It takes collaboration for a company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts to be successful. DEI doesn’t exist solely between the leadership and their team, it is something that must permeate the company to create its culture and workplace atmosphere. No other department or team is as integral to the success of DEI efforts as human resources (HR), which is why there must be a strong partnership between them and DEI to be successful and competitive in today’s market.
HR carries a heavy responsibility, so they must work in conjunction with your DEI team or department and participate in any, and all, training to protect against blind spots and missed opportunities.
A great partnership allows for them to cultivate the ideal inclusive company culture in these three ways:
Talent – HR is the frontline between the company, their reputation, and the talent they are in search of. So, by developing a knowledgeable HR team, a company can attract and retain highly skilled and diverse talent.
Procedure – An inclusive company culture isn’t developed and maintained without the proper procedure that’s aligned with company policy. A competent HR department will be able to cultivate the policy, monitor its implementation for consistency, and assist in creating a seamless workflow.
Accountability – With these procedures and policies comes the ability to enforce them. This is what creates the system of accountability that is necessary for success, yet is often the reason many DEI efforts fail.
In today’s job market, skilled applicants are selective, care if a company celebrates diversity and is inclusive, and are not afraid to explore their options, so a great HR and DEI partnership ensures your company is always the best option.
What if you do not have anyone solely focused on DEI in your company?
Many organizations today are just beginning to explore how to intentionally embed DEI in everything they do. In today’s volatile environment, prioritizing DEI is not only a human imperative, but also a business imperative.
If your company currently does not have anyone working with your HR team focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, we suggest you consider investing in educating your HR teams, hiring an outside consultant to partner with, or making the investment to hire direct DEI professionals. We do not recommend relying solely on passionate volunteers in your organization to create and manage a DEI strategy. While creating a DEI task force, committee, or council is a critical element of a DEI strategy, it should complement but not replace a dedicated DEI resource or team. Volunteer groups can provide the necessary energy, passion, and amplification of messaging however relying on volunteers only can create inconsistencies and limit the accountability of execution.
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