The business world is undergoing a fundamental change: Before the recent past, having a diverse workforce was viewed as a desired but not necessarily essential management objective, one that could be achieved through a handful of future projects. However, there is no doubt that a company that encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) enjoys a competitive edge, as it may foster exceptional innovation and a more robust culture for success.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that an organization's diverse representation of gender, age, color, sexual orientation, and cultural identities predict success. Employers that thrive in the emerging economy can attract and retain a talent pool that closely resembles the diverse population. In addition to these more classic types of diversity, leaders recognize that having team members from diverse geographic, experience-set, educational, religious, and other backgrounds contributes to a team's diversity and general growth.

Diversity is not merely a box to be checked; it is the key to survival and the cornerstone of any organization's ability to prosper in the long term. It is not difficult to comprehend why.

As a matter of course, a diverse workforce harnesses the power of multiple viewpoints. Backed by a culture of transparency and trust, the varied team will provide a more inventive answer and a more thoroughly examined solution, and, most significantly, each team member will have developed as a result of the collaboration experience.

If your firm is committed to achieving measurable progress but needs a kick-start, assess whether the current culture allows all employees, newcomers and veterans alike, to feel like they belong.

There are no shortcuts; however, there are a few significant milestones along the way:

1. Establish the Mission

Eventually, due to a more competitive labor market, it became an organization's obligation to help potential new hires feel like they belong instead of focusing on whether they could fit in. 

With this transformation comes the challenge of making such a diverse society feel comfortable being themselves at work.

The first step is to outline the organization's general objectives and how the team will achieve them. It seems apparent that you would need to describe your organization's mission as precisely as possible if you want a varied group of individuals to feel like they have a purpose.

A preoccupation with what distinguishes people might overshadow what unites us all: the aspiration to be a part of something greater than ourselves. When leaders explain this vision in a way that resonates, they take the first step toward fostering a sense of belonging among all employees and unifying the team behind common goals.

2. Worker Groups

There is a reason why I have spent years participating in and praising such groups.

These communities within a community codify diversity acceptance and appreciation. They likewise come with their own little secret: they are inclusive. Participation in the learning, networks, and experiences is open to anyone.

As a matter of course, a diverse workforce harnesses the power of multiple viewpoints.

Nothing prevents you from joining these organizations, even if you are not a member of a historically marginalized group, such as Latinx, LGBTQ+, or a military veteran. In fact, given the reality that many of us have these broader ties through our families, friends, coworkers, and neighbors, this inclusion should be promoted. In addition, it contributes to developing more empathic allies within a business, presumably further lowering barriers between personnel.

Executives must be cautious not to create too many personnel groups from the top down. Instead, they should urge employees to form organizations with executive sponsorship.

3. Include Communication in Your Schedule

It is one thing to urge employees to reveal their innermost problems. It is another thing to include these issues into an ongoing, open dialogue that helps form your culture.

In the aftermath of the numerous high-profile deaths of African Americans over the summer of 2020, I convened a group of leaders I knew would tell me the truth about the emotional damage.

It may be challenging to assess the influence of this interview series on my company's personnel. However, I am aware that, in their opinion, conducting these dialogues is a simple yet powerful way of recognizing the feelings and worries of some groups within our organization that they may find challenging to voice publicly.

And I am aware that creating safe venues for these types of conversations has a force multiplier effect – more and more individuals embrace the opportunity to reach out — to listen, learn, seek to understand, and interact differently than they did.

5. Pay Attention to These Phrases When Hiring

At some point, preserving the culture of belonging becomes the responsibility of the entire organization. That means hiring effectively. 

Empathy, vulnerability, and compassion are unfalsifiable leadership qualities required for a healthy culture. To locate them, pay attention to how they speak.

How frequently do they use "I" rather than "we"? How often do they credit their team instead of themselves? How frequently do they refer to outcomes in terms of effect rather than accomplishment?

Diversity and the culture of belonging it fosters are finally being recognized for their influence on the bottom line instead of simply being the right thing to do. Now comes the tricky part: implementing it within your organization. Any successful cultural transformation must begin at the top.

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About Jim Woods

Jim has a passion for accelerating talent across organizations. While this passion has fueled his work in leadership assessment and development, it has crystallized in the area of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. 

Jim's experience spans a broad range of industries, including public, finance, consumer, retail, pharma, industrials, and technology. 'Organizational & people agility,' 'design thinking,' and 'digital transformation' are some of the critical themes Jim works with clients across the globe.

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His consulting experience includes assessing, training, coaching, and developing leaders. In addition, he has delivered work in defining competencies and success profiles, designing and conducting assessment centers, integrating talent analytics, and designing and facilitating development roadmaps.

Jim is a certified coach and facilitator for Woods Kovalova Group's virtual leadership assessment and development tools, including leadership accelerators, and WKG Potential. Jim holds an MS degree in organizational development and human resources. He served as an adjunct professor at Villanova University; taught fifth-grade math and science.