lost.
• Improving the quality of decision making: Diversity brings multiple perspectives to the table during times when enhanced problem-solving skills and vision are needed.
• Increasing customer insight and innovation: Diverse teams are typically more innovative and better at anticipating shifts.
• Driving employee motivation and satisfaction: Research in Latin America showed that companies that are committed to diversity are 75 percent more likely to report a pro-teamwork culture.
• Improving a company’s global image and license to operate: Companies that can maintain or increase their focus on inclusion and diversity during crises are poised to avoid consequences such as struggling to attract talent or losing customers and government support.

How can organizations foster an inclusive workplace?

For companies looking to bolster inclusion and step up their DEI efforts more broadly, five areas of action stand out :

• Ensure that diverse talent is well represented.
• Strengthen leadership accountability and capabilities.
• Be fair and transparent, enabling equality of opportunity.
• Promote openness and tackle microaggressions, bias, and discrimination.
• Foster belonging through unequivocal support for all the ways diversity manifests.

A McKinsey survey about inclusion at work and how to address organizational barriers to it offers unique insight at a more granular level. The research finds that respondents of all backgrounds encounter barriers to feeling included—and that women, respondents who are ethnic and racial minorities, and those who identify as LGBTQ+ encounter additional challenges.

A few key data points from the survey  add nuance about the lived experiences of employees in workplaces, inclusive and otherwise:

• Employee engagement is strongly linked with a sense of inclusion. Those who feel very included are more likely than others to say they feel excited by and committed to their organizations.
• Nearly 40 percent of respondents say they have turned down or chosen not to pursue a job because of a perceived lack of inclusion at the organization.
• Over a third of respondents say their organizations don’t put enough effort into creating a diverse, inclusive environment (while only 6 percent say too much is being done).
• A resounding 84 percent of respondents say they have experienced microaggressions at work. More than one in four say they have needed to correct others’ assumptions about their personal lives, for example. High levels of respondents have experienced everyday slights rooted in bias, such as not receiving credit for their ideas, being asked to speak as a representative for a group of people like themselves, or being coached to communicate in a way that feels inauthentic.
• Looking only at LGBTQ+ respondents, 37 percent say they have had an uncomfortable experience coming out to colleagues in the preceding month.
• Among respondents who identified as racial or ethnic minorities, 40 percent of those who indicated they have discussed identity-related issues at work in the preceding month say they have felt at least slightly uncomfortable in those situations.

To serve these workers better, organizations can pay attention to four main factors  associated with employees’ inclusion:

• Diverse, inclusive leadership: The presence of diverse leaders at an organization, as well as an organization’s focus on inclusive leadership, are correlated with individuals feeling more included.
• Meritocracy and initiatives to increase fairness in performance evaluations: A meritocratic company culture is strongly associated with a sense of inclusion.
• Sponsorship: Respondents who say colleagues at their organization have gone out of their way to create professional-advancement opportunities for them are also more likely than others to feel a strong sense of inclusion.
• Substantive access to senior leaders: More than half of all respondents say that meaningful interactions with senior leaders have aided their career advancement.

Learn more about our People & Organizational Performance  practice.

What is intersectionality?

Intersectionality, a term coined by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989 , refers to the ways different parts of one’s identity intersect or overlap with one another. For instance, gender is one aspect of a person’s identity, but so are sexual orientation and race. A Black woman who is queer, or a White woman who has a disability, may take a perspective that acknowledges how those different aspects of their identity overlap or intersect. McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2021 report , for instance, found that LGBTQ+ women, as well as women with disabilities, are much more likely than women overall to experience microaggressions on the job.

Acknowledging intersectional identities can strengthen companies and communities more broadly. “Everyone deserves to feel empowered across all aspects of who they are,” says McKinsey senior partner Guangyu Li . “It shouldn’t be left to any individual community to defend itself. It’s in our collective interest to show up for each other with concrete action and to come together in solidarity.”

Allyship is a concept that is closely related to intersectionality. An ally aligns with people in the minority to help foster equitable and inclusive opportunities for all. In corporate America, White women, for instance, may take allyship actions  such as mentoring women of color, advocating for new opportunities for them, and actively confronting any discrimination they might face. However, there is a notable disconnect between the allyship actions that women of color say are most meaningful and the actions that White employees prioritize—suggesting opportunities for recentering efforts around the experience of women of color  and other marginalized groups.

What issues are important to women in the workplace?

Women’s representation in the corporate world has largely increased in recent years, but the pandemic has affected their participation in the workforce. It is worth noting that dynamics of gender in the workplace may be regionally specific. While much of McKinsey’s work offers insight into women in corporate America, you can explore additional material on global gender equality , as well as gender diversity in Africa , Canada , Central Europe , France , Japan , the Middle East , and other regions.

The largest study of women in corporate America is Women in the Workplace , conducted by McKinsey in partnership with LeanIn.Org. The latest research, now in its seventh year, reflects information from 423 organizations that employ 12 million people, and includes responses from more than 65,000 people surveyed on their workplace experience, as well as in-depth interviews with women of diverse identities.

Findings from the Women in the Workplace 2021 report include the following:

• Women’s representation in the corporate pipeline (that is, the journey an employee might take from starting as an entry-level worker to advancing to a spot in the C-suite) has increased since 2016. But women—and women of color in particular—remain significantly underrepresented in leadership.
• At every step in the career ladder, women of color lose ground to White women and men of color.
• The “broken rung” problem remains a challenge for women, particularly those seeking their first step up from entry level to manager. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women are promoted.
• Burnout, stress, and exhaustion continue to affect women more than men. In the past year, one in three women considered leaving the workforce or downshifting their career, a notable increase from levels seen early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Women leaders are doing considerable work to support DEI efforts and employee well-being more broadly, but they’re not necessarily being recognized for it. For instance, employees with women managers are more likely than others to say that their manager has supported and helped them in the past year; women leaders also spend more time than men on DEI work that’s outside their formal job responsibilities. Less than a quarter of companies, though, recognize this work in performance reviews, for example.

To support women in the workplace, companies need to invest deeply in all aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Although there are no quick fixes, there are some steps companies should take to empower women at work :

• Companies should put more practices in place to ensure that promotions are equitable. Beyond reducing potential bias in the hiring process, companies need to extend similar rigor to performance reviews.
• Organizations need to track representation and hiring and promotion outcomes more fully. A company may track representation for women overall, but does it break those numbers down to look at representation for women on color in particular?
• Companies need to double their efforts when it comes to accountability. Only two-thirds of companies hold senior leaders accountable for progress on diversity goals, and less than half consider progress on diversity metrics in performance reviews.
• To create a culture that embraces and leverages diversity, companies need to promote senior-level sponsorship, with top leaders fully and publicly supporting DEI efforts, modeling inclusive leadership, and actively participating in training and events.
• Spurring high employee engagement will also be crucial. Raising awareness of the barriers that many women face can help, and further training (on bias, antiracism, and allyship) can take employees from awareness to action.
• Burnout is on the rise, and investing in solutions to help address this problem will remain a crucial issue for many organizations. In addition to expanding on successful established policies and trying new approaches, companies can track symptoms and establish new norms to improve the everyday experience of employees.

What do we know about advancing racial equity for Black Americans in the US private sector and across society?

Black Americans in the workforce are at a disadvantage; the median annual wage for Black workers is approximately 30 percent, or $10,000, lower than that of White workers, with serious implications for economic security, consumption, and the ability to build generational wealth. They are underrepresented in higher-wage industries and executive roles, and they face lower odds for advancement. Clear racial patterns exist across the US labor force, with nearly half of Black workers concentrated in low-paying healthcare, retail, food services, and accommodations roles.

There are many benefits to righting historical wrongs and realizing the full potential of Black American talent: addressing wage disparities alone, for instance, could propel two million Black Americans into the middle class for the first time.

Doing so will take effort on many levels. Research from the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility  suggests some jumping-off points:

• Consumer-facing companies that pursue broader racial-equity goals can better serve Black consumers .
• Harnessing the power of retail can drive demand for Black-owned brands .
• Addressing racial disparities in farming could generate billions in value for the agriculture industry.
• Increasing financial inclusion to broaden services for Black Americans could yield $2 billion in potential revenue, and changes in three key areas can help companies make more progress toward racial equity in financial services .
• Supporting historically Black colleges and universities can accelerate Black economic mobility .
• Understanding Black representation in film and TV  could help drive greater diversity.
• Building supportive ecosystems for Black-owned business  could add $290 billion in business equity.
• Emphasizing health equity can activate meaningful change or even help retain talent .

The stories of Black leaders’ journeys  can offer inspiration and hope for personal and professional development. Get insight from Jason Wright  (president of the National Football League’s Washington Commanders), Stephanie Hill  (an executive vice president at Lockheed Martin), and Barry Lawson Williams  (the founder of Williams Pacific Ventures).

What issues are important to Latinos in the workplace?

In the United States, Latinos make up 18.4 percent of the population and 17.3 percent of the labor force, and that share is projected to rise to more than 30 percent by 2060. This community faces challenges, and US- and foreign-born Latinos alike remain far from equal with non-Latino White Americans, with Latino Americans earning just 73 cents for every dollar earned by White Americans. They face discrimination in securing financing to start and scale businesses, and they face challenges accessing food, housing, and other essentials.

McKinsey research on the economic state of Latinos in America  finds that they are underpaid, collectively, by $288 billion a year. At full parity, though, Latinos could spend an extra $660 billion annually, and Latino businesses could generate trillions in revenue and support millions of new jobs, while also creating new flows of generational wealth. Addressing barriers faced by Latinos in America could make the economy more robust for all.

How can we empower Asian Americans at work?

Asian Americans have contributed to the US economy since the 1800s, yet they have historically been overlooked. This group as a whole is often perceived as the “model minority,” a term that diminishes the unique issues faced by their diverse community. Recently, given the rise in racially motivated attacks on Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, historically unaddressed challenges faced by this group are coming to light , offering a fresh reminder of the need to support and include Asian Americans at work.

In corporate America, Asian Americans are underrepresented in senior leadership roles  (as are Black, Hispanic, and Latino Americans). What might help? Recognizing where in the corporate pipeline Asian Americans are underrepresented, mitigating implicit and unconscious bias during promotion and performance evaluations, fostering sponsorship for Asian American employees, and expanding workplace flexibility and support such as paid sick leave.

Learn more about our Public & Social Sector  practice.

What does research show about the experiences of LGBTQ+ employees in the workplace?

For LGBTQ+ employees , many workplaces today fall short of full inclusion, even if there is visible corporate support for LGBTQ+ communities. For example, LGBTQ+ women are more underrepresented than women generally in America’s largest corporations. Just four LGBTQ+ CEOs head these corporations—only one woman, and none identifies as transgender. An episode of the McKinsey Talks Talent podcast  considers the latest research on the LGBTQ+ experience in the workplace and highlights practical steps for all employees to signal support and boost progress for this community.

Transgender employees face a unique set of challenges. They earn 32 percent less money than cisgender employees ( cisgender refers to people whose gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth). More than half of transgender employees say they are not comfortable at work, and they report feeling less supported by managers. These strong feelings of exclusion have significant economic implications: greater transgender inclusion in the workforce through wage equity and increased employment could boost annual consumer spending by $12 billion a year. To help address the issues, companies can be intentional in recruiting (for example, by asking applicants what pronouns or names they prefer to use) or offer trans-affirming benefits, among other actions.

How do different industries approach diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Different industries may well need to take different approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion, depending on the composition of their workforces. Several articles offer insight into those industry-specific dynamics, especially with regard to gender diversity:

• Companies can repair the broken rung on the career ladder for women in technical industries and roles .
• Organizations can work to close gender and race gaps in the US financial-services sector .
• Voices from the fashion industry on diversity offer insight on what actions might be most meaningful for creating more inclusive workplaces.
• Organizations can make traveling in cities safer and more comfortable for at-risk groups .
• The COVID-19 pandemic hit the education space  hard; as the recovery continues, ensuring that education is equitable and inclusive will be vital.
• In the public and social sectors , women are increasingly represented, but they are also feeling burned out—a few actions can bend the curve.
• Consumers are expecting more from brands than ever before— here’s what retailers can do to meet DEI needs .
• Private equity can help catalyze DEI efforts to transform the global business community and improve returns.
• In media and entertainment , women remain locked out of top roles.
• While women in healthcare and life sciences have  made progress, they remain underrepresented at senior levels.
• Research from the oil and gas industry  suggests actions for the sector to consider to help attract and retain women.
• Women are leaving the mining industry . Here’s why—and what companies can do about it.

Learn more about our Technology, Media & Telecommunications , Financial Services , Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure , Education , Public & Social Sector , and Healthcare Systems & Services  practices.

For more in-depth exploration of these topics, see McKinsey’s collection of insights on diversity and inclusion . Learn more about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion consulting  at McKinsey—and check out DEI-related job opportunities if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced include:

• “ Being transgender at work ,” November 10, 2021, David Baboolall, Sarah Greenberg, Maurice Obeid , and Jill Zucker
• “ Women in the Workplace 2021 ,” September 27, 2021, Tiffany Burns , Jess Huang, Alexis Krivkovich , Ishanaa Rambachan , Tijana Trkulja, and Lareina Yee  
• “ The economic state of Black America: What is and what could be ,” June 17, 2021, Shelley Stewart III , Michael Chui , James Manyika , JP Julien , Vivian Hunt, Bob Sternfels , Jonathan Woetzel , and Haiyang Zhang
• “ COVID-19’s impact on Asian American workers: Six key insights ,” May 6, 2021, Grace Hua, Jess Huang, Samuel Huang, Lareina Yee
• “ The elusive inclusive workplace ,” March 23, 2021, Bryan Hancock  and Bill Schaninger
• “ Diversity wins: how inclusion matters ,” May 19, 2020, Sundiatu Dixon-Fyle , Kevin Dolan, Vivian Hunt, and Sara Prince

Want to know more about diversity, equity, and inclusion?

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Diversity wins: How inclusion matters

The elusive inclusive workplace

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5 Strategies to Infuse D&I into Your Organization

• David Lancefield

One-off initiatives aren’t enough.

There’s widespread agreement on the need to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace. But it’s not easy to deliver on the promises made. It’s time to adopt a more systematic, coherent approach to D&I. The authors offer five strategies for making more progress and creating a more representative, fair, and high-performing workforce. First, ensure the CEO positions themselves as the top champion for D&I efforts. Second, center D&I in your business strategy. Third, hold executive leaders accountable for D&I outcomes. Fourth, mitigate implicit bias at the systemic level. Finally, pivot from diversity training to leadership development coaching.

There is broad agreement that diverse and inclusive workplaces are a good thing. These environments value all employees’ contributions and reflect the demographic characteristics of the available labor force.

Put most simply, it’s the right thing to do. Additionally, diverse and inclusive companies find and nurture the best talent , increase employee engagement , and improve customer willingness to buy.

But there is a long way to go. The killing of George Floyd in May 2020 was a clarifying catalyst that helped business leaders see the enormous inequities that have always existed. A year later, stakeholders (including current and prospective employees and customers) want to know if companies have lived up to the big promises they made last summer.

Opportunities for Midsize Businesses in 2021

Historically, people of color have faced the following vast disparities in the workplace:

Lower-than-expected hiring rates . White job applicants tend to receive more callbacks than equally qualified applicants of other races. Hiring rates (the number of hires as a percentage of the total number of candidates) for Black and Hispanic Americans did not improve between 1990 and 2015.

Lower-than-expected representation in white-collar and leadership jobs. People of color are overrepresented in lower-paying jobs and underrepresented in top leadership roles. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the least likely to be promoted to management and executive levels in Silicon Valley high-tech jobs compared to other groups. A total of 21 Black Americans have held Fortune 500 CEO positions, including the five who currently hold the top spot. Although the number of Hispanic Fortune 500 CEOs is increasing, they still represent less than 4% of those 500 CEO slots. There are no Black chairs, CEOs, or CFOs of companies in the FTSE-100 .

Negative day-to-day experiences at work. Employees of color consistently report less-positive experiences at work than their white colleagues. About 31% percent of AAPI employees and 25% of Hispanic and Black employees experience stereotypes and bias at work. Black employees say they’re treated less fairly and get less support to advance. Black female employees feel less valued and less respected than employees of other races and ethnicities.

During 2020 and so far in 2021, many companies, including McDonald’s , Microsoft , Boeing, and Best Buy, made pledges to improve diversity hiring practices and introduce diversity and inclusion (D&I) training. The hiring of D&I professionals in general spiked, too; more than 60 U.S. companies appointed their first-ever chief diversity officer (CDO).

However, much of this work has not yet taken root. In one recent survey , 93% of leaders agreed that the D&I agenda is a top priority, but only 34% believed that it’s a strength in their workplace. In another survey , 80% of HR professionals viewed companies as  “going through the motions.” In other words, they didn’t notice any significant positive impact from the organizations’ actions. Another survey revealed that while 78% of Black professionals believe senior leaders’ D&I efforts are well-intentioned, 40% hear more talk than action and have not noticed material changes to policies or culture. Meanwhile, many CDOs leave their roles because of a lack of strategic, financial, and political support.

It’s time for a new approach

Boards and CEOs are facing more pressure from investors to deliver on their D&I promises. Several asset managers, including New York City Employees’ Retirement System and Black Rock, have asked corporations to release their workforce gender, racial, and ethnic composition data as a way to incentivize change.

One-off D&I “initiatives” do not effectively address these long-standing disparities. Instead, leaders should infuse D&I throughout their organizations. Based on our experience and research, we have developed five strategies that can turn D&I into an improved employee experience and a strategic advantage for the enterprise.

Ensure the CEO positions themselves as the top champion for D&I efforts

The CEO needs to take a public stance, embed D&I in the organization’s purpose, exemplify the culture, and take responsibility for progress toward goals. They need to be out front, even if a CDO is part of the team.

PwC’s U.S. chairman, Tim Ryan, has been an exemplar for at least five years. He co-founded CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion after police shootings in the summer of 2016 to spur business executives to collective action on D&I. The publication of PwC’s workforce diversity data in 2020 revealed that women and people of color are underrepresented, especially at senior levels, showing that even the most dedicated companies still have a lot of D&I work to do.

Nielsen’s CEO, David Kenny, added the CDO title to his leadership portfolio in 2018 so he could “ set hard targets for ourselves and make those transparent to our board and measure them like we measure other outcomes like financial results.” He relinquished that title to a new CDO in March 2020, noting the D&I progress his team had already made.

If you’re a board member, you have an essential role to play in D&I governance. You should make sure there is action and change that employees can see and feel. You should be asking your CEO questions about:

• The current experience and representation of non-white groups.
• Their leadership on the D&I strategy and goals.
• Their visibility to employees and the community regarding these matters.
• The progress the company is making on D&I goals.

You should also evaluate the impact, stance, and activities of new CEO candidates in their previous roles and their D&I ambitions and plans should they be appointed.

Center diversity and inclusion in the business strategy

D&I is far more than an “HR issue.” It should be a core ingredient in the design and execution of business strategy and embedded in the activities of the organization day in, day out. Increasing the number of non-white individuals involved in the strategy process will help develop a core purpose that better reflects a broader group of customers and employees. It also gives the organization more opportunities and places to succeed.

Alex Gorsky, chair and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, who has put D&I at the center of his pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage, said , “The best innovations can only come if our people reflect the world’s full diversity of individuals, opinions, and approaches.” A diverse design group is more likely to create products and services that work for a diverse clientele, avoiding biased assumptions, generalizations, or shortcuts. When organizations test products and services on a diverse group of potential clients and employees, it’s easier to identify the variations necessary to enhance the adoption of the final offering. And, when a company has an enterprise-wide D&I strategy, leaders can use it to guide the selection of operating ecosystem partners that are aligned with its D&I intentions.

Channel 4 , the UK television company, announced a strategy “to shift focus to authentic portrayal and representation, allowing audiences to recognize themselves on-screen.” This effort even extended to “helping (its) partners and suppliers become more confident in inclusion and diversity” by providing a written guide to employing people with disabilities. In addition, CEO Alex Mahon set out six commitments to anti-racism that focused on on-screen talent, content, business model (advertising), supply chain, and overall workforce. She told David:

Channel 4 is unique because we have the principle of diversity written into our remit by Parliament. We don’t only pursue diversity and inclusion because of the remit, or because it’s the right thing to do, we also do it because we know it makes us a better business. We find — delightfully — that it brings us genuine competitive advantage: We attract and retain people of creative and commercial brilliance through our creative freedoms and audiences seek out our independent voice and noisy content.

As an illustration of this approach, Channel 4 announced plans for “Black To Front,” a day this coming September where its entire programming schedule will highlight Black talent, both behind and in front of the camera.

Hold executive leaders accountable for driving D&I outcomes

John Doerr opined in his book Measure What Matters that “Ideas are easy. Execution is everything.” Organizations can use his objectives and key results (OKRs) concept to encourage and incentivize meaningful D&I outcomes.

Give each functional leader and business unit leader formal accountability for achieving two sets of D&I results in their part of the business: diversity results that focus on representation (such as hiring, promotion, and mobility outcomes) and inclusion results that focus on day-to-day experience (such as employee engagement, equity, and psychological safety outcomes). Many large employers, including Starbucks and McDonald’s, are already working on defining key performance indicators for D&I. BBC Director-General Tim Davie has stipulated that each leader’s performance and progress will be assessed based on gender, ethnicity, disability, and LGBTQ+ equity goals.

Make sure to give those accountable business leaders access to best-practice organizational development, talent development, and D&I resources to help them achieve these OKRs, in partnership with the CDO and chief human resources officer (CHRO). All of this has to be considered a fundamental part of the day job, not an “out-of-hours” activity — executive leaders must provide the requisite time and resources to get the job done. Finally,  executives must establish how they will reinforce desired leader behavior and what consequences they will introduce when outcomes don’t align with the stated goals.

Mitigate implicit bias at the systemic level

Calvin Lai ’s research indicates that organizations should focus on mitigating systemic bias embedded in talent management and other decision-making processes rather than focusing primarily on eliminating individual bias.

Many hiring, selection, and career mobility processes operate in ways that could unintentionally increase bias. For example:

• Recruiters only advertise jobs to a narrow range of potential candidates or only reach out to certain schools and universities.
• Hiring managers use selection criteria that don’t relate to performance on the job, such as automatically ranking employee referrals higher than other candidates.
• Managers give high-visibility work only to in-group team members and promotions to those who “know somebody.”
• Managers don’t select people of color for client-facing or revenue-generating jobs that can lead to C-suite roles.

To address these biases, undertake a thorough investigation of talent management policies and processes to understand which ones limit opportunity. Then identify what leaders, managers, human resources, and D&I professionals should stop, change, or redesign.

Pivot from diversity training to leadership development coaching

One-shot diversity training programs that focus solely on reducing implicit bias do not typically result in sustained behavior change . Instead, diversity training is most effective when it’s part of an enterprise-wide strategic approach, includes both awareness and skills development, and is conducted over time.

It’s also essential to focus on coaching managers to enhance their relationships with those they lead since the most significant driver of employee engagement is manager behavior. Organizations can train managers to personalize their interactions with their teams so that they’re more likely to create psychological safety and make equitable decisions regarding the processes they control, including pay , performance measurement , promotions , and work assignments .

These new leadership behaviors should positively impact employee engagement, equity, and psychological safety, which leaders can then measure, track, and incentivize using the OKR approach.

There’s widespread agreement on the need to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace. But it’s not easy to deliver on the promises made. It’s time to adopt a more systematic, coherent approach. By following these five strategies, leaders can make more progress and create a more representative, fair, and high-performing workforce.

• Gena Cox , PhD, is an organizational psychologist, leadership strategist, and professional speaker. She advises executive leaders who are  redefining  the role they play in driving diversity and inclusion strategy. Her book on the subject will be published in 2022. You can reach her at  Feels Human, Inc ., where you can download the Inclusion Infusion Index, or follow her on  LinkedIn .
• David Lancefield is a  catalyst, strategist, and coach  for leaders. He’s advised more than 40 CEOs and hundreds of executives, was a senior partner at Strategy&, and is a guest lecturer at the London Business School. Find him on LinkedIn (@davidclancefield) or at  davidlancefield.com , where you can sign up for his free “Mastering Big Moments”  workbook .

Partner Center

A Leadership Guide to Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace

Despite mounting evidence that demonstrates the substantial benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in organizational success (Krause, 2022), many organizations are slow to make meaningful headway on this issue (Dixon-Fyle et al., 2020).

This leadership guide is designed to help leaders identify barriers and challenges to implementing DEI initiatives and to equip them with actionable insights to leverage the advantages of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

By embracing DEI, companies position themselves strategically for enhanced innovation, improved financial performance, and increased employee engagement. They also fulfill their moral and ethical responsibilities to their employees, local communities, and society more broadly.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Leadership Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or others adopt positive leadership practices and help organizations thrive.

This Article Contains

What are the benefits of a diverse workplace, 5 strategies for leaders to foster diversity and inclusion, how to overcome challenges and address resistance, 5 key elements of successful diversity and inclusion initiatives, recommended dei books, useful resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion comprise a set of values and practices within a wider business strategy that aim to drive fairness and equity within the working environment.

Investing in DEI can be fruitful for business-related outcomes and for employee wellbeing. Krause (2022) suggests that DEI is a vital foundation from which workplace wellbeing and optimal performance can emerge.

While many organizations will inquire about the return on investment of DEI efforts, there is much more to be gained than profit maximization. That being said, evidence suggests that diverse and inclusive leadership teams are 21% more likely to outperform their peers in terms of profitability (Dixon-Fyle et al., 2020) and have 19% higher revenue due to increased innovation (Lorenzo et al., 2018).

The following list details other equally important advantages of fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace:

Increased innovation, creativity & problem solving

Reynolds and Lewis (2017) found that diverse teams solve problems faster than homogeneous teams by bringing more innovative ideas and creative solutions to challenges.

Enhanced decision-making

Diverse teams can positively influence decision-making. The inclusion of diverse voices helps to avoid groupthink, encourages critical analysis, and promotes a culture of continuous learning and improvement (Robinson & Dechant, 1997).

Improved employee performance, engagement, and reduced turnover

A diverse and inclusive environment fosters a sense of belonging and value, which can positively impact job satisfaction , retention, and engagement (Albrecht & Andreetta, 2011; Brimhall et al., 2017; Gallup, 2022).

Better understanding of global markets

A diverse workforce mirrors a diverse customer base, providing insights into different markets and cultural nuances. This understanding can be valuable for organizations looking to expand globally or cater to diverse customer needs (Robinson & Dechant, 1997).

Enhanced reputation and brand image

Companies that prioritize diversity are often seen as socially responsible and progressive. A positive reputation for diversity and inclusion in the workplace can attract customers, clients, and investors who value these principles (Rao & Tilt, 2016).

It is evident then, that building a diverse workforce that reflects the world we live in can have critical implications for individuals and businesses.

Implementing workplace DEI strategies more broadly can also have spillover benefits for society, such as more acceptance and pursuit of equal societies and greater societal and global wellbeing (Krause, 2022).

As such, it is important that organizations and leaders accept their responsibility to foster DEI in their workplace and are fully committed to seeing their strategies through, even in the face of setbacks and challenges.

Furthermore, DEI must be viewed as a long-term strategy rather than a set of short-term initiatives. A systemic approach is required to implement positive change (Zheng, 2022).

For these strategies to have a positive impact, they must be implemented comprehensively and consistently, such that diversity, equity, and inclusion are woven into the very fabric of the organization. This requires ongoing commitment and proactivity from leaders and managers.

Here are five key strategies leaders should focus on to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace:

1. Lead by example

Leaders must demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through their actions and behaviors. Inclusive leadership training (Kuknor & Bhattacharya, 2020) can help leaders promote openness and transparency, build awareness of personal biases, enhance cultural competency, and empower others.

For more information on inclusive leadership, you may enjoy this TED talk by June Sarpong.

2. Create inclusive policies and practices

Organizations should establish comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, paired with practices and processes that ensure fairness and equal opportunities for all.

These policies should be regularly reviewed and updated to address evolving needs and challenges.

3. Provide diversity and inclusion training

Providing regular training sessions can help raise awareness about unconscious bias, microaggressions, and the importance of DEI. It is the responsibility of organizations and leaders to equip their employees with the skills required to challenge and overcome biases in the workplace.

4. Promote diverse hiring and advancement opportunities

It is vital that organizations audit their hiring processes and make them more inclusive.

This means expanding hiring pools and addressing bias in both job criteria and interview processes. Mentoring and sponsorship programs can be a great way to further support underrepresented talent.

5. Foster inclusive culture and communication

Leaders must look to build a psychologically safe workplace culture that values open communication and collaboration.

This can be paired with establishing employee resource groups or affinity networks and celebrating cultural events to bolster a sense of understanding, community, and support among employees.

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Resistance to DEI efforts in organizations can stem from a variety of factors, often rooted in organizational culture, individual beliefs, and perceived threats.

Despite some recent backlash against DEI (where Elon Musk spoke agains DEI; Hart 2023), it is more crucial than ever that organizations and leaders push for parity. But doing so requires hard work, oftentimes internally.

So before leaders forge ahead with their DEI strategy, it is important to identify possible sources of or reasons for opposition.

Lack of awareness and unconscious bias

Some individuals lack awareness of the benefits of DEI or the challenges faced by underrepresented groups. This lack of awareness, coupled with unconscious bias, can negatively influence decision-making and contribute significantly to resistance.

Recommendation : Provide education via training, workshops, guest speakers, and access to leadership books and video resources. Caveat: beware unconscious bias training as a cure-all. Some research suggests it does little to eradicate bias (Noon, 2018).

Fear of change

Change can always be a scary proposition, even when it is a positive change. Some employees may be concerned that DEI efforts will disrupt established norms, leading to discomfort or uncertainty about their roles within the organization.

Recommendation: A communication plan where the goals and intent of DEI programs are clearly stated can help allay fears of uncertainty. Appreciative inquiry can also be a helpful tool to galvanize hope around organizational change.

Perceived threat to power dynamics

Individuals in positions of privilege may feel that DEI efforts challenge their status or perceived advantages. Resistance can be rooted in a fear of losing power, influence, or opportunities as the organization becomes more diverse.

Recommendation: Fostering empathy through compassion training can be an effective tool to address resistance stemming from relinquishing power and control. Building compassion toward others creates understanding and reduces ego-defensiveness (Neff, 2011).

Addressing resistance to DEI efforts requires a multifaceted approach that involves a lot of deep work. However, addressing these underlying issues before starting out on a DEI journey may offer a greater chance of success.

1. Significant resource allocation

If organizations really want to make progress with DEI, they have to commit resources to the program. This should include monetary, material, time, management, and expertise/intellectual resources.

2. DEI management

Organizations must consider how to carefully manage their DEI strategy. One of the most effective approaches is to create dedicated roles and teams for DEI and hire individuals with expertise, such as organizational psychologists, sociologists, behavioral scientists, and leaders with DEI certifications (Plaut, 2010).

3. Evidenced-based targets

Data is vital for creating change because it can reveal insights into an organization’s DEI gaps and allow for real-time monitoring of progress toward goals.

It is also important that organizations create targets that are grounded in evidence, using academic research and practical positive feedback .

4. Core business leadership accountability

For cultural and organizational change to occur, there must be support and buy-in from the leadership and executive levels (Sashkin, 2012). Moreover, there must be accountability when DEI issues emerge. For example, how do leaders manage instances of microaggressions in the workplace?

5. Include diverse voices in the process

When approaching DEI, diverse voices must be central to shaping organizational values, policies, practices, and strategies.

However, this does not mean pushing the burden of fixing structural inequalities onto individuals from historically marginalized backgrounds. Rather, employees should work collaboratively to co-create inclusive workplaces that make sense and work for all.

If organizations are able to commit to these best practices, DEI programs have a greater chance of creating positive change.

Given the popularity of DEI as a movement, concept, and moral position, books on how to navigate diversity and inclusion in the workplace and support equality in society are increasing.

The following list outlines five excellent reads that provide a breadth and depth of knowledge on key topics such as bias, race, trans rights, and how to build successful DEI programs.

These books offer valuable perspectives on different aspects of DEI, providing practical insights, research-based knowledge, and tools for creating more diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

1. Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People – Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald

This book is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand and mitigate the impact of unconscious bias in the workplace and beyond.

Find the book on Amazon .

2. How to Be an Antiracist – Ibram X. Kendi

Kendi challenges readers to move beyond non-racism and actively work against racist structures. Drawing on personal experiences and historical analysis, Kendi provides a guide for individuals and organizations committed to fostering antiracist practices.

This book is instrumental in shaping discussions around diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging readers to critically examine their beliefs and actions.

3. The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice – Shon Faye

Through a combination of personal narrative, social commentary, and critical analysis, Faye delves into the complexities of transgender identity, shedding light on the social, cultural, and political factors that shape the lives of transgender people.

The Transgender Issue  serves as an essential resource for anyone seeking to better understand and support transgender individuals in today’s society.

4. DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right – Lily Zheng

Critically, Zheng emphasizes the importance of intersectionality and the need to address systemic inequalities to create meaningful change.

As such, DEI Deconstructed  serves as an invaluable resource for leaders, HR professionals, and individuals committed to advancing DEI in their organizations and communities.

Find the book on Amazon.

5. I’m Not Yelling: A Black Women’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace – Elizabeth Leiba

Through personal anecdotes, interviews, and research, Leiba sheds light on the unique challenges and systemic barriers faced by Black women in the workplace.

Leiba also offers practical strategies and advice for Black women to advocate for themselves, navigate office politics, and thrive in their careers. As such, this book is an influential resource for those seeking support and guidance in their professional journeys.

For a bumper crop of useful exercises and worksheets to help leaders who are keen to build an agenda for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, look no further than PositivePsychology.com.

One good place to start is by exploring the building empathy worksheet. This worksheet is useful for groups and enables individuals to engage in perspective taking. Being able to listen and place ourselves in the shoes of others is key to fostering social empathy (Segal, 2011).

Closely linked to empathy is compassion. Leaders can benefit hugely from practicing compassion, both toward themselves and others. This compassion worksheet is focused on maintaining positive relationships with others by introducing four new ways to show appreciation and care to others.

Self-esteem is another critical psychological resource that all leaders could benefit from cultivating. This self-esteem journal helps individuals foster positive beliefs about themselves and their capabilities by reflecting on meaningful daily events. By leaning into self-acceptance and vulnerability, leaders will be in a much better position to build safe and inclusive environments for others.

Given the fact that resistance to DEI efforts can stem from a lack of awareness of one’s own biases, the Johari window exercise is a useful way to build self-awareness and shed light on beliefs and assumptions that need addressing.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others develop positive leadership skills, check out this collection of 17 validated positive leadership exercises . Use them to equip leaders with the skills needed to cultivate a culture of positivity and resilience.

Looking to the future, Van Durme et al. (2023) argue that DEI must become a top area of focus for organizations. Dismantling inequality in the workplace is not an easy task.

But taking vital steps toward creating parity is possible. By incorporating the principles and practices above into DEI efforts, leaders can play a vital role in shaping a workplace that goes beyond acceptance to active celebration of diversity and inclusion.

This commitment to DEI can transcend the organization and contribute to a broader societal shift toward understanding, tolerance, and unity. In this way, DEI can be a formidable catalyst for positive change.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Leadership Exercises for free .

• Albrecht, S. L., & Andreetta, M. (2011). The influence of empowering leadership, empowerment and engagement on affective commitment and turnover intentions in community health service workers: Test of a model. Leadership in Health Services , 24 (3), 228–237.
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• Dixon-Fyle, S., Hunt, V., Prince, S., & Dolan, K. (2020, May 19). Diversity wins: How inclusion matters. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters
• Gallup. (2022, May 11). Unleashing the human element at work: Transforming workplaces through recognition . https://www.workhuman.com/resources/reports-guides/unleashing-the-human-element-at-work-transforming-workplaces-through-recognition/
• Hart, R. (2023, Dec 15). Elon Musk Says DEI ‘Must Die’ and Criticizes Diversity Schemes as ‘Discrimination’. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/12/15/elon-musk-says-dei-must-die-and-criticizes-diversity-schemes-as-discrimination/
• Krause, W. (2022). Diversity, equity and inclusion as fertile foundation for workplace well-being, optimal performance, and planetary health. In J. Marques & S. Dhiman (Eds.), Leading with diversity, equity and inclusion: Approaches, practices and cases for integral leadership strategy (pp. 263–279). Springer.
• Kuknor, S., & Bhattacharya, S. (2020). Inclusive leadership: New age leadership to foster organizational inclusion. European Journal of Training and Development , 46 (9), 771–797.
• Lorenzo, R., Voigt, N., Tsusaka, M., Krentz, M., & Abouzahr, K. (2018, January 22). How diverse leadership teams boost innovation . BCG Global. Retrieved January 23, 2024, from https://www.bcg.com/publications/2018/how-diverse-leadership-teams-boost-innovation
• Neff, K. D. (2011). Self‐compassion, self‐esteem, and well‐being. Social and Personality Psychology Compass , 5 (1), 1–12.
• Noon, M. (2018). Pointless diversity training: Unconscious bias, new racism and agency. Work, Employment and Society , 32 (1), 198–209.
• ​​Plaut, V. C. (2010). Diversity science: why and how difference makes a difference . Psychological Inquiry , 21 , 77–99.
• Rao, K., & Tilt, C. (2016). Board composition and corporate social responsibility: The role of diversity, gender, strategy and decision making. Journal of Business Ethics , 138 , 327–347.
• Reynolds, A., & Lewis, D. (2017, March 30) Teams solve problems faster when they’re more cognitively diverse . Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/03/teams-solve-problems-faster-when-theyre-more-cognitively-diverse
• Robinson, G., & Dechant, K. (1997). Building a business case for diversity. Academy of Management Executive , 11 (3), 21–31.
• Sashkin, M. (2012). Leadership. In W. E. Rosenbach, R. Taylor, & M. A. Youndt (Eds.), Contemporary issues in leadership . Westview Press.
• Segal, E. A. (2011). Social empathy: A model built on empathy, contextual understanding, and social responsibility that promotes social justice. Journal of Social Service Research , 37 (3), 266–277.
• Van Durme, Y., Scoble-Williams, N., Eaton, K., Kirby, L., Griffiths, M., Poynton, S., Mallon, D., & Forsythe, J. (2023, February 2). Deloitte 2023 global human capital trends . Deloitte Insights. Retrieved January 23, 2024, from https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends/2023/future-of-workforce-management.html
• Zheng, L. (2022). DEI deconstructed: Your no-nonsense guide to doing the work and doing it right . Berrett-Koehler.

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Home Blog Business Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace, the New Rule

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace, the New Rule

Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace is important. We’ve heard it before, sure, but probably we have not emphasized its power enough. Diversity and Inclusion is something more than a new concept that your HR team needs to understand. Actually, it is a culture change that will bring your company to a new era.

Diversity and Inclusion involves adapting to a new culture of thinking, working, creating, relating, and making decisions.  More of it, we will together conclude that it is the silent elephant in the room that your workforce will require to stay with you. 

Creating a new culture within an Organization requires the effort of every member; however leaders need to guide through the use of tools and best practices . HR and communication managers, as well as C level executives need to be onboard with the change in order to trigger and advise new initiatives to the rest of the company. It will require effective drivers to transform your corporate culture from several rounds of one-on-one meetings, team huddles to organization wide presentations.

What is Diversity & Inclusion? 

People are different from each other, diverse and unique. Also, everyone in a company likes when they are respected, listened, empowered and trusted to be made feel equal and included. Capturing our diversity and enhancing it with inclusion is a key factor to success, because companies with diverse people can think collectively better and are able to capture needs from a broader audience. A Harvard Business Review study confirms that companies that follow diversity are 70% likely to gain a wider market share as well as a 2,3 times higher cash flow.

The synergy between both smart D+I policies with a strong understanding of your people is the big game changer.

Importance and benefits 

Day to day employee engagement.

Companies in general seek to maximize the potential of their teams talent, performance, and group innovation.  When a workplace conveys diversity, employees feel both included and confident in their employer.

According to this Glassdoor study, diversity helps people experience trust and increased engagement:

• 67% of job seekers shared that a diverse workforce is important and searched  for companies who share that value.
• Women are more likely to seek employment in organizations where other women are positioned in top management positions.  
• 57% of the respondents thought that their company’s high management and HR roles should be taking initiatives to increase and communicate diversity and inclusion actions among its employees.    

An interesting research of the Randstad US survey , concluded that 81% of the interviewees enjoyed and felt comfortable working with people from different cultures. Overall, employees prefer workplaces that take in consideration unique capabilities that come from the variability of age, gender, ethnicity and other heterogeneity indicators.

Impacts on corporate communication

Community reputation.

According to Catalyst , 57.8% of the organizations conveying a diverse environment are more likely to have a higher reputation in the local ecosystem. Employees, families and brand consumers are more likely to purchase their products, hence resulting in overall revenue. 

Many of us have a digital footprint and so do companies. Have you Googled a company before? Sure, you have. A negative digital presence can hurt corporate reputation if the wrong tone of communication is published, This will definitely affect how your consumers and the community perceive the company. So, those who have not addressed workplace gender and cultural diversity may realize it’s time to do so. 

Getting Ahead in Performance 

Workplace equality drives employee engagement and increases overall productivity. A strong, 59.1% of assessed companies experienced an increase in creativity, innovation, and openness of its people, while 37.9% of them had the tools for a better assessment of consumer interest and understanding or their demand curve.   

The Boston Consulting Group, studied 171 companies across central Europe. Interviewees described the positive correlation in diversity management and revenue from innovation as “ statistically significant”. In other words, if the company’s diversity index is higher, it’s revenue will also grow.

Another interesting finding  is that there is another positive correlation between innovation and the diversity of high management. It states that companies whose board members are of different industry background, country of origin, career path and gender will likely have higher revenue on innovation.

We can conclude that  a team’s decision making has been redefined, diversity allows more leverage, includes different perspectives and opinions. This generates profound discussion and better decision making, reduced by including conflict, bad interpretations and solving problems in a respectful manner. 

Impact on Revenue

A recent Mckinsey study shows how women involved in board decisions will benefit the organization 28% in outperforming their competition. Having a gender diverse board is a good thing, but having a gender and racial diverse executive team is way better. The following diagram shows it all. 

Finally, another study referring to the American Sociological Review also states that companies who include diversity will have higher sales, more customers and profitability than similar competitor companies. A gender diverse board with a minimum representation of women of 30% respectively will generate about 34% of their revenue from innovation.

Are we doing it right?  

Companies might want to start including practices, yet CEOs might feel unsure on where to start. Sometimes, managers have already rolled out a few policies and they might not feel the results? A good thing is that there are several tools we can use to measure the efficiency of our initiatives. Metrics help us identify gaps, risk areas, assign specific roles for controlling those measures, getting on the market benchmark, etc.  

In a nutshell, we want to share some best practices , and a primer guide on how to go about these statistics.:

• Commit to diversity. Understand the employees, listen to them, learn what matters to them, their concerns and plan ahead; target future employees accordingly. 
• Choose communications and HR people carefully. They are the first ambassadors of a company’s brand, culture, mission, and values, inside and outside. A hint: anthropologists, sociologists and philosophers are great for coalescence. 
• Formal corporate communications, ads, job posts, blog posts, memos and social media must adapt and convey the actions and initiatives a company is taking and how well it’s employees are doing with it. 
• Implement flexibility. Providing the right balance between commuting and doing home office on a flexible shift is crucial. Single and nursing mothers will require it and be grateful with it; new millennials won’t take no for an answer.     
• Lead by the example. Leaders must provide the needful and behave accordingly. They could invest in making people comfortable so they can speak out freely, and clearly. Unlock ideas by providing confidence, security and privacy for those introverted. Make  employees feel safe to propose. Provide feedback, share the credit and work harder.  
• Get the people to talk to each other, foster frequent interpersonal communication, whether formal or informal coffee breaks. Dialogue between people of different backgrounds will eventually spark and bolster. 
• Acknowledge holidays from all religions and cultures. The company’s chat or intranet is a great channel to capture important dates from your staff and reach out to them in case they require some flexibility from work to comply.
• Get feedback from your employees frequently. Deploy surveys, host focus groups, offer them a safe place to share concerns, maybe some snacks and integration games to kick start a meeting.

Final Words  

As an aftermath, Diversity and Inclusion is essential in the workplace. The Positive correlations between revenue and the implementation of D&I policies and measures make it an obvious choice for companies. However, looking for cold hard increasing numbers from one period into the next should not be the focus for high management. A culture change takes time, overnight changes may not last long, so be prepared to gather data, check results, and maybe change plans along the way. 

Bring in and build a diverse environment, and continue with inclusive measures. Create a culture that’s attractive for talented job seekers and insightful employees. Your people’s thoughts and actions are the drivers of adaptation of your business to a new society that is yelling for equality, respectfulness and openness in everyday life.  

1. Diversity and Inclusion PowerPoint Template

This template allows you plan out any sort of diversity and inclusion rollout or policies or trainings for your team internally or any external stakeholders. Full of illustrations which are eye-catching, with this template you can create any sort of presentations. 

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What Does Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Mean in the Workplace?

DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) is an ethos that recognizes the value of diverse voices and emphasizes  inclusivity and employee well-being as central facets of success. To bring those values to life, companies must implement programs and initiatives that actively make their offices more diverse, equitable and inclusive spaces.

What Is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)?

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) refers to practices and policies intended to support people who come from varying backgrounds and give them the resources they need to thrive in the workplace. A DEI framework takes into account factors like race, gender and sexual orientation, so teams can find ways to help employees of marginalized groups succeed.

DEI (or DE&I) stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. As a discipline, DEI is any policy or practice designed to make people of various backgrounds feel welcome and ensure they have support to perform to the fullest of their abilities in the workplace.

“We as employers need to make sure we’re including these individuals and that we’re giving them equity,” said Catalina Colman, former director of HR and inclusion at Built In. “We need to make sure that, not only do they have a job, but they have the same ability to get promoted, to contribute and have the same impact — in the world and in the workplace — as their peers.”

This kind of environment is created by following all three aspects of DEI:

Diversity is the presence of differences within a given setting. In the workplace, that can mean differences in race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age and socioeconomic class . It can also refer to differences in physical ability , veteran status, whether or not you have kids — all of those are  components of diversity .

Why Diversity Matters

Diversity in the workplace is important because with different backgrounds come different points of view, which ultimately  leads to better ideas and solutions .

“From a business standpoint, different perspectives directly influence a product — how it’s made, who it serves, how it functions and so on,” Colman said. “More perspectives make for a better product.” People from different backgrounds with varying life experiences will be able to provide new perspectives that help refine and enhance processes.

“The more diverse voices there are in your organization, the better your outcomes will be, purely from a business standpoint,” Colman said.

Even so, Colman urges employers to look beyond the business case: “I believe that if we give people the equitable opportunity to not only be employed, but to have employment with purpose and passion, our society can and will do great things. It’s a measurable good for everyone.”

Equity is the process of ensuring that practices and programs are impartial, fair and provide equal possible outcomes for every individual.

Why Equity Matters

In order to ensure equal circumstances for all individuals across the organization, equity requires that  employers recognize barriers and advantages. This is the crucial difference between “equity” and “equality.”

“Equity takes into account the fact that not everybody is starting at the same level,” explained Colman. “Take home ownership, for example. A bank can make the statement that the loan application process is equal and that they will not discriminate based on race, gender or ethnicity. That doesn’t take into account student loans, familial debt, socioeconomic status.”

These limitations are what define barriers and give rise to advantages, ultimately leading to an inequitable process. Inequity permeates every aspect of your business, requiring vigilance and swift action. “You’re not going to be able to build diversity if you’re not taking the steps to be more equitable,” Colman said. 

Companies that establish equitable environments not only support diverse workforces , but also incentivize employees to invest more energy and passion into their positions. “Equity is why we go to work,” explained Colman. “We want to get compensated fairly for our work, we want to be challenged, to learn and to contribute. People often choose an employer based on those things, which boil down to equity.”

Inclusion is the practice of ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. This means that every employee feels comfortable and supported by the organization when it comes to being their authentic selves.

Why Inclusion Matters

While the workplace does require professionalism and etiquette , an inclusive culture should not bar individuals from being themselves. 

“Employees should not worry about  code-switching or shielding part of their identity,” Colman said. “They should be able to walk through the door without feeling like something about them has to change.” 

Inclusion is what maintains diversity. Without it, employees will simply leave the organization. “If a candidate walks into a workplace and they’re the only woman or BIPOC employee, they’re going to question the employer’s authenticity and  values ,” Colman said.

“People want to belong, plain and simple,” she added. “And marginalized individuals want to know that they’re not going to be the token person to represent a demographic. They shouldn’t have to worry about that in the workplace; they should be focused on how they’re going to have an impact within the company.”

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Why DEI Is Important: Benefits of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

DEI is vital to creating and maintaining a successful workplace, one founded on the principle that all people can thrive personally and professionally. Bringing together people of various backgrounds leads to new and creative ideas. More importantly, a  DEI strategy contributes to a space where all employees feel they have intrinsic worth, not in spite of their differences but because of their differences.

Below are a few more benefits businesses can enjoy upon embracing a DEI approach. 

Strengthened Recruitment

DEI has grown in popularity among candidates and employees. In fact, three-fourths of job seekers and employees treat DEI as a major factor when weighing job offers and companies. Candidates recognize the positive effects of an environment that welcomes a range of backgrounds and want to join this kind of space.

However, employees aren’t the only ones who should be pushing for more diverse and inclusive cultures. Company leaders must also make the effort to implement DEI policies , and there are plenty of incentives for businesses to get started as soon as possible.

Higher Employee Retention

Once candidates join an organization, DEI can also play a role in convincing them to stick around. Feelings of inclusion make up as much as 35 percent of an employee’s emotional connection to their work and 20 percent of their wanting to remain with their current employer. Companies that take steps to cultivate a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace can then reduce employee turnover and enjoy a more stable workforce through the years.  

More Innovation

A Harvard Business Review survey of 79 large companies found that a 0.1-point increase in a company’s DEI ratings correlates to a 13-percent increase in that company’s ability to change . When companies construct inclusive teams, employees from diverse backgrounds can offer different ideas and perspectives. This makes it easier to solve problems, develop unorthodox approaches and craft creative solutions to help companies adapt on the fly.  

Deeper Trust 

Trust hinges on leadership building genuine relationships with employees, and DEI is a key component of this process. When companies make DEI commitments and don’t follow through, 40 percent of workers would think about leaving and 56 percent would no longer recommend their employer as a place to work. 

Organizations that recruit diverse talent must execute DEI initiatives to make employees of different backgrounds feel respected and safe in the workplace. If businesses neglect their DEI commitments, employees of marginalized backgrounds may believe the company doesn’t care about them and lose the trust they once had in organizational leadership.  

Improved Business Outcomes    

Companies that listen to DEI advocates’ demands and make changes can benefit from a diverse and inclusive culture as well. 

According to Forbes , increasing female partners’ shares by 10 percent often leads to a 10 percent rise in revenue. In addition, firms that display culturally and ethnically diverse executive teams are 33 percent more likely to lead their industries in profitability. When people feel welcomed for who they are, they perform at a higher level. It’s a win-win situation for everyone when companies take steps to diversify their workforces. 

If your industry is ever going to be a place where innovation and ingenuity thrive, diversity, equity and inclusion have to take center stage. Employers must actively work to create meaningful change in spite of the history of injustice that has marginalized underrepresented groups within the workplace. This work is often spearheaded by HR departments.

HR’s Role in Implementing a DEI Strategy and Culture

For employers and people management professionals alike, the biggest challenge is knowing where to start.

“There’s no quick fix,” Colman said. “A lot of people immediately jump to figure out how they can make their company more diverse, but you can’t underestimate the importance of inclusion and equity. Without those two pieces, you’re not going to achieve true diversity.” 

Understanding how each element of DEI builds upon the others is important to  creating a work environment that is equitable and inclusive of all individuals. Just like DEI is a multifaceted process, Colman encourages employers to lean on each other.

“It’s not going to be a single HR person that addresses the issue of DEI for a company,” she added. “Lean on your professional community. You’re not going to be able to have all the answers because you don’t have all the perspectives.”

The  focus on DEI has prompted a huge shift for HR. “I think the mindset has always been to avoid talking about these things,” Colman said. “We typically put them in the handbook and address them in training maybe once a year. We didn’t want to make people uncomfortable. I think right now, the call to action is about understanding how to navigate that discomfort and how to use that to elevate your workforce. It’s about doing the important work that is long overdue and becoming inclusive and equitable.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is dei in the workplace.

DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. It is based on the idea that recruiting and supporting workers of various backgrounds is integral to a company’s success, and encompasses policies and initiatives designed to help all employees feel welcomed and equipped to perform their jobs at a high level.

What is an example of DEI in the workplace?

Intentionally recruiting workers of marginalized backgrounds, hosting DEI workshops and training sessions and offering mentorship and support to employees of diverse backgrounds are a few examples of  DEI in the workplace.

Why is DEI important?

DEI is important because it contributes to an environment where all employees, regardless of background, have fair opportunities to pursue work they’re passionate about while getting to be themselves in the workplace. By bringing in diverse perspectives, organizations also create a space where multiple voices are heard and innovation can flourish.

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What is diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

Foster an inclusive work environment and you empower people to be their authentic selves.

The mission to ensure that every employee feels safe and supported in the workplace is a never-ending one, but in recent years many strides have been made in making diversity and inclusion a core part of doing business.

Large global corporations are often the most visible in this respect, as they tend to lead the way in flagship diversity and inclusion policies. These policies not only allow them to foster a healthy and happy workforce, but to conduct business internationally and attract the most qualified applicants from all backgrounds.

Small- to medium-sized companies have an even more important role to play when it comes to fairness and equity in the office. To begin, it’s the right thing to do; but implementing a diversity and inclusion policy can also help a company become more adaptable, more creative, and more competitive.

What is meant by diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

The term “ diversity and inclusion ” describes both the makeup of a workforce, as well as the policies and processes used to remove barriers and ensure that every employee has equal access to opportunities and support at a company. 

The ultimate goal is to ensure fairness and equity for all employees, regardless of characteristics like gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, and age; however, diversity and inclusion is an ongoing process rather than a destination. With a well-designed diversity and inclusion policy, a company can not only make better and fairer decisions at the recruitment stage but also foster a healthier workplace where employees feel heard and supported.

What’s the difference between diversity and inclusion?

While the terms are usually bundled together as one, there’s a big difference between diversity and inclusion. Diversity describes the ways in which we are different. A diverse workplace will be made up of people from a wide variety of backgrounds at every level of the business, from entry-level roles all the way up to management. 

But just because a workplace is diverse doesn’t necessarily mean it’s also inclusive. Inclusion describes the power employees have to make decisions and hold influence. A company focused on being inclusive will make sure that every employee can participate fully in the organization; in other words, workers should feel that their voices are being heard, and that they have the same access as their colleagues to opportunities for success. 

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Diversity and inclusion should naturally reflect a company’s greater mission to strive for fairness and equality in every sphere of business . This is more than just in the office—it’s in how the company communicates with customers, how it chooses the clients it works with, and how it creates products and services .

But beyond simply being the greater good, there are direct and immediate benefits for any employer that pursues a diverse and inclusive work environment. In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the advantages offered by recruiting diversely and striving toward inclusivity.

Benefits of having a diverse and inclusive environment in the workplace

Diverse and fresh points of view.

A diverse and inclusive workplace comprised of people from many different backgrounds will tend to have a wider variety of perspectives and ideas to draw from. Problems can be framed in different ways that lead to creative solutions across every department of the business.

A better understanding of customer needs

The company gains a greater understanding of the needs of its customers when its own workplace reflects the very people who use its products and services every day. By hiring thoughtfully from a broader pool of potential employees and retaining a diverse workforce, a company can reach a much wider customer base.

Better decision-making

With a greater variety of perspectives as well as a work environment that encourages communication, companies will experience improved decision-making. This benefits everything from day-to-day actions to long-term planning for the future of the business.

Access to more qualified potential employees

A well-structured diversity and inclusion policy ensures that the recruitment process isn’t simply open to all potential employees, but actively seeks out and encourages applicants who might be less visible in their industry or who are hesitant to apply. A wider applicant pool means more qualified hires. When a company has a reputation for hiring diversely and fostering an inclusive work environment, it will more easily attract and retain the best and most qualified candidates in the future.

How can diversity and inclusion be promoted in the workplace?

Choose leaders who promote this idea.

Take into account a candidate’s commitment to diversity and inclusion when hiring, but also when promoting team leaders from within. By elevating employees who champion these values, a company can improve equity among staff and create a self-sustaining push toward fairness in the business.

Use appropriate internal and external communication

Diversity training courses can improve communication at all levels—between teams, with customers, and with people outside the company as well. Small changes to how we write and speak to one another, such as avoiding gendered language in emails, can have a big impact on overall inclusivity.

Give support to those who need it

Equity is about more than simply ensuring equal access and treatment for all—it’s also about raising up and supporting those employees who have particular needs. Every company is required by law to make reasonable adjustments so that no worker is disadvantaged in the workplace, but this is a baseline rather than a target. Discuss individual workers’ needs with them, and make changes to ensure they’re met or even exceeded.

Have a clear recruiting plan for it

Recruitment is the biggest driver of diversity in the workplace. For a recruitment plan to reach the most varied pool of potential applicants, it should consider every aspect of the process: from how and where your vacancies are advertised to how accessible the application and interview process is to interested parties. 

Equal access to opportunities

When evaluating and considering employees for promotions and other opportunities, be aware of unconscious bias at every stage. Even well-intentioned managers are prone to discriminatory behavior, whether they realize it or not. Bias training helps to alleviate this, as do systems like blind recruitment, in which identifying characteristics such as gender and applicant names are removed from résumés.

Educate about diversity

Education is a key part of fostering a sense of inclusion and fairness in business. A company should publicize its diversity goals, update employees on the progress being made, and strive to help everybody understand why diversity in the workplace is important. This might mean taking steps such as opening a dialogue about things like gender pay imbalance, or bridging a skill gap by offering training courses.

Examples of companies that promote diversity and inclusion

Mastercard .

The global financial services firm is regularly recognized for its diversity and inclusion initiatives. As well as sponsoring STEM mentorship programs such as Girls4Tech, the company offers a range of employee benefits such as coverage for gender-affirming surgery, fertility treatment, and adoption assistance.

The cosmetics company consistently scores highly in corporate equality benchmarks, thanks to a diversity and inclusion strategy designed to span the 130 countries in which L’Oréal operates. Women make up 69 percent of the workforce, and the company offers multicultural mentorship courses and on-the-ground job training for young people in some of the poorest nations in the world.

This biotech research organization in San Francisco works to make genetic information more affordable to those who need it. In 2020, it launched a suite of diversity and inclusion initiatives centered on a set of seven employee resource groups, which include Women in Tech, Pride, and Black Genetics. These ERGs host regular community table talks where employees can openly and informally discuss issues affecting them.

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Fair treatment to all: The key to diversity and inclusion at work

Diversity and inclusion can’t be easily summarized, mainly because it’s a catchall term consisting of unrelated challenges. For example: A goal of hiring more women into management positions will require a different approach than ensuring that LGBTQ+ employees feel welcome in the workplace, or that workers of different ethnicities have a voice. 

But the basis for these ideas is a commitment to fair treatment for all and consideration of the unique perspectives of every employee. That mindset will lead to the creation of an equitable workplace that accepts, appreciates, and values differences. This is the key point to keep in mind when designing a diversity and inclusion initiative for your own company.

Steve Hogarty is a writer and journalist based in London. He is the travel editor of City AM newspaper and the deputy editor of City AM Magazine , where his work focuses on technology, travel, and entertainment.

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace

A majority of u.s. workers say focusing on dei at work is a good thing, but relatively small shares place great importance on diversity in their own workplace, table of contents.

• The value of DEI efforts at work
• The importance of a diverse workforce
• DEI measures and their impact
• How gender, race and ethnicity impact success in the workplace
• Acknowledgments
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology

Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand how adults in the United States think about diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the workplace. This analysis is based on survey responses from 4,744 U.S. adults who are working part time or full time, are not self-employed, have only one job or have multiple jobs but consider one their primary job, and whose company or organization has 10 or more people. The data was collected as part of a larger survey of workers conducted Feb. 6-12, 2023. Everyone who took part is a member of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Read more about the questions used for this report and the report’s methodology .

References to workers or employed adults include those who are employed part time or full time, are not self-employed, have only one job or have multiple jobs but consider one their primary job, and whose company or organization has 10 or more people.

References to White, Black and Asian adults include those who are not Hispanic and identify as only one race. Hispanics are of any race.

References to college graduates or people with a college degree comprise those with a bachelor’s degree or more. “Some college” includes those with an associate degree and those who attended college but did not obtain a degree.

References to disabled workers include those who say a disability or handicap keeps them from fully participating in work, school, housework or other activities.

All references to party affiliation include those who lean toward that party. Republicans include those who identify as Republicans and those who say they lean toward the Republican Party. Democrats include those who identify as Democrats and those who say they lean toward the Democratic Party.

Workplace diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, or DEI, are increasingly becoming part of national political debates . For a majority of employed U.S. adults (56%), focusing on increasing DEI at work is a good thing, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. But opinions about DEI vary considerably along demographic and political lines.

Most workers have some experience with DEI measures at their workplace. About six-in-ten (61%) say their company or organization has policies that ensure fairness in hiring, pay or promotions, and 52% say they have trainings or meetings on DEI at work. Smaller shares say their workplace has a staff member who promotes DEI (33%), that their workplace offers salary transparency (30%), and that it has affinity groups or employee resource groups based on a shared identity (26%). Majorities of those who have access to these measures say each has had a positive impact where they work.

Related : How Americans View Their Jobs

This nationally representative survey of 5,902 U.S. workers, including 4,744 who are not self-employed, was conducted Feb. 6-12, 2023, using the Center’s American Trends Panel . 1 The survey comes at a time when DEI efforts are facing some backlash and many major companies are laying off their DEI professionals .

Some key findings from the survey:

• Relatively small shares of workers place a lot of importance on diversity at their workplace. About three-in-ten say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere with a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities (32%) or ages (28%). Roughly a quarter say the same about having a workplace with about an equal mix of men and women (26%) and 18% say this about a mix of employees of different sexual orientations.
• More than half of workers (54%) say their company or organization pays about the right amount of attention to increasing DEI. Smaller shares say their company or organization pays too much (14%) or too little attention (15%), and 17% say they’re not sure. Black workers are more likely than those in other racial and ethnic groups to say their employer pays too little attention to increasing DEI. They’re also among the most likely to say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing (78% of Black workers say this), while White workers are the least likely to express this view (47%).
• Women are more likely than men to value DEI at work. About six-in-ten women (61%) say focusing on increasing DEI at work is a good thing, compared with half of men. And larger shares of women than men say it’s extremely or very important to them to work at a place that is diverse when it comes to gender, race and ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation.
• There are wide partisan differences in views of workplace DEI. Most Democratic and Democratic-leaning workers (78%) say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, compared with 30% of Republicans and Republican leaners. Democrats are also far more likely than Republicans to value different aspects of diversity. And by wide margins, higher shares of Democrats than Republicans say the policies and resources related to DEI available at their workplace have had a positive impact.
• Half of workers say it’s extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is accessible for people with physical disabilities. About three-in-ten workers (29%) say this is somewhat important to them, and 21% say it’s not too or not at all important. A majority of workers (76% among those who do not work fully remotely) say their workplace is at least somewhat accessible for people with physical disabilities.
• Many say being a man or being White is an advantage where they work. The survey asked respondents whether a person’s gender, race or ethnicity makes it easier or harder to be successful where they work. Shares ranging from 45% to 57% say these traits make it neither easier nor harder. But far more say being a man and being White makes it easier than say it makes it harder for someone to be successful. Conversely, by double-digit margins, more say being a woman, being Black or being Hispanic makes it harder than say it makes it easier to be successful where they work.

A majority of workers (56%) say focusing on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion at work is mainly a good thing; 28% say it is neither good nor bad, and 16% say it is a bad thing. Views on this vary along key demographic and partisan lines.

Half or more of both men and women say focusing on increasing DEI at work is a good thing, but women are more likely than men to offer this view (61% vs. 50%). In turn, men are more than twice as likely as women to say it is a bad thing (23% vs. 9%).

About two-thirds or more of Black (78%), Asian (72%) and Hispanic (65%) workers say that focusing on DEI at work is a good thing. Among White workers, however, fewer than half (47%) say it’s a good thing; in fact, 21% say it’s a bad thing. But there are wide partisan, gender and age gaps among White workers, with majorities of White Democrats, women and those under age 30 saying focusing on DEI at work is a good thing.

Workers under 30 are the most likely age group to say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing. About two-thirds (68%) of workers ages 18 to 29 say this, compared with 56% of workers 30 to 49, 46% of those 50 to 64, and 52% of those 65 and older.

Views also differ by educational attainment, with 68% of workers with a postgraduate degree saying focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, compared with 59% of those with a bachelor’s degree only and 50% of those with some college or less education.

Democratic and Democratic-leaning workers are much more likely to say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing (78%) than to say it is a bad thing (4%) or that it is neither good nor bad (18%). Views among Republican and Republican-leaning workers are more mixed: Some 30% say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, while the same share (30%) say it’s a bad thing, and 39% say it’s neither good nor bad.

A majority of workers say their employer pays the right amount of attention to DEI

When it comes to the focus of their own employer, 54% of workers say their company or organization pays about the right amount of attention to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion. The remainder are divided between saying their employer pays too much (14%) or too little attention (15%), or that they’re not sure (17%).

Women are more likely than men to say their employer pays too little attention to increasing DEI (17% vs. 12%). In turn, men are more likely than women to say too much attention is paid to this where they work (18% vs. 10%).

Black workers (28%) are the most likely to say their company or organization pays too little attention to increasing DEI, compared with smaller shares of White (11%), Hispanic (19%) and Asian (17%) workers who say the same.

Views on this question also differ by party. While half or more of both Republican and Democratic workers say their company or organization pays the right amount of attention to DEI, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say their employer pays too little attention to it (21% vs. 7%). In turn, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say their employer pays too much attention to DEI (24% vs. 6%).

While a majority of workers say focusing on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion at work is a good thing, relatively small shares place great importance on working at a place that is diverse when it comes to gender, race and ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. About three-in-ten workers say it’s extremely or very important to them to work somewhere with a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities (32%) and ages (28%), while 26% say the same about having about an equal mix of men and women. And 18% say this about having a mix of employees of different sexual orientations at their workplace.

Women are more likely than men to say it’s extremely or very important to them to work at a place that is diverse across all measures asked about in the survey. For example, there are 11 percentage point differences in the shares of women compared with men saying it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that has a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities (37% vs. 26%) and about an equal mix of men and women (31% vs. 20%).

Black workers are among the most likely to value racial, ethnic and age diversity in the workplace. Some 53% of Black workers say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere with a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities, compared with 39% of Hispanic workers and 25% of White workers who say the same; 43% of Asian workers say this is important to them. (There is no statistically significant difference between the share of Asian workers and the shares of Black and Hispanic workers who hold this view.) And while 42% of Black workers highly value working somewhere with a mix of employees of different ages, smaller shares of Hispanic (33%), Asian (30%) and White (24%) workers say the same.

When it comes to diversity of sexual orientation, 28% of Black workers and 22% of Hispanic workers say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is diverse in this way; 15% each among White and Asian workers say the same.

Workers under age 50 are more likely than those 50 and older to say racial and ethnic diversity in their workplace is extremely or very important to them (35% vs. 26%). Workers younger than 50 are also more likely to say having about an equal mix of men and women is important to them, with workers ages 18 t0 29 the most likely to say this (34% vs. 26% of workers 30 to 49, and 20% each among those 50 to 64 and 65 and older).

There are also differences by educational attainment, with larger shares of workers with a postgraduate degree than those with less education saying it’s extremely or very important to them that their workplace is diverse across all measures asked about in the survey. For example, 44% of workers with a postgraduate degree say having a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities is extremely or very important to them, compared with 34% of those with a bachelor’s degree only and 27% of those with some college or less.

Democratic workers are much more likely than Republican workers to say working somewhere that is diverse when it comes to gender, race and ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation is extremely or very important to them. In fact, about half of Democrats (49%) place great importance on having a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities where they work, compared with 13% of Republicans. And there are differences of at least 20 points between the shares of Democrats and Republicans saying it’s extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that has about an equal mix of men and women (39% of Democrats say this vs. 12% of Republicans) and a mix of employees of different ages (39% vs. 17%) and sexual orientations (27% vs. 7%).

Overall, a majority of workers say their workplace has a mix of employees of different ages (58% say this describes their current workplace extremely or very well). Smaller shares say their workplace has about an equal mix of men and women (38%) and a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities (46%) and sexual orientations (28%). These assessments do not vary much across demographic groups.

Half of workers place great importance on working at a place that is accessible for people with physical disabilities

Half of workers say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is accessible for people with physical disabilities; 29% say it is somewhat important and 21% say it is not too or not at all important to them.

Highly valuing an accessible workplace varies by gender, race and ethnicity, and party, but there is no significant difference in responses between those who do and don’t report having a disability.

About six-in-ten women (58%) say it is extremely or very important to them that their workplace is accessible, compared with 41% of men.

Black workers are more likely than workers of other racial and ethnic groups to place great importance on their workplace being accessible: 62% of Black workers say this is extremely or very important, compared with 51% of Hispanic, 48% of White and 43% of Asian workers.

A majority of Democrats (59%) say it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is accessible for people with physical disabilities; 40% of Republican say the same. Some 27% of Republicans say this is not too or not at all important to them, compared with 15% of Democrats.

There is no statistically significant difference in the shares of workers who have a disability and those who do not saying it is extremely or very important to them to work somewhere that is accessible for people with physical disabilities. But workers who do not have a disability are more likely than those who do to say this is not too or not at all important to them (21% vs. 15%).

Among those who don’t work fully remotely, about three-quarters of workers (76%) say their workplace is at least somewhat accessible for people with physical disabilities, with 51% saying it is extremely or very accessible. Some 17% say their workplace is not too or not at all accessible, and 8% are not sure.

When asked whether the company or organization they work for has a series of measures that are typically associated with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, a majority of workers say their employer has policies that ensure everyone is treated fairly in hiring, pay or promotions (61%), and 52% say there are trainings or meetings on DEI where they work.

Smaller shares say their workplace has a staff member whose main job is to promote DEI at work (33%), a way for employees to see the salary range for all positions (30%), and groups created by employees sometimes known as affinity groups or employee resource groups (ERGs) based on shared identities such as gender, race or being a parent (26%).

Responses do not vary much by most demographic characteristics. However, workers with at least a bachelor’s degree are consistently more likely than those with less education to say each of these five measures is available where they work.

Workers tend to see positive impact from policies and resources associated with DEI where they work

Among those whose workplace offers each policy or resource, a majority of workers say each measure has had a somewhat or very positive impact where they work. About a third or fewer workers say each resource has had neither a positive nor negative impact, and about one-in-ten or fewer say each of these has had a somewhat or very negative impact.

Democrats and Republicans are about equally likely to say their workplace has these measures in place, but Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say the impact of each has been positive by margins ranging from 10 to 32 points (among those who say their workplace has these measures). For example, 66% of Democrats who say their workplace has a way for employees to see the salary range for all positions say this has had a somewhat or very positive impact, compared with 56% of Republicans who say this. And while about three-quarters of Democrats (74%) say having a staff member whose main job is to promote DEI at work has had a positive impact, fewer than half of Republicans (42%) say the same.

Women are more likely than men to say each of these policies and resources has had a very or somewhat positive impact where they work. This is mainly driven by gender differences among Republicans: There are double-digit differences in the shares of Republican women and Republican men who say many of these resources have had a positive impact. For example, 58% of Republican women say having a staff member whose main job is to promote DEI at work has had at least a somewhat positive impact where they work, compared with 31% of Republican men who hold this view. The same share of Republican women (58%) say having affinity groups or ERGs has had a positive impact, compared with 38% of Republican men who say the same.

Among Democrats, majorities of both men and women offer positive assessments of these resources in their workplace, but Democratic women are more likely than Democratic men to say having trainings or meetings on DEI at work have had a positive impact (72% vs. 65%).

While there are differences by race, ethnicity and age on overall attitudes about DEI in the workplace, there are no consistent differences along these dimensions in how workers with access to these policies and resources at their workplace assess their impact.

About half of workers who have participated in DEI trainings in the last year say they’ve been helpful

Out of all workers, about four-in-ten (38%) have participated in a DEI training in the last year. A similar share (40%) did not participate or say their workplace does not offer these trainings, and 21% are not sure if their employer offers these trainings.

Looking only at those whose company or organization has trainings or meetings on DEI, about three-quarters (73%) say they have participated in such trainings in the past year. And assessments of these trainings tend to be positive, with 53% of workers who’ve participated saying they were very or somewhat helpful. About a third (34%) give a more neutral assessment, saying the trainings were neither helpful nor unhelpful, and 13% say they were very or somewhat unhelpful.

While men and women are about equally likely to have participated in trainings on DEI in the past year, women are more likely than men to say the trainings have been at least somewhat helpful (60% vs. 46%).

Republicans and Democrats are also equally likely to say they’ve participated in these trainings in the past year, but Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to say the trainings have been helpful (66% vs. 36%). About one-in-five Republicans say they’ve been unhelpful (19%), compared with 9% of Democrats.

While both Democratic men and women offer similar assessments of the DEI trainings they’ve participated in, there are gender differences among Republican workers. Republican women are more likely than Republican men to say the trainings they’ve participated in have been helpful (47% vs. 28%). Conversely, 22% of Republican men, compared with 14% of Republican women, say the trainings have been unhelpful.

Few workers are members of affinity groups or ERGs at work

While 26% of workers say there are affinity groups or employee resource groups (ERGs) where they work, members of these groups account for a very small share of workers overall. Just 6% of workers say they are members of an affinity group or ERG, with 58% of workers saying these groups are either not available at their workplace or that they aren’t a member. Another 37% say they are not sure if their workplace offers these groups.

Among workers who say there are affinity groups or ERGs at their workplace, 22% say they are personally a member. Women are more likely than men to be members of these groups (28% vs. 16%). And 28% of non-White workers say they are a member of an affinity group or ERG, compared with 18% of White workers. 2

When asked about the impact a person’s gender, race or ethnicity has on their ability to succeed at work, workers tend to say these characteristics neither make it easier nor harder to be successful at their workplace.

Still, when it comes to gender, workers are more likely to say being a man makes it easier to be successful where they work than to say it makes it harder (36% vs. 6%). In contrast, a larger share says being a woman makes it harder to be successful than say it makes it easier (28% vs. 11%).

Men and women have different views on the impact gender has on a person’s ability to succeed where they work. Some 44% of women say being a man makes it at least a little easier to be successful, including 24% who say it makes it a lot easier. This compares with 29% of men who say being a man makes it at least a little easier to be successful.

Similarly, 34% of women say being a woman makes it harder to be successful where they work, compared with 21% of men.

Women under age 50 are especially likely – more so than women ages 50 and older or men in either age group – to say being a man makes it easier to be successful where they work and that being a woman makes it harder. For example, 38% of women ages 18 to 49 say being a woman makes it harder to be successful where they work. This compares with 29% of women 50 and older, 25% of men younger than 50, and an even smaller share of men 50 and older (13%).

When it comes to views about how race or ethnicity affects people’s ability to succeed at work, 51% of Black workers say being Black makes it harder to be successful where they work. This is significantly higher than the shares of Asian (41%), Hispanic (23%) and White (18%) workers who say the same about the impact of being Black.

Similarly, about four-in-ten Asian workers (39%) say being Asian makes it harder to be successful in their workplace, a higher share than workers of other racial and ethnic groups who say the same about being Asian.

Hispanic, Black and Asian workers are about equally likely to say being Hispanic makes it harder to be successful where they work. A smaller share of White workers say the same about being Hispanic.

When asked about the impact of being White in their workplace, workers across racial and ethnic groups are more likely to say it makes it easier than to say it makes it harder to be successful. This is especially the case among Black and Asian workers. About half of Black (52%) and Asian (51%) workers say being White makes it easier to be successful where they work, compared with 37% of Hispanic and 24% of White workers who say the same about being White.

Previously released findings from this survey found that Black workers are more likely than White, Hispanic and Asian workers to report that they have experienced discrimination or have been treated unfairly by an employer in hiring, pay or promotions because of their race or ethnicity at some point in their careers (though not necessarily where they currently work). Women are also more likely than men to say they’ve experienced such discrimination because of their gender.

There are large partisan gaps in views of whether gender, race or ethnicity make it easier or harder to be successful at work. Some 47% of Democratic workers say being a man makes it at least somewhat easier to be successful at their workplace, compared with 25% of Republican workers. Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to say being a woman makes it harder to succeed (37% vs. 17%).

Democratic and Republican women are more likely than their male counterparts to say being a woman makes it harder – and being a man makes it easier – to be successful where they work. The differences between Republican women and Republican men are particularly striking. About a quarter of Republican women (26%) say being a woman makes it harder to be successful, compared with 10% of Republican men. And while 36% of Republican women say being a man makes it easier to be successful where they work, just 16% of Republican men say the same.

Democratic workers are more than three times as likely as Republican workers to say being White makes it easier to succeed where they work (48% vs. 13%), and they are also more likely than Republicans to say being Black, Hispanic or Asian makes it harder. About four-in-ten Democrats (39%) say being Black makes it harder for someone to succeed at their workplace, compared with just 9% of Republicans. Similarly, 30% of Democrats say being Hispanic makes it harder to succeed, compared with 8% of Republicans. And while smaller shares in both parties say being Asian makes it harder to succeed, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say this (16% vs. 6%). These partisan differences remain when looking only at Democrats and Republicans who are White.

• For details, see the  Methodology  section of the report. The analysis in this report is based on U.S. workers who are employed full time or part time, who are not self-employed, and who have only one job or have multiple jobs but consider one their primary job (99% of workers who are not self-employed have one job or a primary job). Additionally, the analysis is restricted to workers at companies or organizations with at least 10 employees as certain federal requirements such as non-discrimination mandates apply to larger workplaces. ↩
• Non-White adults include Black, Hispanic, Asian and other races besides White, as well as people who identify as more than one race. The sample sizes among Black, Hispanic and Asian workers who have affinity groups or ERGs at work are too small to analyze separately. ↩

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A Complete Guide to Diversity & Inclusion Training for Corporate Employees With Training Material Included [Free PDF Attached]

Madhusheel Arora

In nature, diversity is the order of the day. Plants and animals embrace diversity in all its glory and celebrate it with zest, enthusiasm, and complete acceptance.

We, humans, are not that lucky or accepting, especially in the way we run our businesses. The enterprises might be as diverse as steel-making to manufacturing paper, but within these, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) are not anywhere near-perfect.

Click here to get complete access to the comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion deck

Businesses want the world to be their playground and target diverse markets, but resist the inclusion of diversity in their ranks.

Our complete course on D&I is designed to sensitize the workforce to embrace Diversity. The trainer can download this comprehensive presentation deck to get the most well-researched content, fortified with impactful designs to deliver a powerful training experience.

The comprehensive course — with training material included — is also the most credible, relevant resource available online to a query on how to conduct D&I training. The course is structured across eight sessions, which are:

D&I: Working on beliefs, attitudes, and behavior

We start with ‘Bias Acknowledgment’ as Session 1 . Without this realization, one fails to spot biases that actually necessitate the study of D&I. The well-researched exercises in the session underline the relevance of D&I as a business concern that must be addressed. The goal is to bring about a positive mindset change as trainees undergo a rigorous intellectual shake-up.

The in-depth, one-of-its-kind course also touches upon the three devils that plague businesses’ efforts towards D&I. The trainer helps participants identify and deal with Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination in Session II . The approach remains practical with trainees encouraged to subject themselves to rigorous introspection on discriminatory behavior.

Types of biases and specific, unique strategies to deal with each are presented in Session III . Our 26-slide Session IV on ‘Bias Formation’ allows the trainer to take trainees on an investigation to find the causes of bias.

Session V builds upon the previous four sessions and introduces trainees to the concept of ‘Understanding’. The idea of Understanding is seen through the prism of Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Equality and Equity (DIBE). The much-confused concepts of Equality and Equity are explained in a fresh, dynamic way. Here, the trainer also gets the chance to discuss the six-question approach to understand culture.

In Session VI , we list out how the Lack of D&I Practices Impact Businesses. The Starbucks Racial Incident of 2018 is covered to illustrate how quickly matters escalate out of control, when D&I is not a part of the organization DNA.

Our penultimate session talks about the salient features of D&I Policy for Inclusive Leadership. The trainer gets to share the six key traits of an Inclusive Leader.

We conclude our content repository with D&I Policies for Employees and Diversity Council, the title of Session VIII . This session opens with the hashtag of #Leave No One Behind as the first slide. This is a customable session, where the trainer can key-in the purpose and the scope of D&I Policy that the corporation wants to implement.

All sessions end with three key indicators of trainees’ involvement in the training. These are:

• Key Takeaways
• Let’s Discuss
• Let’s Test What We Have Learnt

The guide also includes Bonus Material in the form of an Appendix of D&I Activity Calendar, Posters and Mailers. The master slide of the icons used is also provided.

*************************************

The preview

SESSION I: BIAS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Where it all starts

The key learning outcome of Session I is that trainees gain an awareness of how their personal biases influence decision-making.

Experts testify that even though we are not consciously aware of biases that we cultivate, these reflect in our behavior. Biases are like sugar-heavy drinks, giving us the energy and the capability to make quick, off-the-cuff decisions. These are palpable to all, except the person exhibiting the bias.

Session I is designed to help trainees see the problem and its many manifestations. The trainer is provided the required resources to tackle the issue head-on. The first exercise is a picture puzzle, where the trainer can demonstrate that how the ‘mere appearance of an individual’ is a source of great bias. If unchecked, this can be a source of great grief or delirious happiness.

Another pictorial exercise lets the existence of bias sink in further.

Thought-provoking, open-ended questions add to the increasing clarity among trainees on the concept of bias. An activity, Completing the Wheel, lets the trainer and trainees interact as they resolve the issue of bias. Finally, a consensus may or may not emerge, but the entire training effort has made its point.

The Circle of Trust activity is also a must-do for better understanding of bias.

The self-reflective questionnaire on Unconscious Prejudice brings out each trainee’s ‘uniquely-placed’ bias across race, gender, sexuality, weight etc. This session offers links to take Harvard University’s bias test, also known as the Implicit Association Test.

Next, our session offers datapoints and empirical evidence to help the trainer build a strong business case for the elimination of bias.

These include a CNBC study, which shows that the color of your skin sets you up for 33% lower hourly pay in the US.

Some penalty, this, for the way God made you. For those on the other side of the divide, the same facts should be taken as a lottery, but are taken as rightful entitlement. Trainers who download this pioneering course may use this as a discussion point. This may spark a heated debate, but will add real value to the learning from the path-breaking course.

SESSION II: STEREOTYPE, PREJUDICE, DISCRIMINATION

The key learning outcome of Session II is that trainees can let go of personal discriminatory behavior, if any, when armed with the correct tools. They are also given an understanding of how such discriminatory behavior is the result of unchecked stereotypes and prejudices. The session also lists out preventive measures and Memes to drive home the point.

The hands-on session puts the spotlight on the actual tackling of stereotypes and prejudices in day-to-day work situations. Before doing this, the course design, backed by tons of research, ensures that everyone in the hall grasps the three concepts.

Of several actionable takeaways from the session, the one that the trainers may try and drill into the trainees is that workplace discrimination leads to poor employee engagement and satisfaction. A brand, built painstakingly over decades, might just evaporate overnight if managers and agenda-setters in business fail to up their guard against stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination.

SESSION III: TYPES OF BIASES

The key learning outcome of Session III is to ensure that trainees learn to identify multiple types of biases (those tempting and seductive sugary drinks mentioned earlier). The trainee also learns that biases have disproportionate results. Here, small problems mean a major catastrophe.

The session brings trainees up to speed on the 11 types of biases that lower productivity or trap businesses to take sub-optimal decisions, especially during recruitment. The session concerns itself with the two big HOWs on each of the biases listed; its impact on the workplace and how to control biases from running riot?

The session helps the trainer answer another HOW on the process through which stereotypes result into biased judgments in the selection process. The integrated course content across all eight sessions mean that such backward and forward linkages are frequent and help in better retention, and hopefully, a change in behavior.

The session ends with a seven-question slide that seeks detailed responses from trainees on how biases have affected them.

SESSION IV: REASONS BEHIND BIAS FORMATION

The key learning of the relatively short Session IV is to ensure that trainees become mindful of the reasons that lead to bias formation. The trainer has been given the straightforward job of listing out the causes that, fundamentally, are beyond anybody’s control.

The session emphasizes that Cultural Conditioning, is amenable, somewhat to human will and effort. The five-step process is explained in detail to identify stages where the trainer may suggest remedial action and prevent the formation of biases

At this stage in the course, the trainer may also put forward the pretty mature, if shocking, claim. He/she can confidently claim that a person’s background, his life experiences make his/her story. The Cultural Conditioning process, then, ends with the punchline of ‘Our Life Story Creates our Biases’.

The session digs deep into our physiology and brain functioning. It ekes out the conclusion that biases are needed as a survival mechanism, but we humans have, effectively, given it far too much power over us.

SESSION V: UNDERSTANDING DIBE (DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, BELONGING AND EQUITY

The key learning outcome of Session V is that D&I and Equity lead to Achievement of Excellence across organisations. The credo for businesses seeking to achieve excellence is also listed out, which is that ‘Every Individual is provided with similar opportunity to achieve their full potential’.

Business and organizations that catch this insight from our result-oriented guide can aim to be integrated, engaged and empowered. We illustrate the DIBE through our three Olympic rings; it is indeed an Olympian effort to tackle D&I.

The trainer then takes up another how on the impact of DIBE on business, and its benefits.

The six-step approach to acceptance of diversity is designed to ensure that the complete overhaul of the organisation is carried out. The trainees can have a deadline for each of the steps, if the group decides.

The path-breaking course is intended to result in better and more business. The idea of a ‘Varied Person’ is also discussed.

The Four-Dimensions Approach to Diversity highlights the way the concept is perceived with the individual personality, at the Centre. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory is presented in an innovative manner to add intellectual heft to the session.

The trainer then ends with the idea of how to inculcate Belonging at the workplace, as an integration (not addition) of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity. The gold-standard course also represents the ideas of Equality and Equity in a wonderfully-done visual explanation.

Session VI: LACK OF D&I PRACTICES AND THEIR IMPACT ON BUSINESS

The key learning outcome of Session VI is that the immediate impact of lack of D&I in an organization is akin to a major earthquake. Rebuilding is massively expensive and brands lose credibility and may even have to rethink how they offer value.

The idea is for the trainer to really push for positive D&I as a permanent facet of businesses with a case study.

The long-term impact on business due to lack of D&I practices is discussed from a 360-degree perspective. It is illustrated, with example, of what happens when businesses go ‘tone-deaf’ in terms of products and services they offer.

At this stage, the trainer has a slide that talks about the Impact of Good D&I in business. Of the six major benefits on the slide, the trainer may prefer to discuss a couple in detail. The session also throws up questions that engage the trainees, helping them master D&I in both theory and practice.

The session ends with questions that spur action on issues like the formation of a Diversity Task Force. The trainer may give some time to the trainees to come up with ideas to foster D&I into their workplace.

As the issue concerns policy, the leadership team of businesses have to be convinced of the efficacy of D&I. This is what the course guide dwells upon in Section VII.

SECTION VII: D&I POLICY FOR INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP

The key learning outcome of Session VII is to see how complete commitment to an inclusive D&I creates its own brand of leadership. The trainer is invited, and offers resources, to dig deep into Inclusive Leadership and hope that some of the trainees can cotton on to some of these.

Next up, our course offers behavior pattern that Inclusive Leaders have to get used to measure up to the challenge of driving performance in the business set-up. The session offers expected outcomes in situations of both High and Low Diversity. Moving the boundary is an idea that the trainer and the trainees can take home and reflect upon, at leisure.

The session creates a fertile ground for change with a study sourced from Deloittee that tracks the exponential growth of companies that focus on Inclusive Leadership.

SESSION VIII: D&I POLICIES FOR EMPLOYEES AND DIVERSITY COUNCIL

In today’s online world, the hashtag that business have to follow has to be #Leave No One Behind, be it customers or the staff. The key learning outcome of Session VIII is that it is possible to breathe life into the workplace poster, ALL ARE WELCOME. D&I is workable and indeed, desirable.

A bonus learning for top management is that it is indeed worth allocating your manpower to introduce, track and then actually measure D&I’s productive impact. At this stage, it is not something that you can put on account books and measure against cost. The punch, however, is that D&I gives you the option to do three things:

• Act as a source of competitive advantage
• Recognize inappropriate conduct with speed, before it harms the business
• Transform the process of recruitment

For the trainer, the trainer lists the way in which business defines its D&I Policy and its purpose in their specific and unique context. A standard, well-working policy statement and requirements is provided. The policy inclusions and managers’ responsibilities towards these are delineated. It is also to declared that the organization is an Equal Opportunity Organization.

As a process to internalize D&I, the process of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) is explained in detail with a slide devoted to its benefits. The trainer also gets to familiarize trainees with special accommodation requirements of specific diverse groups.

The end-game in the session is about Diversity Council formation, which the CEO is generally mandated to lead. Its ingredients for success are listed out to increase the chances of success. The uniquely-designed Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed (RACI) matrix for each hierarchy level in the Diversity Council is introduced as a tool to measure results.

Download the free Diversity & Inclusion PDF .

Related posts:

• Top 10 Courses on D&I That Every Organization Should Have All Employees Sign up For
• Diversity and Inclusion Training: Top 10 Courses to Go From Knowledge to Practice
• How to Make People Aware of Their Bias?
• [Updated 2023] Top 20 Diversity and Inclusion PowerPoint Templates to Celebrate Differences & Drive Innovation!

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Why Is Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Important?

DEIB ,  Diversity & Inclusion ,  Leadership & Management

Here's why diversity and inclusion in the workplace is important. More than policies, programs, or headcounts, equitable employers outpace their competitors by respecting the unique needs, perspectives, and potential of their diverse workforce. As a result, diverse and inclusive workplaces earn deeper trust and more commitment from their employees.

What is the difference between diversity and inclusion?

Diversity and inclusion are two interconnected concepts—but they are far from interchangeable. Diversity focuses on representation or the make-up of an entity. Inclusion is about how well the contributions, presence, and perspectives of different groups of people are valued and integrated into an environment.

An environment where many different genders, races, nationalities, and sexual orientations and identities are present but only the perspectives of certain groups are valued or carry any authority or influence, may be diverse, but it is not inclusive. 

What is diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

A diverse and inclusive workplace is one that makes everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do for the business, feel equally involved in and supported in all areas of the workplace. The “all areas” part is important.

Do you have diversity in your recruiting , in each of your departments, and in your leadership? Or do you have a diverse workplace where 50% of your employees are women but 0% of your women are managers? Do you have a  good representation of employees of color overall, but all of them are in the same department?

These telling questions reveal true diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Why is diversity and inclusion in the workplace important?

Research has shown many benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace:

• Higher revenue growth
• Greater readiness to innovate
• Increased ability to recruit a diverse talent pool
• 5.4 times higher employee retention

Inclusion in the workplace is one of the most important keys to retention 

When employees don’t feel that their ideas, presence or contributions are truly valued or taken seriously by their organization, they will eventually leave.

Our  research on company culture shows that when employees trust that they, and their colleagues, will be treated fairly regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or age, they are.

• 9.8 times more likely to look forward to going to work
• 6.3 times more likely to have pride in their work
• 5.4 times more likely to want to stay a long time at their company

Having an inclusive workplace culture will not only help you attract a diverse set of talent but also help you retain the diverse talent you attracted in the first place. In other words, diversity and inclusion is critical to a strong employee retention strategy.  

What is an inclusive workplace?

The diversity that lacks genuine inclusion is often called “tokenism.” A genuinely inclusive workplace doesn’t just have a diversity of people present, it has a diversity of people involved, developed, empowered, and trusted by the business. Diversity efforts need to go beyond a pretty companywide memo.

What is the difference between diversity, inclusion and belonging?

The difference between diversity, inclusion and belonging is that diversity is the representation of different people in an organization, inclusion is ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute to and influence every part and level of a workplace, and belonging is ensuring that everyone feels safe and can bring their full, unique selves to work.  It can be confusing and many companies are guilty of making simple mistakes  when it comes to diversity or inclusion efforts. Thankfully, they can be corrected - if workplaces know what they're doing wrong. Unfortunately, many companies won't recognize what's 'right' and 'wrong' when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the workplace unless they're seeking it out. 

What is the Great Place To Work For All™ definition?  

For All™ is Great Place To Work’s definition of a workplace culture that has evolved beyond “Diversity and Inclusion.”

The goal of the For All approach is to create a consistently high-trust workplace experience for everyone, no matter who they are or what they do for the organization.  It's being able to create spaces that celebrate diverse backgrounds and inclusive cultures. 

Everyone matters in a For All workplace

For All is the accumulation of day-to-day experiences that fuel a thriving company culture. They are the leaders who push to  overcome challenges and create a workplace where employees feel they belong, that their unique talents matter, and that their individual needs are cared for by their colleagues and leaders. When companies experience the very human acts of acknowledgment, inclusion, dignity, and compassion, that is when they can achieve For All.  

For All is critical for success. Workplaces today are more diverse and globally connected than ever before. With the complexities of today’s work environment, leaders must tap into collective intelligence to maximize the potential of every person.  

Technological and social changes continue to alter the landscape in every industry. Organizations will need the human judgment, empathy, passion and creativity of all their people to realize the full promise of the era’s new technologies, increase agility and inventiveness and address the challenges of an increasingly demanding, vocal marketplace.  

Why it can't be For Some, but For All

Organizations that remain “For Some” workplaces will risk losing money, earning less and falling behind their competitors in this disruptive climate. However, the companies that succeed with For All will cultivate tremendous value from their people’s differences and will thrive. 

If you’re ready to create a great place to work For All™ – contact us about our solutions today.

Learn how to create the kind of culture that makes people excited to come to work.

Matt Bush is the Culture Coaching Lead at Great Place to Work®. With a background in both quantitative and qualitative research and analysis methods, Matt helps leaders gain insight into how to build great workplaces for all, while simultaneously achieving their business goals and fueling new and innovative practices.

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Diversity in the Workplace Infographics

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Do you work in a place where not only there are women and men almost equally, but also people from different places of the world? That's great! Embracing diversity at the workplace is very enriching, and these infographics will help you give some statistics and information about that concept! These colorful diagrams, graphs and compositions contain various text boxes and illustrations to convey the data and provide context to your audience.

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19 impactful diversity & inclusion activities in the workplace

Diversity is a priority for, at minimum, 54% of business leaders . Yet when it comes to implementation, the numbers tell a different story. Only four percent of organizations have achieved tangible success in their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) programming efforts.

So, how do we bridge the huge gap between intention and successful execution? One way is through diversity and inclusion activities in the workplace.

That means ongoing activities — and not one-off endeavors — that address biases, structural barriers, and cultural dynamics.

In this article, we’ll cover 19 impactful DEIB activities you can implement in the workplace today, with tips for making the most of them.

Why organize diversity and inclusion activities?

Organizing DEIB activities is not just a nod to modern workplace expectations — it's a catalyst for real growth. A robust DEIB approach improves employee morale, which in turn enhances productivity. In the eyes of 80% of young professionals , a company's commitment to diversity weighs heavily in job considerations. The benefits? A richer talent pool, a 37% higher retention rate from employees who feel seen and valued, and teams that function at 1.2-1.4x higher efficiency rates , as noted by the World Economic Forum. Moreover, there’s a direct link between DEIB efforts and profitability , too. Embrace diversity not just as an ethos, but as a strategic business move.

Now, let’s move from theory to action. Learn how to cultivate an environment that accepts differences and propels your organization to succeed.

19 Examples of Diversity and Inclusion Activities in the Workplace

1. implementing unconscious bias training.

Humans have unconscious biases that influence our perceptions and decisions about others. Left unchecked, these biases can undermine hiring practices, hinder teamwork, and negatively impact an organization’s overall culture. Unconscious bias training, in the form of things like personal reflection exercises and implicit bias tests, offers a proactive approach to addressing this problem.

What are the specific areas where unconscious bias may be influencing decision-making? Come up with training quiz activities addressing that, or reach expert DEIB trainers to bring depth and credibility to your sessions. You can also provide follow-up sessions or refresher modules to reinforce the concepts and embed the knowledge and behaviors learned over time.

2. Bringing folks together for Courageous Conversations

Bringing up the “undiscussable” at work isn’t always easy, but structured dialogue in the form of listening circles can help. At PowerToFly, we call these “ Courageous Conversations .”

Listening circles, rooted in Indigenous traditions and often used in restorative justice processes, provide a safe and structured space for individuals to share their stories and feelings. In the context of DEIB, these circles can help understand the lived experiences of a marginalized group, address systemic issues, and foster empathy and understanding within teams. They encourage open dialogue, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued.

3. Organizing a diversity-geared book club

Host an office club to discuss books or films that present diverse viewpoints. Cost-effective and low-maintenance, this activity is one of the easiest ways to develop empathy and cultural awareness. Some books you can consider include Ijeoma Oluo’s “So You Want to Talk About Race” and Ibram Kendi’s “How to Be an Antiracist.”

Schedule a regular meeting that works for all participants. Bi-monthly or monthly sessions work well because they provide ample time for reading and reflection. Don’t forget to assign someone to facilitate discussions, pose questions, and keep the conversation respectful and engaging.

4. Hosting a film night

Nothing absorbs people’s attention like engaging video content. Optional movie nights can be a unique and engaging way for organizations to address DEIB goals. By showcasing films that delve into the histories, cultures, and experiences of diverse groups, companies can stimulate discussions on inclusivity, empathy, and cultural understanding. Such events promote appreciation for diversity and draw attention to historical contexts, prejudices, and the achievements of marginalized communities, leading to a richer, more informed perspective among employees.

Examples of films you can screen are “Hidden Figures” and “Dances With Wolves.”

To make the most of these events, round them off with discussions, and consider having a historian, cultural expert, or relevant community representative discuss the film's context, accuracy, and significance.

5. Holding an inclusive language workshop

Language plays a pivotal role in shaping thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. Inclusive language recognizes and respects people, of all genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, and other identity markers. Inclusive Language Workshops (ILWs) aim to promote communication that avoids biases, stereotypes, or exclusions, fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and represented.

To roll out the workshop, team up with diversity and communication experts. They’ll help you identify your organization’s communication challenges and remedy them effectively.

6. Offering accessibility training

Accessibility training is pivotal in creating an inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities. But organizations can go above and beyond merely meeting legal requirements by involving those with disabilities in planning and executing these workshops. This foundational change, combined with hands-on empathy exercises, real-world case studies, and continuous advocacy tools, can ensure a richer understanding of and genuine commitment to disability awareness. Be sure to include both physical and cognitive disabilities in the ambit of these workshops, too. Pro-tip: Partner with local communities, NGOs, or institutions that work with people with disabilities. Such partnerships can offer continuous insights, potential collaborations, and a direct line to understanding real-world challenges and solutions.

7. Supporting underrepresented artists

Acquiring art from diverse creators for the workplace is a subtle yet powerful way to celebrate the richness of various cultures, histories, and perspectives. Get employees involved in choosing paintings and decor that support artists from marginalized backgrounds or celebrate their own ancestries and identities. Consider quarterly themes. For instance, the months of January through March could be specially dedicated to women and non-binary artists, with an evening dedicated to a discussion of the theme.

Don’t limit acquisitions to just wall art. Explore a mix of mediums like tapestries, pottery, digital art, or Indigenous crafts, showcasing the breadth of artistic expression across cultures.

8. Holding a cross-cultural potluck

There’s no better way to explore different cultures than through the universal language of food. Host a one-day event in which employees bring dishes from their respective cultures.

Imagine the spread: savory Indian samosas, flavorful Mexican tacos, aromatic Thai curry, traditional Italian pasta, and more. That’s a tasty excuse to foster cultural exchange while celebrating your team’s vibrant diversity if you ask us. Set a date, send invitations, and create a sign-up sheet for dishes to plan and execute your potluck event smoothly.

Pro-tip: To make it more inclusive, ensure there are plenty of options for vegetarians, vegans, and those with special dietary needs.

9. Participate in a diversity hackathon

Teams unite to tackle real-world challenges in diversity hackathons, which includes topics like equitable opportunities, workplace accessibility, and microaggressions. In this activity, participants work together within a defined time frame to explore and develop actionable DEIB solutions.

A basic hackathon format can follow three steps: (1) Define problem statements, (2) form diverse teams, and (3) allocate time for brainstorming and solution development. All DEIB activities have their merits, but diversity hackathons are some of the best in terms of promoting swift collaboration and creative problem-solving.

10. Volunteer for social causes together

Workplace diversity and inclusion activities should resonate with your employees and the communities you serve. Through these initiatives, you can visibly demonstrate your corporate social responsibility while creating a shared sense of purpose among your team.

Ask your employees which social issues they value the most, while being sure to consider those that are important to both your workforce and community. Partner with local NGOs or community groups to work on your chosen social causes. After each volunteer event, gather participant feedback to understand what went well and what could be improved.

11. Do a cultural etiquette & awareness training

As remote teams get more global, cultural etiquette and awareness trainings can bridge knowledge gaps and reduce unintentional cultural misunderstandings or offenses.

This type of training emphasizes the importance of respecting all employees' backgrounds and experiences, ensuring everyone feels valued and understood. It champions the idea that embracing differences is not just a matter of political correctness, but is crucial for effective collaboration and mutual respect.

This training can be fun! Rather than just lectures, use role-playing, simulations, and real-world scenarios to make sessions engaging and impactful. This hands-on approach ensures that employees don’t just hear about cultural etiquette, but that they get to practice it, too.

12. Collaborate on art projects

Give employees a creative outlet to craft art that celebrates diversity. It's a therapeutic technique for channeling their emotions and bridging cultural gaps. Employees can collaborate, for example, to create a mural, each visually infusing their own story and background into the artwork.

Whether it’s painting, sculpture, or digital art, ensure that your chosen medium allows for meaningful expression. Allocate dedicated time for the creation process during work hours, or as part of a team-building event. During the project’s culmination, consider providing a platform for employees to briefly share the stories behind their contributions.

13. Put on diversity and inclusion awards

Celebrate your organization’s DEIB champions through annual or semi-annual diversity and inclusion awards. This activity acknowledges employees who exhibit outstanding dedication to all DEIB-related initiatives. They’re the ones who actively participate in employee resource groups , take initiatives in organizing diversity-related events, and show consistent support for underrepresented colleagues.

Involve employees by allowing them to nominate their peers for the awards. Create a confidential nomination platform to encourage genuine recognition via online platforms, email, or other preferred channels.

14. Join or host a lunch-and-learn session

Lunch-and-learn sessions are a relaxed setting for employees to learn about DEIB topics during lunch breaks. It allows them to learn DEIB-related fundamentals without the stress of formal workshops or training sessions.

Draft thought-provoking discussion questions that inspire reflection and encourage participants to share their viewpoints. Have you ever witnessed or experienced microaggressions at work? In what ways do you think unconscious bias affects our team’s decision-making and collaboration?

Alternatively, consider inviting subject matter experts to provide deeper insights on specific topics. With a hands-on approach, this little initiative can develop the practical knowledge and skills needed to foster a highly inclusive workplace.

15. Create a diverse speaker series

Incorporating a diverse speaker series serves as a concrete step towards amplifying voices that are often underrepresented or marginalized in professional and public spheres. By inviting speakers from a variety of backgrounds — be they racial, ethnic, gender, disability, age, or even different industries and socioeconomic statuses — an organization underscores its commitment to broadening perspectives, promoting mutual respect, and fostering continuous learning.

For example, you could consider having panel discussions with Black historians, artists, and social activists to speak during Black History Month, or host a series of talks themed on neurodivergence .

Collaborate with diverse professional associations, community groups, or academic institutions for an impactful series. This ensures a rich tapestry of perspectives and underscores the genuine intent behind such endeavors.

16. Put together a mentorship program in reverse

Reverse mentorship programs pair older employees (over 55) with more junior employees from a range of backgrounds for reciprocal learning. Senior leaders gain insights into the younger generations’ perspectives, while junior employees benefit from their mentors’ wisdom and guidance. Its ultimate goal is to bridge generational gaps while fostering cross-generational understanding .

Match mentors and mentees based on their complementary skills, interests, and cultural backgrounds. Supportive frameworks are crucial to sustaining reverse mentorship, so set clear guidelines, meeting schedules, expectations, and desired outcomes. Pro-tip: Offer resources (like discussion topics, reading materials, and training sessions) for consistent, meaningful interactions.

17. Participate in an ASL class (or hold your own!)

For many people, sign language is one of those skills they may think they’ll never need — until they do. This initiative recognizes and values the unique modes of communication used by Deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals and their loved ones while showcasing the company's commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. Learning sign language benefits employees with hearing impairments and fosters a more inclusive environment where all forms of communication are valued. Employ certified sign language instructors to ensure authenticity and accuracy. It's beneficial to hire instructors who are themselves Deaf or hard-of-hearing, as this offers an immersive learning experience and supports employment within the community.

18. Facilitate a mentorship circle

Employees form small groups to create a supportive environment for peer-to-peer guidance in mentorship circles. Unlike traditional mentoring, this only focuses on skill-sharing and advice rather than formal one-on-one interactions.

Diverse circle compositions can enhance cross-functional learning. So, organize employees into small groups of around five to eight members based on interests, cultures, or departments and organize regular meetups.

Some participants may hesitate to initiate conversations, particularly in a new or unfamiliar group. Provide discussion topics, around career goals or a book or article, for instance, to help break the ice and create a more comfortable environment for sharing.

19. Organize a group travel immersion experience

Visits to other countries offer some of the most immersive diversity and inclusion experiences, if budget permits. This firsthand experience fosters your team's global awareness and real-world cultural sensitivity. It also helps develop their empathy, adaptability, and communication skills — which are crucial in today’s interconnected world.

Conduct pre-trip workshops to help employees prepare culturally and mentally. Try to provide (but don’t overwhelm) participants with information about the destination, its history, customs, and etiquette. Pro-tip: Collaborate with local organizations, NGOs, or cultural experts who can facilitate authentic cultural experiences and interactions.

Use diversity and inclusion activities to ignite conversations that matter.

The above 19 diversity and inclusion activities in the workplace can help ignite meaningful change within your workplace. Before implementing them, assess your organization’s DEIB gaps and identify the most suitable initiatives based on your resources and goals.

Workplace diversity isn’t a checkbox to tick off. It’s an ongoing journey of fostering an environment filled with inclusivity, empathy, and belonging for the whole team. And the 19 diversity and inclusion activities listed above represent just a few of the many ways to go about that.

To ensure your DEIB efforts are meeting your goals, bringing experts on board is not just prudent, but paramount. At PowerToFly, we offer a suite of services geared toward helping companies build and retain diverse teams , including through running DEIB activities.

Let’s level up your diversity and inclusion activities in the workplace today.

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