“If you only focus on hiring talent from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds but don’t focus on actually engaging and retaining them, you’ll have a revolving door. That’s why we don’t just talk about diversity, we talk about equity and inclusion as well. Because as important as it is to hire diverse talent, it’s just as important to ensure that you have a culture where they feel a sense of belonging and inclusion, and they feel that they have equitable opportunities to be successful in your organization.”
– Renu Sachdeva, Head of DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion), Talking Talent Inc., North America
Traditional employee engagement methods, which take more of a “one size fits all” approach, rarely address the challenges that those in underrepresented groups often face in the workplace – microaggressions, exclusion, lack of equal access to opportunities and advancement, and so on. With this in mind, Renu Sachdeva, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Talking Talent, suggests that if employers are serious about attracting and retaining top talent, they should:
- Listen – Pay attention to what your employees are telling you about what’s working and what’s not, and what challenges they face in the workplace that might impact their commitment to your organization. Avoid making assumptions – no group is homogenous, and therefore we can’t assume that all women, or all ethnically diverse employees, want or need the same things. Rather, you want to pay attention to any themes that emerge, as those indicate areas for improvement for your organization.
- Act – Create actionable strategies that get at the heart of the issues your underrepresented talent is facing. Leave room for flexibility and self-design. For example, rather than prescribing which days of the week employees need to be in the office, can you give them flexibility to choose what works best for them?
- Get Serious – Employees know when something is just a “check the box” action, a proverbial band-aid to help people temporarily forget why they were so unhappy in the first place. Moreover, if you do have serious concerns in your workplace that are affecting the performance and well-being of your underrepresented employees, you have to act quickly and decisively to signal to employees that you take their concerns seriously and are committed to creating a safe, inclusive work environment.
- Stay Humble – You may not get it right the first time. Or the second time. Keep the lines of communication open with your employees so you can continue to receive feedback on whether what you’re implementing is working or not.
Creating an inclusive culture is not only good for morale; it also helps organizations to attract and keep high-performing, motivated talent from all backgrounds. By understanding the importance of diversity and inclusivity, leaders can create an environment where all team members feel valued and respected, enabling their teams to reach higher levels of success.
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