This article was originally published by our discovery partners, great{with}talent, who we work in partnership with. For more information on how we work with them, click here.
Monitoring workplace diversity is critical, but does that do enough to foster a culture of inclusivity?
‘Diversity’: the talented British dance group, data gathering dust in a clogged up filing cabinet, or a meaningful part of organisational culture? For decades, the terms ‘equal opportunities’ and ‘diversity’ have been synonymous with the addendum on a contract of employment; a quick and simple exercise in checking boxes that define you by your ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and gender. And, of course, that unwelcome reminder that the sands of time have shifted you from one age bracket to the next! But what value do these very basic diagnostic tools really add? In the vast majority of cases, probably very little, because equal opportunities data collated and reported in this way will give employers no insight into how organisational culture is impacting diverse groups within their community.
You might know that 20% of your employee population is made up of black African males, but so what? If you know nothing about how they feel, or what issues are affecting their ability to do, or enjoy doing, their work, isn’t this just data for data’s sake? You might just as well be collating feedback on whether people are right-handed or left-handed, unless, of course, you delve a bit deeper into specifically where, in the employer/employee journey, these differences create bumps in the road.
What we’re talking about here is not just monitoring diversity and avoiding discrimination, but also establishing strategies for inclusion. Real, beneficial data, with positive follow up action. Sometimes the results will reassure you that, as an employer, you’re firmly on the right track towards fostering an inclusive culture that positively engages with all colours, creeds, personality types, genders, sexual orientations and age brackets within your organisation. At other times, it might not make for such comfortable reading; but, knowledge is power, and at least you can pinpoint specifically where and why people feel disengaged, and then take steps to effect positive change.
At great{with}diversity, we focus specifically on helping you to manage diversity and inclusion in the workplace, not simply in the context of ‘record keeping’, but in the far more meaningful pursuit of employee engagement in all corners and pockets of your business. We’ve produced a complete audit toolkit that can not only provide essential demographic data across all diversity groups, but also insights into employee opinions on inclusivity all the way along their journey through your organisation, from recruitment, through employment, and, ultimately, exit.
At A New Normal, we support our clients to build and sustain truly diverse and inclusive organisations, through culture change programmes, education, audit and recruitment. Our team of expert Diversity & Inclusion Consultants can provide; Diversity & Inclusion Training, Unconscious Bias Training, Inclusive Recruitment and Diverse Recruitment support.
We work across Hampshire, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Dorset and London, as well as across the UK and globally. So if you want to find out more, why not get in touch with us? We'd love to hear from you!