There are a lot of ways to support DEI in the workplace, from policies and programs to events and activities. But before rattling off a list of activities to promote and celebrate DEI (don’t worry, that’s coming), let’s back up and take a closer look at what DEI is, why it’s important, and how to identify the best DEI tools to support your unique team.
What is diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) promotes the representation and participation of people of different ages, genders, religions, cultures, abilities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, and sexual orientations. The term is used in the workplace to describe policies, programs, or activities that ensure all employees feel seen and supported.
Why is diversity, equity, and inclusion important?
The US is often called a melting pot…. but we’re more like a hearty vegetable soup. The different identities of the citizens of this country haven’t melted into one, but we do all swim around in the same stew. These unique identities, however, aren’t always represented proportionally—especially in the workplace. There are lots of reasons for this, but we’ll save that critical discussion for another day. DEI is important, if nothing else, because we’re trying to right this issue, and ensure everyone who makes up this society gets as fair a representation and opportunity as anyone else in the soup.
But if that isn’t enough to convince you, there’s also the fact that diversity leads to innovation. All scientists know that a diverse ecosystem is healthier and more resilient. The same is true in our society and organizations within our society. A diverse group of people in the workplace—and the diversity of ideas, customs, cultures, and perspectives that comes along with that—leads to an enriched exchange, and ultimately greater innovation. Who doesn’t want new and better ideas of how things could be done?
And just because you have diversity in the workplace doesn’t necessarily mean all people feel included. Have you ever been part of a group, but for some reason felt like you didn’t belong? Well, we’re not on the playground anymore, but people, particularly with minority identities, can often feel the same way in the workplace. The good news is, there are things we can do to make sure everyone feels more comfortable. Having everyone feel included will ensure that your company is a place that attracts diversity, where people with diverse identities want to be—and stay—because they feel included.
So, whether you’re new to DEI or not, here are a couple of questions to consider:
This may seem like a no brainer, but sometimes a little self-reflection and discovery is key. In asking this question, consider the types of diversity within your teams, and how DEI could be contextualized for individuals, teams, and your company at large.
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What is your motivation for DEI?
As you look to expand your DEI initiatives, activities, and programs, be sure to consider the why in everything you do. Are you filling a quota, trying to make someone (or a group of people feel more supported and included), addressing systemic issues, or something else?
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How is DEI woven into your business?
From recruiting and onboarding, to supporting and promoting, look at what you’re currently doing to support DEI. Also, look at your corporate culture and how that may be perceived by all members of your team.
What are some diversity and inclusion activities?
Once you assess how DEI is currently woven into your business, and the types of diversity within your teams, you can better ascertain the kinds of DEI activities that could offer the most value. For example, creating an activity to highlight aspects of diversity that are not reflected in your employee roster may not land well or resonate. (If you do a whole piece on women’s history, and your team is all men or predominantly men, there’s going to be a disconnect.) And providing an activity regarding a specific aspect of diversity and not others might make someone feel singled out. So, the key here is to read the room, find balance, and ensure everyone feels like they belong.
- Bias Tests
A great DEI activity to start with is to have your teams take a bias test so they can understand their own baselines. There are a lot of these out there, on every aspect of diversity, so try to identify an assessment that addresses the aspects of diversity most relevant to your team. Harvard has done the heavy lifting here, and created an arsenal of what they refer to as Implicit Association Tests (IAT) that you can complete. To turn it into a more comprehensive activity, have everyone write down what they believe their biases to be before completing each test, then have them compare their responses with what the test revealed. If your team feels comfortable, have employees share what surprised them about their results and how the results made them feel. Bring leadership into this exercise as well, so there is support and accountability at all levels.
- Finding Objectivity
Because we all have our own biases, sometimes it can be hard to be truly objective in a situation or look at something from a place of objectivity. A good activity to help us break out of that way of thinking is to look at something commonplace and benign like a map or illustration and see how individuals identify any prejudices or inequities that may be at play. Is something bigger than the other? In a brighter color? What is in the center of the map or image? Why do you think certain decisions were made about how to prioritize information? Having your team all look at the same info and comment on it can help unify your team while also identifying the prevalence and prominence of bias in everything around us.
- Name Games
If you have a non-typical Caucasian name, it can often be hard to feel like you belong, especially when others consistently mispronounce your name. It’s also tiring to always speak up for yourself and correct others, especially superiors. So, a way to build inclusion and camaraderie around it is to play a name game.
Have team members share the story behind their names and any nicknames or preferred names they may have (or have had). To bring a bit more fun into It, you can have everyone come up with a rhyme about their name and name story, and then go around the virtual room and share them. This will help everyone feel more connected and ensure that you’re using the preferred name for each team member and pronunciation. Pro tip: this is also an amazing tool for larger teams if name recall is ever an issue. Not only will you remember their name, but you’ll also know their middle name, what it rhymes with, or why everyone in their family has a name beginning with a J.
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Perceptions Game
Create a worksheet with a range of interests and activities. Have your team fill out the worksheet based on their perceptions of their teammates. Who do they think was a boy scout? On the honor roll? Can play the piano? Make sure the mix offers a variety of ideas, so people can not only recognize their own perceptions, but also learn a bit about their teammates as well. Trigger warning: if it’s not facilitated well, or your team isn’t ready for it, feelings can get hurt here. A safe place to start is to list interests and activities that aren’t connected to race, class, gender, sexual orientation, background, etc.
