It is possible to see what is currently happening in DEI as a new dawn for the discipline, as explored in this piece, on the backlash.
DEI advocates can, with a bit of work on their mindset, shift their perspective from feeling despairing and downhearted, to being able to see what is happening as a potential opportunity (rather than a threat). As Gareth Hind, First Bus EDI Director says, to “change the narrative” for the better.
But how can practitioners in this space transform what is happening into an opportunity?
Here are a few positive and practical ideas to get you started.
1. Celebrate the wins
As any change management consultant will tell you, it’s natural for transformation programmes to ebb and flow, go forwards, then backwards.
What’s important is to recognise the progress overall.
“With challenge comes reward and set backs,” says Hind. “But progress is progress. Celebrate the small but notable wins. We are making progress. Don’t forget that.”
What is happening currently could be interpreted as just another inevitable bump in the road and a challenge to DEI professionals to up their game when it comes to conveying the importance of this work to everyone.
2. The law is on DEI’s side
Yes, DEI is being rapidly scaled back in some organisations and government departments in America.
Yes, this is bound to have an impact on the UK.
However, protecting certain differences and characteristics here is already embedded into law and culture and this cannot be easily overturned. US law has no jurisdiction in the UK or any other territory.
There’s new legislation on the horizon which support DEI values too – like the Employment Rights Bill which specifically talks about safe and inclusive work spaces.
It’s easy in a soundbite to talk about throwing out laws and creating new ones, much harder in practice. Especially if DEI professionals do a good job of conveying the importance of difference to leaders in terms of high performance, productivity and, ultimately, profitability.
Also, remember that it’s often not legislation or policies that truly change hearts and minds – it’s often human connection and conversations which build understanding over time. That is why talking and Watercooler conversations are so important (see this feature here).
Consultant & coach Adéwale Adéniji, formerly Head of Human Resources at the Guardian News and Media, where he was part of the team responsible for creating its diversity and inclusion strategy, says: “I used to work in employment law and drafting policies and procedures. Policies do not necessarily change attitudes. They can influence behaviour but not mindset.”
3. Focus on the numbers not the emotions
Some DEI advocates are saying now, more than ever, is time to drill down on the data and prove, beyond a shadow of any doubt, that difference at work is good. If anything, measurement goals should be more ambitious and more data-robust.
Following President Trump’s announcements on DEI, CIPD Chief Executive Peter Cheese also focused on the potential opportunity of this new DEI wave, saying:
“The subject of diversity has become increasingly politicised and fragmented in recent years, with many different voices and views. DEI initiatives have correspondingly expanded, but this has also led to complexity and concerns of losing sight of business outcomes, or questions of fairness and balance. This has now been starkly challenged by the new US President. This is a time and opportunity to reflect on progress, and evidence for DEI initiatives emphasising relevance, actionability, and outcomes.”
Focusing on numbers will get you Leadership buy-in
If you can focus on the numbers and prove the DEI case, then you’ll get Leaders on board and they can become advocates, rather than cynics, of the cause and be empowered to speak up for diversity at work – even in the face of other companies making announcements to the contrary.
As Jason Bloomfield, who is speaking at The Watercooler Event, is Head of TA Transformation (Secondment) & Head of People Change & Experience Design at Ericsson. He says:
“If we want to go away from the emotive to the cognitive, then we have got to keep crunching the numbers proving why diversity matters. McKinsey’s report proved quantifiably that companies in the top quartile for diversity tended to outperform other companies by three times. Tell me a business leader who would not like a three fold advantage over their competitors? I’d like to meet this strange individual!”
Make a case that you can’t argue with
He argues that if you “couch” the diversity case in a quantitative way, people can’t argue with it. “Yes, I believe it’s a morality question too,” he says. “But let’s take that out of it; focus on the quantitative and business performance because you can’t argue morality around this.”
Another good angle on the business case, he adds, is focusing on the fact that many companies are facing the threat of an ageing workforce:
“Diversity is another way to futureproof your organisation, if you take age diversity as an example.”
Jo Portlock VP People, Culture and Belonging at Lexis Nexis Risk Solutions, brought up this point on a webinar on the backlash and how to go forward, broadcast on LinkedIn, hosted by Kamwell:
The DEI case is stronger than ever. Why?
“The case for DEI has never been stronger. If you look at Gen Z, 20% at least would identify as LGBTQ, plus high diagnoses of neurodiversity. And yes, we’re going to work longer, so there’s going to be more age diversity. There’s also more disability diversity in the workplace too. So while the case has never been stronger, it’s for us to lead and continue to make the case for the huge impact we have within culture, because the need is not changing. It’s getting stronger. That’s where it comes back to showing the ROI, and demonstrating the impact.”
Arun Srinivasan, Executive Vice President at Bosch agrees with going in on the numbers, along with morality:
“Without facts it’s often just opinion maybe even prejudice. Get the facts on the table. You may have different views of those facts, but that’s ok. That’s a conversation.”
4. Measurement – put your skin in the game
We are continually talking about and pushing for better measurement in our articles and webinars here (see here Which Wellbeing Index is Right For You? and Why Measurement Matters in Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing and What to Measure).
DEI professionals can help by collaborating in industry wide initiatives sharing data in order to provide a more evidence-based picture and back any industry attempts to create better measurement. We know from our Make A Difference Awards that, often, campaigns lack robust data to prove their worth behind them. Any work should be founded on clear and sensible foundations that are directly related to business goals.
Yes, this could even mean collaborating with competitors for the greater good so we can ultimately prove what we also always write about: that diversity can lead to higher engagement, productivity, performance, innovation, loyalty and profitability. (See this article on collaboration).
5. Collect the case studies
We often talk about the power of storytelling – it’s often a way to bring the data to life in a way that connects with your audience.
Bosch’s Srinivasan suggests keeping an eye out for the stories in your business which prove the worth of difference. And them tell them internally. And externally (we always welcome case studies and speakers at our events The Watercooler and Make A Difference Summit).
In Srinivasan’s experience, “often when you look at failures in business, you end up there because there was a bit of a monoculture”.
In his business, there are many talented engineers. But their talent can only really reach its full potential when challenged by non-engineers, too:
“It’s not just the ‘diversity’ of the person’s background that is important. It’s also the diversity of thought. I wouldn’t want to always create a team with just engineers to problem solve because I’d want some other lateral thinkers from other parts of the business who see it from a different perspective.”
6. Start thinking about diversity more broadly
Traditionally when the average employee hears the word ‘diversity’ they will think of a colleague from a racial of ethnic minority, ahead of all the other many characteristics that could be defined as ‘diverse’. This is backed up by research (ref a study in the Journal of Public Administration Research) but also my anecdotal experience of talking to many people on this issue.
But diversity is so much more than the obvious (like skin colour, accent, people with a disability, etc). It could be the way their brain processes information (neurodiversity), sexuality, socioeconomic background, whether someone is a carer… We need to expand the discussion and image of what DEI is so it feels more widely relevant.
7. Don’t believe everything you read on DEI (or see, or hear)
This is especially true in the era of fake news and advanced AI where you can literally put words in people’s mouths now, either on a video or audio file, with whizzy new tech. It’s also even true of what contentious characters like President Trump say; often they are taken out of context so you’ll click.
It’s impossible to convey nuance or the whole story in a headline or soundbite, which are the currency of our current culture. So headlines are often alarmist, or extreme, or one sided, and will try and play to your anxieties to get your eyeballs scrolling more. The algorithm knows that if you are upset, you are more likely to stay.
Siobhan Bird, Head of People and Culture at Knight Frank Promise, has learnt this and has this advice:
“I disagree with almost everything that President Trump says and I don’t like what is happening in the US at the moment and the behaviour. However, I also don’t like all of the news coverage of it. My frustration is that there are so many other good stories out there that people like me could be learning about, or hearing about, but the media is just focusing on a few things because that’s where the clicks are.”
8. The moral of this story?
Seek out positive, proactive, practical, trustworthy content. Oh, hang on! Like we produce here at Make A Difference Media. Even better, get in touch with us and tell us your positive case studies, hard-won learnings and results, so we can amplify them out into the world. Cherry on top? Get your leadership to do this. My email is suzy@makeadifference.media.
To hear more case studies come to The Watercooler and Make A Difference Summit. If you’re an employer with a case study to share for industry learning, why not speak at one of our events?
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