“Unprecedented” was 2020’s word of the year. Two years later, I believe 2022’s word of the year has expanded to three words: diversity, equity and inclusion—and with good reason.

Hiring diverse talent allows you to tap into your organization’s full potential. Diverse thoughts, perspectives and experiences can also make each team member a value-add to your company. But the benefits do not end there. In my experience, strong DEI initiatives are more likely to build increased job satisfaction for employees and higher levels of trust and engagement. These are wins for all parties involved.

While DEI is certainly not a new concept, the workplace has evolved and DEI is now advancing as a critical investment for the future of any company. A number of industries have historically lacked diversity, such as engineering, commercial real estate, construction and finance. While efforts have been made to improve diversity and transparency in salaries that may help close wage gaps, I believe organizations can do more. Now is the time to take action and make progress.

Becoming aware of and accepting the importance of DEI is step No. 1. The next is actually implementing your strategy, which can often be a steeper hurdle to climb.

Building And Implementing An Inclusive Work Environment

Diverse companies are more likely to outperform less diverse peers, according to research by McKinsey. Here’s how I suggest igniting DEI strategies.

1. Recruit with purpose.

Focus on advancing DEI by attracting and retaining a diverse candidate pipeline, as well as increasing access and building a pathway to opportunities for diverse talent. The goal is to create a hiring process that facilitates long-term, transformational and sustainable change in your industry.

To get started, ensure your messaging about inclusivity and equity is consistent throughout the recruitment process, including in your marketing, sourcing and structured interview process. Hire BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color) voices, and keep in mind that real progress usually means systemic change starting from the top down.

2. Get buy-in from employees and the C-suite.

"When diversity practices and trust co-exist in an organisation, it increases employee engagement," according to Deloitte. This engagement can create more commitment from employees and the public.

Ensure you get buy-in from your employees and the C-suite, and then explore programs, such as professional development training or boot camps, that can educate employees and help establish a clear path for diverse talent. DEI training will differ for each organization depending on its needs and culture. But remember that programs are only meaningful if they are properly used by the C-suite and employees. Converse with these groups to gain feedback on the success of the training and calculate if engagement has increased since implementing DEI training.

3. Manage the change.

In order for your DEI efforts to be successful, you also need to manage and monitor the changes you're making. To get started:

• Be clear on the outcomes you expect within your organization. The C-suite tends to be where decisions are made, so it is crucial to make DEI a priority for leadership. To do this, inform and engage on why the company is incorporating DEI into its culture and what the plan aims to achieve. Clearly communicate your vision to the executive team and ensure it is understood and accepted before DEI strategies are put into effect with the remainder of the company. This goes back to the age-old idiom "practice what you preach." Then, establish a company ambassador who acts as an internal advocate and can seek out external resources to better educate, implement and retain DEI practices with colleagues.

• Celebrate the wins. Implementing DEI efforts can be a big task, so celebrate the small wins to keep the momentum going.

• Assess how the strategy is working. Survey your team regarding your company’s DEI efforts and initiatives; ask for feedback and, when possible, take it; and establish benchmarks and metrics to showcase efforts to the team.

• Make DEI part of company culture. The vision has been implemented and behaviors are shifting. To continue this, it is imperative to continually provide robust resources—such as trending topics and articles—to educate your team. You can also hold quarterly bias training around keeping DEI alive in employees’ minds with constant sharing of ideas. In doing so, you can help ensure DEI is ingrained within your company's culture.

• Reward those who approach interactions in an inclusive way. Change might bring different emotions and different perspectives, but it is important to welcome opinions and be open-minded. Encourage positive dialogue around DEI by starting the conversation with receptiveness, respect and honesty. Create a judgment-free space where employees can share their thoughts and feelings. Discomfort will be a natural reaction for some; embracing this and turning it into an opportunity for growth can be a great turning point and learning experience.

• Aim to work with minority-led organizations. Actively engage with various organizations that support advancing DEI.

I believe a quote often attributed to writer Jacqueline Woodson sums up the importance of DEI well: “Diversity is about all of us and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together.” Make the walk of life enjoyable for everyone by supporting, recognizing and accepting one another's differences. Those differences will lead to better discussions, decisions and outcomes. Make DEI a priority, and every facet of your organization will thank you for it in a variety of ways.