Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace is not just a corporate box to be checked off or an HR seminar to be held once a quarter. DEI is an essential core aspect of business that any startup should take pride in implementing at all levels of a company – especially within the frontline.
Not only will it help create a company culture that fosters employee engagement and innovation but diversity in the workplace has proven to result in employees that are more creative, faster problem solvers, and better at decision making.
But if not a seminar, then how can managers implement actionable ways to foster DEI within their organizations? This article will detail 4 ways that startups can promote and maintain DEI within the workplace, as well as why frontline and deskless workers deserve just as much DEI attention as their in-office counterparts.
Educate the leaders of a startup on DEI – They are the trendsetters
The importance of the relationship between managers and employees cannot be understated. After all, through both conscious and unconscious means managers are the ones that lead by example and set the expectations for employees. Ensuring that managers and company leaders understand the importance of DEI in the workplace is key to encouraging a company-wide continuous learning cycle around DEI. Having proper education in these areas will empower a company’s leadership team to hone the skills needed to cultivate and nurture a diverse environment.
One of those skills being that managers and company leaders prioritize having a clear line of communication from employee to manager, and vice versa. This way reporting structures, employee feedback and general employee wins and celebrations can all be communicated clearly and effectively. When communication is clear, and employees can see the effort being put into fostering diversity from a company’s leadership, the potential for greatness is unlimited.
Make actionable strides toward diversity by implementing workplace policies
In order to make strides toward being a more diverse company, a great place to start is conducting an internal evaluation of current policies in place. Taking this time to reflect can provide business leaders with much needed clarity on what policies may need to be amended or what policies need to be introduced to better facilitate workplace diversity.
For example, an easy change that can be implemented by companies looking to boost DEI is to ensure that job postings can reach a larger audience, beyond just the people who can access the posting on the company’s website. Utilize career fairs, outreach programs and community hiring offices to expand the candidate pool to include potential candidates that previously would have never seen the position listing.
Other impactful measures that can be implemented to encourage a more inclusive work environment are:
- Offer on-site daycare
- Add a mobile workforce app into the company’s workflow that offers a translation feature so employees can communicate in their preferred language
- Allow employees to observe and take religious holidays off
- Offer flexible working hours
- Examine workspaces and offer accommodations that may not have existed in the space previously EX: All gender bathrooms, implementing accessible infrastructure etc.
Most importantly business owners should adhere to the standards from the Federal EEOC and become an equal opportunity employer (EEO), if they have not done so already.
Create employee-led task forces and ensure clear communication
Policies implemented should reflect the unique needs of all employees within an organization, but it is also important to ensure that employees feel comfortable coming to their managers with any concerns regarding their treatment at the company.
This is why training managers to feel confident in their internal communication skills and encouraging them to set up open and respectful two-way internal communication channels is imperative to successfully create a more diverse work environment.
Employees should feel empowered to come to their managers to discuss any concerns they may have about their treatment within the company based on their gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age, etc. In turn, managers should also be equipped with the skillset necessary to professionally handle these concerns, provide support and guide the employee through these internal processes – should any action be required to remedy their concerns.
Employee-led task forces are also a valuable asset to have when creating a more inclusive work environment. These diversity task forces are made up of employees and team members of every department, and they serve as support for employees that may not feel comfortable speaking up about mistreatment or discrimination they may be facing in the workplace.
Recognizing different employee needs, ensuring clear lines of communication and implementing ongoing additions to the company’s ways of working, like the employee-led task force, are all elements that will strengthen a company’s workplace culture and boost employee engagement for all.
Establish mentorship programs
Hiring a diverse workforce is a great first step in creating a company that fosters diversity in the workplace, but by itself hiring is not enough. Mentorship programs are a key component of workplace diversity, they are especially key in creating longevity of workplace diversity by giving everyone the opportunity to advance within the company.
If company sponsored mentorship programs are not feasible there are numerous other ways of providing similar opportunities, including:
- Connecting employees to outside resource groups
- Supporting professional development opportunities by contributing to employees’ education
- Taking steps to ensure that the company’s leadership team also reflects the company’s diverse values
It is important to remember that there is value in setting an example from the top down. Getting C-suite executives directly involved in DEI measures and the workplace diversity programs is something that employees take notice of.
CEOs in particular can play a major role in attracting diverse candidates to a company, especially when they are heavily involved in the company’s diversity measures.
Bringing DEI to the forefront
By implementing intentional and focused policies, employee engagement programs and expanding recruiting efforts are some of the keyways companies can start bringing DEI to the forefront of their priorities.
Bringing more diversity in the workplace is a worthwhile effort. Not only will it benefit a company’s culture by bringing in talented employees with different POVs and backgrounds, but it will also improve performance, retention, overall satisfaction. And going another step further, it will communicate the company’s core values to other potential employees and to the company’s consumers.
