Compassion. Inclusion. Diversity. In the last 18 months, we’ve seen a shift at the corporate level, including deeper commitments to these core values in mission statements, establishing positions such as Inclusion and Diversity Officers, and enhanced recruiting and employee experiences to better reflect the world in which we live. The challenge lies in bringing these messages from the 10,000-foot level to ensure that we enact change for every person. From the start of our journey, we realized off-the-shelf programming would not yield the results we desired. Instead, we looked to the diversity within our team. We found a recipe for success that has transcended awareness to normalizing topics that were once taboo to discuss in the workplace.
Make It Real
We started at the top, with two of our Training leaders having a candid conversation in front of 350-plus team members regarding the unrest and societal angst stemming from the death of George Floyd. Their authentic discussion about Black Lives Matter was uncomfortable, emotional, and personal. This conversation paved the way for others to begin feeling safe sharing their own backgrounds; challenges they have faced; and how they felt, from years of code switching, that they could not be their true selves in any workplace. Our employees discussed real situations, real people, and genuine feelings. They gained new perspectives, creating emotional connections with their peers, resulting in a greater motivation to think critically about their actions, thoughts, and attitudes toward others.
Build It, and They Will Come
We recognize that every person has a different comfort level with discussing the dimensions of Diversity. So how did we meet people where they are? By providing a platform where those who were curious could learn from their peers. We created a process where our team gathers monthly—first, in a large group setting to learn from colleagues representing a specific dimension of our diverse community. Then we follow up with small group breakout sessions to continue the conversation in a more intimate setting. Participation is voluntary, but we consistently see 60 to 70 percent of our team in attendance in the large group sessions and even higher involvement in the small groups.
Replace Presentations with Stories
Instead of facilitating a formal training program, we solicit volunteers from our team to host panel discussions. Personal stories are shared about employee-nominated topics, such as unconscious bias, health equity, representation, intersectionality, disability, and mental health. We have shared tears of sorrow and joy and fostered a deeper connection to our peers as we learned what they have overcome to get where they are today.
The power of these stories has transcended the workplace, motivating people to take the conversations home to their families and friends. Others have acted and found ways to become better allies to underrepresented groups. Still others have become advocates in their communities.
We have progressed to a point that our team has a safe, welcoming space to be their authentic selves. Employees have a platform for their voices to be heard and to share their stories. Peers going through similar challenges connect to support one another.
Keep Up the Momentum
Other ways we have integrated Inclusion & Diversity into our workplace include the creation of identity audits to ensure our learning content is broadly representative. We’ve updated content to ensure accessibility for all learners, whatever their unique learning requirement. We’ve assessed our hiring to ensure we are identifying and facing unconscious bias. And we’ve participated in and led enterprisewide community gatherings.
At a recent all-team meeting, we asked for feedback. We received positive responses and suggestions to take our conversations even further. The team has indicated a desire to form groups surrounding topics such as mental health and health equity to continue learning and supporting one another. These groups are taking shape, with team members voluntarily driving informal gatherings, open to all, outside of work hours.
Success Indicators
A recent employee experience survey included a five-question Inclusion Index. Results for all five measures were favorable. Three specific measures validated that our team’s journey is making a difference:
Our combination of personal stories, taking on difficult topics, and integrating real change into our work environment and approach has opened our minds and hearts. We have challenged our assumptions and created a culture where employees feel accepted, appreciated, and heard. Leaders have stronger connections with their employees, and peers better understand one another. Now that’s a compelling story!
