by Crystel Robbins Rynne, Chief Operating Officer at HRLocker
Workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is at a critical juncture. Amidst economic uncertainties, many businesses are cutting resources and laying off Chief Diversity Officers.
Yet, the data is clear: neglecting DEI can result in serious business, legal and reputational risks. Now, more than ever, creating an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging and can bring their whole selves to work without fear of bias or judgment is essential.
The importance of diversity, equity and inclusion
Not long ago, DEI was a minor aspect of HR but has become a central business priority. It’s not just about hitting quotas; it’s about creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and included. Neglecting DEI can lead to serious issues, like an unwatered office plant that eventually withers. Yet, unlike neglecting the unloved office palm, the consequences don’t just impact the individual.
When organisations ignore DEI responsibilities, it negatively impacts morale, making it harder to attract and retain talent, which in turn hampers productivity. Moreover, non-compliance with legislation, such as the Irish Employment Equality Acts, can result in fines, legal troubles, and reputational damage.
The need for DEI is clear, yet creating a truly diverse and inclusive environment can be challenging. The first step and cornerstone is understanding what DEI is and is not.
What DEI is (and isn’t) all about
Diversity: Imagine a team where everyone brings different skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. That’s diversity. It’s like a recipe; each ingredient—age, gender, ethnicity, ability–matters. When we mix it up, we create a rich work environment.
Equity: Think of this as fairness. It’s not about treating everyone the same—it’s about giving everybody what they need to succeed. Equity levels the playing field by providing a boost. It’s the stepping stool that lets 5’3” Ashley access files on the top shelf as easily as 6’2” Sam.
Inclusion: This is about creating a sense of belonging. It provides a warm and welcoming environment to everyone. Imagine spotting someone standing alone in the corner at an office party. Inclusion says, “Come and join us, you matter.”
Diversity, equity and inclusion are powerful individually, but together, DEI creates a thriving workplace. However, true DEI goes beyond superficial gestures like rainbow stickers. It requires understanding and dismantling barriers that hinder participation. It’s about creating policies, implementing training, and fostering open conversations. It needs a genuine commitment from everyone involved—And for HR to be a true DEI champion.
HR’s essential role in championing DEI
Practical steps to ensure effective DEI work vary depending on the unique characteristics of each organisation. That said, some helpful best practices and implementation approaches provide a valuable framework for all.
- Promote the right approach: Focus on overcoming barriers
To fully understand the role of barriers, we must look at employment through a social justice lens. From this perspective, if individuals struggle to find jobs despite having the necessary skills and experience, we focus on the barriers preventing their hiring rather than personal characteristics, such as age, gender, or ethnicity.
Barriers can be visible, for instance, buildings without ramps for people with mobility issues. Or physical, like office buildings off the beaten track without public transport provision. Other barriers are less tangible, such as large gaps in CVs because of care responsibilities. Or more insidious, like unconscious biases and inherently discriminatory practices that exclude marginalised groups.
Some barriers combine multiple aspects, for example, language and communication difficulties paired with a lack of supportive infrastructure. Or negative perceptions and attitudes stemming from poor recognition when it comes to alternative skills and experiences. Recognising these factors and looking for ways to overcome them helps us identify ways to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce by breaking down barriers.
- Foster an inclusive culture: Build a DEI strategy
Creating a company culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion requires a systematic approach rather than quick fixes. We should focus on sustainable solutions instead of reactive responses. Setting long-term goals is essential, such as eliminating discrimination and promoting diversity by identifying and breaking down employment barriers.
Here’s a summary of a practical seven-step framework that helps to foster an inclusive culture from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission:
- Implement robust DEI policies—this is where you set out your workplace’s commitment to defined standards that all employees must abide by.
- DEI education and training—here, you enable staff at all levels to understand and achieve the standards set out in your DEI policies.
- Assign responsibility for DEI—now you put someone (a person or team) in charge of driving the agenda and being a valuable point of contact.
- Create a DEI roadmap—lay out your specific objectives and the steps that will be taken to achieve them.
- Undertake DEI assessments—this way concerns are brought into the heart of organisational decision-making.
- Gather DEI data—collect and analyse data about protected characteristics under equality legislation to identify risk areas.
- Encourage participation—involve people with diverse backgrounds and needs in governance so their voices are being heard and used to inform policies, procedures, and practice.
- Implement best practices: Proactively boost DEI
DEI best practice starts and ends with HR. From posting a job ad to recruitment and offboarding, HR touches every part of the employee journey and is responsible for the employee experience throughout. Actionable steps include revising existing workflows, policies and procedures and ensuring they’re DEI-compliant.
Analyse role descriptions, job ads and onboarding processes. Many people avoid applying for jobs that seem overly complex. Use plain language to make recruitment accessible, and consider offering alternative formats like large print or translations. That way, potential recruits won’t be discouraged.
Audit existing policies and fine-tune procedures. Evaluate your current DEI efforts against your goals. Assess the inclusivity of your last recruitment campaign by identifying underrepresented groups and asking what you could do better to attract diverse candidates. Consider simplifying job descriptions or using a competency-based evaluation to better attract diverse candidates.
Go beyond basic training and gather feedback. Unconscious bias and awareness training are valuable but may not be sufficient. Leaders often lack confidence in recognising and addressing inclusion barriers. Gathering their feedback is essential to assess the training’s effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.
Engage with DEI advocates. As HR professionals, we know that people are an organisation’s best asset. It’s the same when it comes to DEI. If it’s appropriate, set up employee resource groups (ERGs) where personnel can share their experiences and expertise with colleagues and, in so doing, put a human face on DEI.
Nurture relationships and signpost support organisations. If ERGs aren’t feasible, look to external groups like employee advocacy and inclusion charities. You’ll also find they’re often more than happy to come in and give a talk or provide resources like leaflets and links to helpful websites for free.
Explore alternative participation options. Look for other ways of getting people into employment. Internships, placements, apprenticeships, and training programmes are all great ways of helping people develop skills, adapt to working and build a career path if they’ve been excluded from typical employment opportunities.
The benefits of championing DEI
If you need even more convincing on why you should champion DEI, consider the benefits it brings to employees, the organisation, and society as a whole.
For employees – DEI greatly enhances employee experience and wellbeing. An inclusive workplace fosters an innovative environment where ideas thrive, and employees flourish.
For the organisation – A diverse workforce enhances your ability to serve a varied stakeholder population. It also boosts organisational performance in talent acquisition, decision-making, customer insight, employee motivation, brand image, market share, and risk reduction.
For society – DEI-positive workplaces enhance labour market inclusion for underrepresented groups, boosting the economy and easing state burdens. They also promote a society that values human rights, dignity, and diversity.
Championing workplace DEI is a significant task requiring a cohesive policy framework, training, and open communication framework. Collaborating with employees at all levels is essential to foster an inclusive culture and dismantle barriers to diversity and equity. By prioritising DEI, we create environments where everyone feels valued and empowered, contributing to the success of individuals, organisations, and society—even during tough times.
About the author
Crystel Robbins Rynne has worked with HRLocker since its inception. As COO, she is responsible for maintaining and driving operational results within the company. She is part of the executive management team and is also an Employee Experience advocate and host of the popular HRLocker Podcast.
