Founder, Maud Medical Clinic and President of We Are Maud Foundation. Maria is CEO of multiple medical practices in Alberta, Canada.
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There is no doubt that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have emerged as leading hot topics in business development. I can assure you this is not a trend!
To succeed in our world, organizations must adapt to positive DEI practices. Simply put, people are demanding to be treated humanely—and employers answering the call are the ones setting themselves up for the best success.
When DEI practices are successfully implemented, organizations are able to reap the benefits of a respectful culture that promotes employees to embrace one another's strengths and work as a holistic, healthy team. This leads to improvements not only in revenue growth but also readiness to innovate and employee retention.
What does DEI mean?
Diversity measures the range of individuals within a team from different backgrounds, taking into account ethnicity as well factors including religion, culture and age. The most successful DEI practices lead to an environment in which the unique differences of each individual are valued.
Equality within the workplace means equal job opportunities are made available to all.
And finally, inclusion refers to the creation of a space where everyone feels respected, valued, safe and supported in their individuality.
Why is DEI so valuable?
Diversity can bring a tremendous amount of value to organizations. When DEI practices are implemented, team members feel more recognized and accepted for the different aspects of their individuality, including their ethnicity, upbringing, past experiences and age.
Strong diversity provides invaluable insight to any organization, as every individual contributes their own unique strengths, skills and backgrounds.
When a workplace is inclusive, it means people are treated respectfully and fairly. Access to opportunities is made available to all, helping create a respectful work culture.
Regardless of the size of one's organization, be it two employees or two million employees, the responsibility falls to leaders to ensure that their teams have access to the same opportunities and are treated fairly.
How can leaders implement DEI in their workplace?
Here are five considerations leaders should take into account when looking to promote diversity and inclusion in their organizations.
1. Diversity and inclusion initiatives must be supported by all levels of leadership.
Clear, company-wide communication of DEI initiatives is crucial to ensuring practices are supported at every level of the organization.
2. Real and impactful change is not possible unless a clear strategy has been developed, communicated and implemented.
The process of implementing strong DEI practices first requires buy-in from all stakeholders in an organization. This also means leaders provide adequate intention and funding towards DEI initiatives—not just "checking boxes."
3. Leaders must understand that diversity and inclusion in an organization ultimately serves to improve the organization itself—not just the experience of folks from equity-deserving groups who are employees or customers.
If people do not see themselves represented within an organization, it is less likely they will want to be employed by or do business with that entity. Leaders must understand the far-reaching impact of strong DEI practices both within their organization and beyond.
4. Remember that the goal of the DEI initiative is not perfection but consistent and measurable improvement.
Any organization on the path to becoming more inclusive will hit roadblocks and make mistakes. But it is how we learn and adapt to these situations that will ultimately determine success.
5. Don’t give up.
Implementing positive changes to DEI can feel impossible at times. The demographics of the North American workforce and consumers are ever-changing, and changes will only accelerate in the coming decades. The actions leaders take to implement stronger DEI practices within their organization today will be foundational to the organization's impact—and bottom line—tomorrow.
Is your organization answering the call for DEI?
I hope this article provides some actionable insights for leaders seeking to improve their DEI initiatives. By establishing a positive organizational culture now, leaders set their companies up to grow, adapt and thrive amid increased societal demands for accountability in DEI practices.
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