In the dynamic landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), understanding the impact of your initiatives is crucial. When we can point to where we are as an organization, where we are striving to be, and how we will measure success, it can be a great tool to build momentum and engagement around DEI across the organization.
Onyx Rising recommends engaging a diverse set of key stakeholders at every stage in your DEI Journey. Some key stages to engage stakeholders are as follows:
Understanding Current State DEI – Conducting DEI surveys and/or focus groups allows all staff at every level to give perspective around their employee experience. Using an engagement survey cut by demographics can also be useful in understanding the culture from various diverse viewpoints or groups - level, tenure, gender/gender identity, race, etc.
Developing the DEI Plan or Strategy – After gaps are identified, then bringing together a diverse group of employees to review current state data and provide insight on what would work best to enhance DEI and the culture is critical. This can be a task force, committee, or a DEI Council.
DEI Goal-setting – Engaging leaders and employees using a top-down and bottoms-up approach is ideal. This will engage leadership and individual contributors.
DEI Implementation – Many key stakeholders should support DEI implementation such as Executive, HR and DEI leadership, DEI Council, Employee or Business Resources Groups, Procurement, and Communications staff to name a few.
Communicating DEI Success - An approach to measuring and monitoring DEI success at a minimum should involve consistency in sharing of information with Executives, your DEI Council or Committee, and organization-wide. Different depths of data may be more appropriate for each unique audience.
Now that we know when to engage and who, let's address how and what to measure.
1. Define Clear DEI Objectives: Begin with clear, measurable goals aligned with your organization's values and business strategy. These could range from improving diversity representation in leadership roles to enhancing the inclusivity of your workplace culture.
2. Assign DEI Roles and Responsibilities: Ensure that there are dedicated individuals or teams responsible for DEI initiatives. This clarity in roles facilitates accountability and focused efforts towards achieving DEI goals.
3. Develop a DEI Dashboard: A dashboard that tracks key metrics related to your DEI objectives is essential. This could include demographic data, employee satisfaction scores related to inclusivity, and progress towards equity in pay and promotions.
4. Regular Monitoring and Reporting: Establish a routine for monitoring these metrics and reporting on them. This ongoing assessment helps in understanding the impact of your DEI efforts and identifying areas for improvement. Onyx Rising recommends doing this quarterly.
5. Feedback Loop for Continuous Improvement: Incorporate feedback mechanisms to gather insights from employees about the DEI initiatives. This feedback is invaluable for refining strategies and ensuring they remain relevant and impactful.
6. Benchmarking Against Industry Standards: Compare your progress with industry standards or benchmarks to gauge where you stand against peers. This comparison can highlight strengths to build upon and areas needing more attention.
7. Celebrate Successes and Learn from Challenges: Recognize and celebrate the milestones achieved in your DEI journey. Equally important is learning from the challenges encountered, using these lessons to strengthen future DEI efforts.
Measuring DEI success is a multifaceted process that requires a strategic approach, dedicated resources, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By following these steps, organizations can ensure their DEI initiatives are effectively contributing to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
We invite you to join us on this journey to elevate your organization to new heights of success through our DEI change management expertise. Together, we can measure and achieve DEI success, creating a comprehensive approach that benefits everyone involved.
Embrace this opportunity to make a real difference. Contact Onyx Rising today to learn more about our services and how we can assist you in crafting a more inclusive and successful future.
For more information about Onyx Rising, visit us at www.onyx2rise.com.
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