Learn more about the value of diversity and inclusion programs.
The calendar has turned to 2021. It’s likely you and your company have a list of to-dos and goals to get to, with many of your goals centering around your workers. If you’re like most companies, employee engagement is at the fore. One of the topics at the top of the engagement conversation is diversity and inclusion.
We’ve written before about some of the history of diversity, inclusion, and belonging programs. It’s also likely you’ve heard HR and business leaders share the value that these programs bring to companies.
We won’t get too into the technical details, and hope you don’t get overwhelmed by new language or catch phrases. What’s important to focus on is simple—employees want to feel like they belong.
Why is diversity, inclusion, and belonging so important?
When employees go to a new organization—or even when they’ve been at one for a long time— they have various beliefs, opinions, and identities. Workers are also of many races, ages, sexual orientations, cultures, and religions. All of their experiences and markers as individuals impact how they approach work and what they want to experience in their workplaces. For many workers, they want to know they’ll have a seat at the table to be heard, and that they’ll be able to utilize their skillsets.
Diversity and inclusion programs are how you guarantee this seat at the table, and these programs emphasize that you have a culture that’s open to different views and people. Cultures with this make-up are more likely to achieve success, and they’re able to take advantage of all the talented individuals in their organization.
Once this culture is created—and your cultural reputation starts to build—additional talent and the industry at large may recognize your business as an inclusive place. More importantly, you and your workers will feel like your company is a place where everyone belongs, and where creativity flourishes.
Start your program by building a diversity and inclusion survey
The first place to start is by understanding where your company is at today. What do your employees think about your company’s current efforts? Do they feel like they belong and are welcomed? You can find these answers out by launching a Diversity Index Survey.
The ideal survey covers the categories of diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity. Here are some of the questions you may ask for the various topics.
Diversity
- My immediate manager treats me with respect.
- My team has a climate in which diverse perspectives are valued .
- [Company] has created an environment where people of diverse backgrounds can succeed.
- All employees at [Company] contribute to the success of the company.
Belonging
- I feel comfortable being myself at work.
- I feel a sense of belonging at [Company].
- Members on my team are interested in each other as people.
- I feel like I belong on my team.
Head here to see our full Diversity Index Survey.
Survey results with Workify
Workify can help you put together your Diversity and Inclusion Index Survey. We work with Industrial and Organizational Psychologists to understand survey categories and questions, and we use measurement scoring to get data on how your company is performing.
After you’ve gotten quantitative scores from Workify, you’ll be able to use the results for coaching and internal benchmarking that can drive your leadership and managers. These development opportunities will be invaluable. Accompanied with future surveys, you’ll be able to track your results and success rates over time.
Workify is committed to helping you create an environment where employees feel like they belong, and where they can bring their authentic selves to the office. Our diversity and inclusion efforts can show eliminating insights about how workers are feeling, and they’ll give you useful metrics for how you can create an inclusive culture that will bring business success in 2021. Reach out to us if you’d like to know more about diversity and inclusion, or to get started with our survey methodology.
Need help building an employee engagement or feedback program? Want a third party view on where you should focus. Book a free 30 minute employee engagement consultation to discuss any questions you’re grappling with or to help with your company’s strategy.