Building diverse and inclusive workplaces is no easy feat. It takes commitment, attention to detail and ongoing conversations about equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). With the end of 2021 almost upon us, you may have already begun to think about the resolutions you wish to make in the New Year. Is EDI one of those resolutions?

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (or EDI) is a topic that we all need to work on continually across our organisations – no matter what industry you are in. Here are five resolutions your organisation should implement in 2022:

1. Evaluate your organisation’s current diversity climate

Inclusion in the workplace does not just improve how people feel—it improves their performance. Everyone deserves a healthy and safe working environment. This is an issue of dignity, respect, and fairness in the workplace. Treat your workforce fairly and equally to encourage growth and innovation. There are many ways to make this happen, but you can start by doing the following:

• Evaluate your organisation’s current diversity climate by conducting a survey or interview questions that address diversity issues. You can ask about things such as where people grew up, their schools, the languages they speak, what TV shows they watch, what books they read and more. Also ask those surveyed if they have ever been discriminated against because of their race, gender or other characteristic since joining your company.
• Use surveys to help you understand any gaps in your employee data, which might indicate that there are inequalities at play within your organisation. After collecting this data, use it to create actionable goals for change over the next five years.
• Look at employee retention numbers to see if you have a problem with employees leaving your company due to discrimination or other issues related to diversity. If this is the case, there may be a need for additional training that helps employees become more aware of unconscious bias and how it affects their working environment.

2. Evaluate your diversity training methods

Diversity means something different to everyone and how people perceive it can cause conflict. Diversity training should be a two-way conversation that highlights the benefits of a diverse workplace and how it helps the bottom line.

What should diversity training cover? It doesn’t need to be a time consuming and disruptive process. Instead, start with a short introduction on what diversity means for the organisation, then break out into small groups for discussions about why diverse teams are better at problem solving and how unconscious bias affects decisions when hiring or promoting employees.

It’s also essential to discuss how to foster an inclusive culture and move beyond simply “checking the box.” For example, if there’s a rule that meeting participants must be diverse in order for the meeting to happen, you’re likely going to end up with token representatives that don’t add any value.

3. Increase or continue conversations on diversity

The “diversity and inclusion” conversation is one that will never go away. And it shouldn’t. If you’re working in a team, you should be having these conversations regularly. If you’re at the top of an organisation, you need to ensure the company is constantly talking about diversity. All organisations should have a strategy in place to increase conversations on equality, diversity, and inclusion.

You might find that a lot of people don’t know how to talk about equality, diversity, and inclusion. They might not even understand what these words mean. Encourage the conversations by asking questions such as:

• How does this topic affect our organisation?
• What can we do as an organisation to improve equality/diversity/inclusion?
• What did we do well in this area?

It’s important to give examples of what you mean by “equality/diversity/inclusion”. If you’re talking about gender diversity, for example, make sure that everyone knows what you mean by that. Are you focusing solely on women or does your definition also include men? What about non-binary gender identities?

Once you’ve defined the terms, be sure to spread awareness with posters, emails and other information in your office. Make sure everyone knows what is meant by each word so they can be part of the conversation.

4. Align management goals with EDI goals

Lead by example. Setting the tone from the top will help your management team sustain a strong commitment over time. Ensure that all managers receive adequate training in EDI Leadership and Managing Diverse Teams to reinforce the commitment made by the organisation.

Touch base with your employees on a regular basis about how they feel about being members of minority groups (e.g., women, people from different ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ etc.). It is important to understand if any of these groups feel isolated, excluded or underrepresented in your workplace. If they do, then look at what you can do to address the issues that are preventing them from feeling safe and included in their jobs.

5 . Celebrate your EDI successes

Telling your EDI story is crucial when it comes to demonstrating your commitment to creating an inclusive workplace. For employees, having a voice is key to building their trust in the company. Make sure your employees understand how their personal experiences and perspectives are linked to your organisation’s diversity goals. By setting goals around diversity, you can create greater solidarity and bond among employees who might not otherwise have anything in common with one another or share the same values.

Celebrate diversity wins as they happen. By doing so, you’re acknowledging that everyone on your team is important and valued. When your team feels included and valued, they’re more likely to stay engaged with your company and ultimately create positive change. Create an inclusive culture where it’s safe for people to talk about their differences openly and honestly. Why not share your positive EDI story?

So why should you adopt these equality, diversity, and inclusion resolutions? Because they aren’t just the right thing to do–they also make good business sense. In today’s workplace a diverse and inclusive workforce is good for both employee engagement, innovation and productivity. That’s why here at Diversiti UK we think that making these resolutions will be really beneficial for your organisation in the long term. Just remember that it’s not what resolutions you make, but rather how well you stick to them that counts in the end!

Happy New Year!

If you feel that we can help your organisation, then contact us now on 0800 612 7429 or email enquiries@diversiti.uk for a free EDI audit and consultation on your needs.
We are offering a free 30 minutes consultation throughout January 2022.