We may have a long road ahead of us before we achieve true diversity in the workforce, but great strides are being made to increase representation of underrepresented groups and create inclusive environments where staff of all backgrounds and beliefs can thrive.
For one, 2018 was the year that 100 per cent of qualifying businesses reported their gender pay gap following the introduction of new regulations. We also saw business leaders place increasing focus on intersectionality and more nuanced forms of identity over the previous focus on ‘strands’ of diversity.
Finally, conversations are taking place that extend beyond reputations and quota filling; the question as to what serious actions can be taken improve inclusivity is being answered by companies eager to feel the numerous benefits of a diverse workforce. Some of these include:
1. Leaders are actively working to engage men in equality initiatives
Achieving gender equality demands men to step up and play an active role in the fight; it requires men to become true agents for change and businesses to encourage their male talent to get on board with diversity and inclusion. Finally, this sentiment is being accepted by businesses who are increasingly recognising the key role that their male employees will play in creating inclusive workplaces.
At Dell, for instance, EMEA Diversity & Inclusion Lead Ingrid Devin recently promoted a cultural shift at Dell by rolling out the MARC initiative (Men Advocating Real Change), which aims to engage men in identifying unconscious bias. If more companies follow suit with programmes such as these, the fight for diversity will not feel like a distant cry from underrepresented groups but a collective fight to bring about equality once and for all.
2. Family and lifestyle policies are growing in popularity
It’s one thing to talk about building inclusive cultures; it’s another to put in place the foundations that will attract and retain diverse talent. Fortunately, businesses are beginning to put the wheels in motion through policy change, introducing new rules to ensure everyone feels welcome and able to grow with the company regardless of their personal circumstances or plans.
An example of this can be seen at Direct Line Group, who recently introduced new company-wide family policies such as shared parental leave of 20 weeks, lifestyle leave for people to pursue their passions and parental leave extended to grandparents and carers. By providing their people with the flexibility and support at work to do the things that matter to them outside work, the company have succeeded in creating an environment that supports rather than discriminates against those with personal commitments outside of work.
3. Big brands are offering training and placements for young people from minority backgrounds
Firms who have the big budgets to spend are starting to recognise the role they play in social and cultural change. Rather than simply recruiting diverse talent, some companies are starting to offer training and placements for young people of minority backgrounds to ensure equal opportunities from the earliest stage. This can be seen at Sky, for example, who have been working with the London creative network Livity to provide digital training schemes for young people who may not otherwise have had the opportunity. This provides them a chance to get involved with real briefs and gives the company fresh perspective to any team where creative skills are needed.
4. The diversity and inclusion lens is widening
Increasingly, companies are recognising that D&I isn’t about putting people into boxes based on their background, beliefs, race or gender – rather, it’s a holistic approach that seeks to support everyone and celebrate individual differences. IT giant Lenevo has succeeded in setting the tone with their tagline “different is better,” which encapsulates the idea of multi-dimensional diversity at its finest. Beyond a slogan, however, the company regularly works to improve inclusion in their organisation – And not just by the numbers—though the company did score a perfect 100 per cent on the Corporate Index for LGBTQ equality—but in everyday practice, too.
5. Companies are striving to promote gender equality in management roles
For too long, leaders have shrugged off the lack of female talent at senior level, with some even trying to explain the problem away with negative assumptions and stereotypes. If it feels like it’s taken years for any cracks on the glass ceiling to show at all, it’s because it has. There are, however, companies who have taken the initiative to get to the heart of the problem in order to promote gender equality at senior level.
At Sodexo, for instance, two initiatives have been launched to increase gender diversity in facilities management roles in the company. The first is the creation of a community for employees to come together to learn about ways to advance in their careers, while the second is a global job-sharing programme that pairs women interested in progressing their careers with Sodexo ambassadors eager to drive gender balance in roles that have been starved of female representation.
6. Organisations are ensuring diverse interview panels
While there may still be significant room for improvement, a growing number of hiring managers and HR departments across the country have revised their recruitment strategies to allow for a more diverse stream of talent to enter their respective businesses. Studies have repeatedly shown the positive impact that a diverse panel can have in an interview setting, and it seems as though firms are starting to take heed. One notable example of this can be seen at Maritime UK, who launched an initiative last year called ‘Interview Pool’ which loans maritime women to companies in the shipping industry that may lack diversity on interview panels.
7. More organisations are reforming their approach to gender recognition
In light of the announcement of the Government’s intention to review the Gender Recognition Act – in order to help trans people receive legal recognition of their gender identity – we are seeing an increasing number of firm’s reform how they approach this internally. Simple processes such as quick name changes across all documentation and systems can seem like a small step, but it’s the removal of such barriers that is helping trans people to feel welcome at work.
Respecting gender identities and raising awareness of micro-aggressions is a prerequisite of any inclusive culture, and businesses who implement ongoing training are helping their trans employees to feel more comfortable, engaged and productive instead of wasting energy trying to supress who they really want to be in the workplace.
8. More companies are appointing diversity executives
If diversity has moved at glacial pace within some organisations, it may be due to a lack of accountability. Fortunately, this persistent problem is increasingly being addressed in business as more leaders look to appoint diversity executives. No longer can such a pressing issue be put to the backburner when one professional is responsible for pushing for positive change in an organisation. This has been felt within a number of UK media companies such as The Financial Times and the Telegraph, whose appointment of diversity executives has helped them to improve gender pay gap and help attract and nurture a diverse workforce.