How to Create a Data-Led, Measurable Diversity and Inclusion Plan
By Eleanor Goichman Brett, consultant and trainer at global diversity and inclusion training consultancy PDT Global, part of Affirmity
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ll organizations now recognize that diversity and inclusion (D&I) are key to their success as a business. And yet many companies are still not making the progress they would like. D&I should be approached just like any other business issue or activity—using a datadriven strategy that creates specific and measurable outcomes. Here are some practical ways to ensure your D&I strategy is set up for success:
1. Collect Diversity Data
The first step in having a data-driven D&I plan is, of course, collecting the data. But there’s much more to it than that. You need a culture where people are willing to share their diversity data and trust what you’ll do with it. That means you can’t just ask people for their diversity data out of the blue. You need to make your people believe that you really care about not just diversity, but also inclusion. This takes continuous effort and communication, and it doesn’t happen overnight. As with any culture change, it’s a journey. You also need to collect the right data. Too many organizations only measure and focus on narrow ranges of diversity—for example, just gender and ethnicity. The
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aim should be to understand whether you are reflective of the communities you serve, and the data collected should be in line with those communities.
2. Collect Inclusion Data Too
Inclusion data is just as important as diversity data. Inclusion data tells you how people feel within your organization—whether they feel they belong, and are understood and listened to. It also gives you valuable data about specific aspects of your organizational practices, such as how inclusive your communications or learning programs are. However, inclusion data is useless if you can’t analyze it by diversity group. For example, 85 percent of your people may tell you that they feel your communications are inclusive and accessible, but if the
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