3 Ways Companies are Prioritizing Diversity & Inclusion in 2022

Hint: diversity training is not enough

For a lot of organizations, 2022 feels like - just maybe - there will be a chance to collectively exhale. However, this year is likely to mark a significantly defining period for organizations and how they cement their lasting work culture and practices.

What particularly leads the charge in conversation is the important concept of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and how hybrid work plays a crucial role in this. When done well, hybrid work improves employee experience, increases workforce productivity, decreases the carbon footprint of commuting, and enables more inclusive and diverse organizations. You can read more about this in our blog, ‘6 reasons why remote working will benefit your company'.

In fact, companies with a highly diverse workforce reported up to 19% higher revenues than companies with low diversity. So how come only 22% of companies believe they are recognized by their employees, customers, or suppliers as leaders in DEI?

DEI is an incredibly complex issue and there are a vast number of practices and programs to consider. However, here are just a few ways companies are improving their DEI:

1. Flexible work creates more diversified teams

Healthy hybrid work cultures have enabled companies to measure the value of people based on what they contribute as opposed to judging them based on where they sit. Flexible work arrangements have enabled organizations to look for people with a specific set of skills, regardless of background, location, gender, race, or disability.

Some common recruitment strategies future-led HR executives are adopting include blind hiring processes, diversity sourcing and AI-powered candidate screening.

‍2. Arming employees in all roles with the right tools and tech

There has been an explosion of new technologies in recent years aimed at enhancing workplace transparency, collaboration, and productivity in a virtual setting. Companies are advancing their DEI practices with such tools as:

• Analytics software: used to produce actionable, measurable insights on diversity measures
• Listening/Feedback software: to ensure employees are not just listened to but heard through online feedback and evaluation portals and mentorship programs
• Onboarding/training software: to secure fair accessibility for employees, no matter their technical skills, location or financial situation. For example, organizations are using Workwize to provide and manage all remote equipment for their employees no matter their location.

3. DEI work needs to be managed as a business function, not an HR program

To be inclusive, organizations need to be authentic in their commitment to DEI which relies on leadership buy-in and representation. A 2019 McKinsey study, ‘Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters’ reported that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile.

It is all well and good to mandate diversity training for employees, for instance, but its impact on behavior change is limited. Change comes from strategic and cultural structures; therefore DEI must be embedded in every business facet, policy and practice starting from the top.

So far, many organizations have taken a step in the right direction in terms of DEI but there is still a long road ahead. 2022 might just be the year to ramp things up...

Choose smart, choose Workwize.

Workwize was invented to help forward-thinking organizations make the inspiring transition to flexible work. Our platform allows your company to select office equipment that is fully tailored to both your company and employees’ needs. We are completely independent of our suppliers, so it doesn’t matter what your colleagues require, it will be available in our large assortment of office supplies.

Interested to know what we can do for your company? Schedule a free demo and discover the endless possibilities with Workwize. Alternatively, download our whitepaper to discover how we facilitate hybrid working.

Sources:

https://www.bcg.com/en-us/publications/2018/how-diverse-leadership-teams-boost-innovation

https://joshbersin.com/2021/02/elevating-equity-and-diversity-the-challenge-of-the-decade/

https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters