6 DEI Resolutions Your Company Should Commit To In 2021

2020 has been an eye-opening year for a number of reasons. One of the biggest lessons that every workplace was reflecting on in 2020 was the chasm between diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) intentions and reality. The summer of 2020 had leaders in every industry re-evaluating DEI strategy and re-assessing workplace culture in the wake of unprecedented global shifts. The unfortunate but unsurprising reality in many organizations is that lackluster efforts have been put forth to cultivate an environment where marginalized groups feel valued. More specifically, there was a needed spotlight placed on Black employee wellbeing in the wake of continued and ongoing killings that dominated the headlines. Moving into 2021, there are innumerable DEI lessons that 2020 showed us and that companies must commit to in order to be sustainable. Below is a list of six DEI resolutions that companies should focus on in order to thrive in 2021 and beyond.

1. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy. A disconcerting trend that was seen in 2020 was the misguided idea that what worked for one company will be transferable to your organization. While some organizations benefitted from listening sessions for example, if you’re not doing anything to hold leadership accountable for DEI objectives, the listening sessions that worked for that other company you saw, will fall flat for your company. Rather than looking at what every other company is doing, bring in a seasoned expert to accurately diagnose your specific DEI issues so that impactful strategies and solutions can be developed.

2. Actions speak louder than words. To follow up on the first point, symbolic gestures like Black squares and donations to social justice organizations are nice, but more efforts need to be poured into supporting underrepresented employees. Social media leaves companies in a precarious position because if actions aren’t aligning with words, employees and former employees have no problem calling it out. Before putting out any public statements declaring that you stand in solidarity with a specific group, ask yourself this: what are we actually doing, as a company, to support and advance this particular population? If the answer is nothing or you’re unsure, then focus more energy on creating actionable ways to support and advance your employees.

3. Listen to the experts. If you’re going to invest in the help and expertise of a DEI consultant or strategist, you must be willing to listen to and consider their suggestions and advice. Often times, companies bring in DEI practitioners as a show of good faith. Leadership must be willing to put into practice the suggestions that experts are providing. You are wasting time and valuable resources by bringing subject matter experts in if you are not willing to take their advice. Organizations, like people, can be very set in their ways and it can be a task to break out of these bad habits, but if progress will be made, there must be relinquishing of the reins to those who have the knowledge and expertise to help.

4. Stop firing truthtellers. Employees have become more outspoken about the discriminatory treatment they have experienced in the workplace. April Christina Curley and Dr. Timnit Gebru were two individuals who shared their stories of being terminated from their roles at Google for speaking out about inequities. No matter how many mentorship programs are created and how many affinity groups are developed, if there isn’t a safe environment to give honest critiques of the company, inclusion and equity will never been achieved. Encouraging employees to speak up and speak out and then vilifying them and terminating them for doing so sends an insidious message to employees about how committed the organization is to change. Create anonymous systems so that employees can share feedback in a candid and honest way without fear of retribution or retaliation.

5. Pay for DEI consulting. One disturbing trend that happened more in 2020 was the leaning on marginalized employees to educate others in the organization. Although you may have had good intentions, asking Black employees for example, to continuously relive and share their racial trauma for your consumption and understanding is harmful. Many employees of color were asked to lead their company’s DEI efforts, whether through the development of affinity groups or by sharing their past experiences with racism. There is something very powerful about personal anecdotes and firsthand experiences, however, sometimes it comes at the expense of an employee’s wellbeing. Being asked to not only do your job but to educate your fellow colleagues and open up about your racial trauma is beyond exhausting. If you intend on leaning on employees to educate the company, there should be additional compensation that is set aside for that and greater flexibility with completing tasks related to their job role. If that isn’t feasible for the organization, enlist the help of a DEI practitioner rather than relying on the unpaid labor of marginalized employees.

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