There was, at one time, a push for businesses to develop comprehensive Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) competencies and strategies. Ensure their hiring practices were inclusive, they provided equal opportunities for all current and potential employees and met (often impossible) quotas for the diversity of their workforce. But with the pressure to create strategies and hire full time EDI personnel many companies are now turning their backs on EDI initiatives feeling they have “wasted millions of pounds on pointless diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) schemes."

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We have seen many jump on the “bandwagon” of EDI, seeing the potential for easy sales by selling (but not necessarily delivering) ‘quick fixes’ to companies desperate to meet targets, or be seen to be doing something, with the fear of being labelled as non inclusive, sexist, racist, homophobic etc, being the primary driver for most.

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The harsh reality is - when it comes to EDI, there are no quick fixes or one size fits all solutions.

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We understand that EDI can be hard for organisations to make progress on, thus, we aim to make it as easy as possible to make meaningful and measurable change. Underpinned by data, our approach seeks to mainstream EDI and increase the general confidence and competence of teams to understand and own their EDI progress.

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What are the basics of understanding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in business?

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1. In the words of Simon Sinek - start with Why? - if you understand why EDI is important to you, you'll be much better placed to commit and deliver meaningful outcomes. If it's not important to you, it's important to be honest.

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2. Begin with the basics - understanding key EDI terminology used in relation to identity, development, policies etc.

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3. Assess where your business stands - there is no one size fits all solution. Every organisation will have its own vision for EDI and struggles based on their location, industry, company practices, employee composition and more. Why not try self-evaluating your Diversity Intelligence and Cultural Awareness.

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4. If you have started to understand the minefield of terminology, and taken 10 minutes to self-evaluate your diversity, intelligence and cultural awareness, now consider your data. Beyond a self-evaluation consider what is opinion based and what is true. Data underpins every decision, helping to provide a clear start point and create a clear goal/s.  

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5. Book a consultation - speak to the experts, we’ve helped several organisations make significant progress in this area and build confidence and competence.

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The basics of equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace are knowing where you are and where you want to go. Everyone can make mistakes but everyone is capable of learning and developing.

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So what have we learnt? Start understanding the basics of equality, diversity and inclusion to make progress in your organisation with our 5 step approach, don’t be fooled by the “quick fix” solutions marketed online and ask for support from those who have a genuine interest, passion and understanding to create meaningful change in the workplace.

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