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Getting quick wins from diversity and inclusion (part 2)

I have spoken at several conferences in Europe on global best practices in D & I. In a previous viewpoint I shared some best practices for quick wins from my presentations and explained why they were critical.

This month, I have grouped the best practices for long-term business gain against the four D & I change drivers. The practices listed are based on IDC's experience and research carried out globally. IDC's consultants are all highly experienced in these practices and the use of the diversity change drivers to generate an inclusive culture which delivers real D & I business benefits.

The four diversity change drivers and the best practices for long-term business gain are:

Leadership message and example

  • Leaders should receive feedback and coaching on how they perform the inclusive leadership behaviours they have agreed to set an example in.
  • D & I Councils should adopt an 'all-fronts' approach, i.e. understanding the barriers to inclusion for diverse people who are employees, customers, suppliers and in the communities you operate.
  • D & I should be incorporated into corporate social responsibility activities.

Communications and engagement

  • Task groups should be set up to recommend what actions need to be taken to address the cultural diversity barriers for employees, customers and suppliers.
  • Employee networks should adopt an 'all-fronts' approach and advise senior management on D & I issues for employees, customers, suppliers and communities.
  • Make the content of internal and external communications inclusive. Generally, communications tend to use masculine language.

Education, training and coaching

  • Managers should receive training in cross-cultural awareness, e.g. gender, race, ethnicity and nationality differences.
  • D & I should be comprehensively integrated into your organisation's training programmes, e.g. leadership development, induction training, sales and marketing training.
  • All recruiters being trained in cross-cultural interviewing.
  • Invest in positive action activities - carry out a talent pool audit, adopt mentoring programmes for high potentials from under-represented groups in the organisation, reverse mentoring, i.e. young high potential employees mentoring top management on the issues for their generation and their diversity grouping.
  • Develop an online D & I training toolkit.

Measurement – hard and soft

  • Managers' performance bonuses should be made partly dependent on the delivery of their D & I objectives.
  • Measure progress against goals such as employment, positive action and top- and bottom-line performance. Make sure the goals are regularly reviewed, and progress and the successes openly publicised.

Related articles

Getting quick wins from diversity and inclusion (part 1)

Your diversity strategy must emphasise the need to build a productive, inclusive and meritocratic culture for all!

Building an inclusive culture - putting in the effort



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