Think of a conference on DE&I and a standard list of talking points may come to mind. But going beyond the status quo and best practice advice to explore things we may think but not speak of, or which we don’t mention because they are deemed too difficult or controversial, is exactly what our profession must do to move forward with purpose.
At FAIRER Consulting’s conference, DE&I – Where Are We Now? – the present and future challenges of working in DE&I were put under the spotlight, and thorny topics were picked apart, sparking ideas and fresh thinking that may well see new, more effective approaches taken.
While the conference respected Chatham House rules, our consultants have shared the themes from the day that stood out to them.
One question that arose was where DE&I belongs within an organisation. The 100-plus DE&I experts attending our conference shared frank views on where DE&I should sit – outside HR – and concluded that its image must change. For example, when delegates were asked whether a PR campaign on DE&I is necessary to make clear its many benefits, they resoundingly agreed, with nearly 90% agreeing that this was the case.
FAIRER Consulting’s Peter MacDonald Hall says, “It’s worth noting the corporate definition of DE&I may change in the future to take onboard a more cultural view perspective. In addition, DE&I practitioners will have to up their game and become more commercial, even moving towards organisational development – and away from HR.”
But image aside, what should the role of DE&I be, particularly in a climate of negative headlines and with some businesses choosing to deprioritise the function entirely? Clearly, this point – proving the business benefit to senior business leaders – is one that was on the minds of delegates, who raised questions around measuring success, being able to show the latter via robust data and questioning how DE&I can make an impact when the board is not on board.
Conversation in the room suggested a disconnect between the board and DE&I, and more widely, too. When asked how DE&I is perceived by others in the business, on a scale that ranged from ‘1 - box-ticking exercise’ to ‘5 - business imperative’, it was rated only 3.3 out of 5, therefore only slightly weighted towards being perceived as a business imperative.
FAIRER Consulting global MD Dan Robertson says, “We need to remember that a constant reminder of the business case is still valid, but the business case is not all about numbers; it’s about balancing the human case for inclusion with the business case.
“The context for DE&I is difficult right now with the backlash in full effect, but we should use a data-focused approach to navigate the politics of this. And if all else fails, we need to remind colleagues of the law and take a behavioural science approach to demonstrating what works when promoting inclusion at work.”
Another hurdle to clear is the prevailing ‘war on woke’ that a quick internet search will confirm is very much alive and kicking. It is apparent that DE&I practitioners are currently losing this war – and have unthinkingly contributed to this situation, alienating many of those we’re trying to engage through language that sets us apart.
Peter MacDonald Hall of FAIRER Consulting explains, “We have over-complicated DE&I language – examples include references to code switching, covering and psychological safety. DE&I has lost meaning and relevance to many of the advocates we need in business and to the marginalised groups we’re seeking to help.”
Indeed, while the terms mentioned are specific to DE&I professionals, if they are understood by senior leaders and everyone else within an organisation, their benefits will speak for themselves. But, instead, they add to a certain unattractive mystique and ironically, end up othering DE&I within the wider business in organisations oblivious to its myriad benefits.
Also under discussion was the fact that, in some organisations, there are areas that receive far more consideration and where more action is taken, while others receive timebound attention around awareness months, making any action often feel tokenistic. Specifically, race and age emerged as protected characteristics in the room that deserve attention but are instead often omitted from DE&I conversations.
Some delegates noted that race has been eclipsed by other minoritised groups within their organisations – and that this needs to be redressed. Further questions need to be asked as to why this is and, while keeping a focus on gender-related inclusion, we must spread our gaze – meaningfully – to be sure we are including race, age and other protected characteristics, in our conversations, policies, practices and metrics. An intersectional approach is the only one that matters in terms of ethics, effectiveness, authenticity and outcome – anything else is insufficient and shows an incoherence in understanding what needs to be done.
DE&I practitioners may therefore need to dive into their hiring and retention practices to examine whether their processes are free from unconscious bias and whether the environment and work culture is truly inclusive so that everyone feels psychologically safe. Failing to do this and focusing only on certain groups can add fuel to the fire that DE&I is not robust or even truly inclusive.
FAIRER Consulting’s Barry Boffy notes, “The role of DE&I professionals involves a growing element of activism. Advocating, platforming and amplifying the voices of those less able or less heard is a vital part of the evolving role of those working in DE&I.
“Conflict is natural and ever-present, particularly when we have diverse views, perspectives and values in a single organisation. The key is not to disregard or demonise those views or opinions that we might find distasteful, or not in line with our own personal values, but to find commonality and create an environment where cohesion rules. Treating people with dignity and respect is vital to creating a consciously inclusive workplace – even when we vehemently disagree with them on certain things.”
The conference consensus identified industry wide areas for improvement and a need more open discussions if we want lasting positive outcomes in our workplaces. Honest conversations are often difficult but, in an environment where organisations, politicians, and public discourse is often damning of DE&I, we as a profession need to be honest and share more of the things that we’ve tried that haven’t worked as well as we’d hoped alongside celebrating our successes.
Finally, we must remind ourselves that our goal is not complicated, though it may be complex. As Peter MacDonald Hall says, “When it comes to creating a formula for success – or a business case for DEI – we know that diverse and engaged employees equate to greater belonging and employee authenticity, which equates to wellbeing and productivity, which leads to happy customers and clients. Sometimes we can over complicate things when all we need to do is keep in mind the end goal of what we are aiming to achieve.”
And, as Barry Boffy concludes, we need to always keep humans at the heart of what we do. He says: “Remember the human at the centre of all DE&I conversations. One size doesn’t fit all, and standard processes don’t accommodate for everyone. It’s important to remember that we all have different needs, and we must find ways to adapt and accommodate the needs of everyone, if we want to get the best out of everyone on the team.”
To find out more about how FAIRER Consulting can help you to bring the benefits of DE&I to your organisation, please get in touch for a free discussion.