Michael Hall, chief executive of eQuality Solutions, answers the question: How can businesses strengthen their commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace in 2024?
Since the turn of the year, I have attended and spoken at a number of business events in the North East on the subject of diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) and been encouraged by the discussions.
Business leaders see it as both the right thing to do and also the gateway to untapped talent pools. We don’t have people arriving into the region in great numbers, so we need strategies to attract people from wider groups that are already based here.
Research has shown that diverse teams perform at a higher level than less diverse, so the benefits to employers and the region would be significant. A strong DEI culture can be decisive in the battle to both attract and retain staff.
So, here are some opportunities for businesses and business-owners to consider during 2024.
Generational expectation is huge. Young people entering the workplace are not exclusively looking at salary as the ultimate deciding factor. For many, work-life balance and flexible hours are factors, as are the culture and ethics of the employer.
They want to understand what your company stands for and how those values are brought to life via actions and behaviours – within this, sits DEI. Businesses must continually communicate via website, social media, advertising and recruitment materials what they represent – and DEI should be central to this. Plus, it could well give them the critical advantage as an employer of choice.
Neurodiversity is becoming more and more important.Consider what reasonable adjustments you could make to your workplace that would support potential recruits or existing neurodivergent staff.
Even the most subtle of changes or adjustments could be the deciding factor as to whether a member of your team stays with you long-term.
Things to consider include allowing extra breaks, reducing sensory stimuli by having quiet areas in offices or providing noise-cancelling headphones, providing clear and logical guides on goals, processes, meeting agendas and work tasks and providing dedicated desks or workspaces.
Discussing an individual’s needs and providing appropriate resources will help them to not only thrive in their role but to feel included.
Diversity at board level should be another consideration.The development of diversity at board level should be representative, meaningful and part of a long-term plan.
One of the initial steps organisations can take is to bring in non-executive board members with diverse skills and cultural backgrounds. A more diverse board will be better placed to examine fundamental questions such as, is the working environment equitable for everyone? What are the working arrangements for new parents? Do women have a space to grow?
It goes without saying, but recruitment shouldn’t be overlooked.Job listings often include subtle, gender coded language, which can be due to the unconscious bias of the person writing the advert and can discourage applicants that it doesn’t resonate with. Gender decoder tools can be easily accessed and applied to adverts to help remove gender bias.
Prominently stating the organisation’s commitment to diversity in job applications can signal that underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. This can be further reinforced by ensuring salary transparency is fully evident.
Consider how you could reach communities that don’t look in the usual places you advertise. For instance, using social media instead of the commonly used platforms like jobs boards.
Diverse interview panels that are representative of the candidate pool, can also help mitigate biases in the hiring process.
Quality Solutions Group (eQS) is a leading, global provider of diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) services and products including consultancy, assistive technology (AT), training, e-learning and specialist mentoring support – across workplaces and educational settings. Headquartered in Hebburn, it aims to create a more inclusive world by empowering individuals and organisations with DEI programmes and solutions that create actionable, lasting change for today and the future of our society. eQS currently supports 45,500 people annually with bespoke DEI solutions and by 2028 it aims to support five times as many people – to positively impact the lives of 200,000 people annually.
