“With Ambiguity Comes Opportunity” on Diversity Efforts

Companies are reflecting on their diversity initiatives, including the use of diversity targets and incentive plan goals – and learning new things in the process, according to a new Semler Brossy piece on the increased volatility in this space.

Now is the time to “take a fresh look” at diversity initiatives in order to ensure that they are aligned with business and communications strategies, although this does not necessarily mean making significant changes. Semler points out that companies can use this time to “proactively seize the moment” and clarify the purpose of their initiatives in the first place. For example, a good business case for DEI initiatives might include:

• Companies must have access to the broadest possible talent pipeline to ensure top talent
  
  
• A company’s workforce should reflect its customer base – this is true for professional services as well as consumer and retail
  
  
• An inclusive and welcoming culture benefits all, but cannot be achieved without diversity

The article also includes some interesting alternatives to representation metrics in incentive plans, in case some companies are considering making a change but still want to have a diversity element in the plan:

• Diverse talent pipeline metrics such as percentage of hiring slates with diverse candidates, economic diversity of hiring schools, return on investment in underserved areas (similar to what CA universities did after affirmative action in state/public entities was banned there), geographic background of candidates.
  
  
• Inclusivity metrics such as employee engagement, “inclusiveness” score within engagement surveys, or engagement cut by population segment (race/ethnicity and gender).

The paper also features some excellent tips on communication strategies both internally and externally, especially on ways to highlight how efforts to increase diversity and engagement benefit all employees, not just under-represented groups.