NEW HORIZONS
DEI: It Starts With You Efforts may start small, but they have an outsized impact on your employees
By Sarah Alter President & CEO Network of Executive Women
ANY RIGHT-THINKING PERSON can
Changing the Game
acknowledge that individuals deserve equity in all parts of life, including in our workplaces. Employees deserve to feel they can bring their full selves to work, and no one should be discriminated against or experience bias in the workplace.
Accountability breeds confidence and ensures everyone is onboard with making strides toward equity. Then, it’s time to change the game. Acknowledging privilege is a great place to start.
Acknowledging that truth, though, is just the first step.
Big or Small, It Starts at the Top Whether your organization has employees around the globe or just a few in your hometown, a commitment to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) matters to the people who work for you. At NEW, we strive daily to provide solutions for our corporate partners that help them build a workplace where everyone gets a fair shake. That can’t happen without complete buy-in and confidence from those at the top of the leadership ladder. You must walk the walk for DEI efforts to reach their full potential. Stated DEI goals and transparent reporting are a great way to hold everyone accountable to workplace progress. While it can be hard at first, being honest about where you are earns the trust of your employees — and customers. Be transparent about where you are now to show you’re doing the hard work.
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For example, we know that women, particularly women of color, are underrepresented in corporate leadership positions. Removing names and identifying information from resumes corrects for the possibility that unconscious bias — and the tendency for human beings to identify with those who most resemble themselves — is creating a homogenous workforce that isn’t inclusive. That’s one small change that could make all the difference! Educating yourself is another powerful step. Dozens of articles have been written listing the resources those with privilege can leverage to educate themselves. Take a look at a few and set yourself a reading list. It’s not the responsibility of marginalized groups to educate others. It’s the responsibility of those who want to do right by others to educate themselves.
No Tolerance for Intolerance One of the strongest steps you can take is something every employee, from the most junior to a CEO, can put into practice: speaking up. There is no more
