DEI Meaning: What Does DEI Actually Mean?

The true DEI meaning can get a little lost among other buzzwords that are thrown about. This then has a knock-on effect, as DEI programs are thought to be nothing more than box-ticking exercises that take away attention from employee tasks that provide monetary value and impact.

Yet DEI initiatives are so often the reason why candidates choose to apply to a company. Since DEI often informs a company culture, it can be a big talent draw. It isn’t just for incomers too; 56% of employed US adults say that focusing on DEI at work is a good thing.

However, it is quickly becoming something that companies just do to make themselves look good rather than something that should be built into a company’s foundation to make everyone’s lives better. If your organization’s DEI efforts just feel like another HR exercise, it is a clear indicator that things need to change.

Let’s dive a little deeper into the concept of DEI, what each individual part does, and why this is not an outdated concept but instead one that is evolving and changing for the modern workplace.

What does DEI stand for?

DEI is made up of three clear values:

• Diversity
• Equity
• Inclusion

These three closely linked values are at the core of any company culture programs a business might choose to implement. Let’s break down each one further.

Diversity

Diversity refers to ensuring that there is a good mix of people in a given setting. Having the presence of a wide range of differences within one room is incredibly important. Marginalized groups bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences that others might not have. The more points of view we bring together, the clearer and more accurate our perspective will be.

Diversity can mean including people from many different walks of life. This can include:

• Race
• Gender
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Socioeconomic background

Diversity can also go much deeper than this, and can also include:

• Physical ability
• Neurodiversity
• Veteran status
• Parental status

Why is diversity important?

When you have a diverse workforce, you can draw from a wide variety of perspectives. Together, this allows you to gather different points of view, and this then results in better decisions.

Yes, we do want everyone to reach the same conclusion and all support a decision, but they should never do so blindly. If everyone has the same background, they may not think about the experiences of other people. Before you know it, you have a product, service, or marketing campaign that isn’t exactly the most thought-out.

It takes a lot of courage to be the dissenting voice, but speaking up and being prepared to go against the established norm can yield great results if you are willing to bear the burden of doing so. Having employee resource groups or ERGs where you can connect with other marginalized colleagues can be great for recharging and also just ensuring that you have support from people who also understand your viewpoint.

Equity

Equity is the division of resources and assets to create equal circumstances for all. It is not the same as equality.

Equality divides everything so that all get the same treatment. Equity recognizes that everyone starts from different positions. To end up in the same place, everyone will need different forms of help.

Let’s imagine that three friends decide they want to split a cake while having a coffee together. The first friend Andrea is happy to take her third. The second friend Bailey has already been at brunch with other friends and isn’t sure she wants a full slice of cake. The third friend Cate has worked up an appetite at a gym and is hungrier than the other two. Bailey happily gives the rest of her portion of the cake to Cate, and all three’s appetites are satisfied equitably.

Why is equity important?

Equity is far more important than equality as it recognizes that people need different helping hands to get the job done. We want to be treated fairly and in the same way as our colleagues, but some people need a bit more and others need a little less.

You might have two employees in roles with exactly the same job description. However, one comes into the job with connections gained through previous roles, and the other is a new graduate in their first professional role. Equality implies treating them the same and expecting them to produce the same results. Equity, however, will ensure that the new graduate gains a mentor and an invite to some networking events. Maybe this is even a good time to practice a little peer-to-peer mentoring to ensure knowledge is shared properly!

Inclusion

Inclusion ensures that everyone feels like they are welcome in their company and that they know that there is a place for them. They know that they are valued both as an employee and for the results they deliver, and they feel supported by their manager and the company at large.

A lot of this can come down to company and team culture. When an organization puts in the work to ensure that they welcome, support, and celebrate their employees, results are achieved and everyone has a good time. While you should run for the hills if a business describes themselves more like a family, a workplace should create a space where an employee can socialize and be themselves.

Why is inclusion important?

Firstly, every business should maintain a level of professionalism, but that doesn’t mean a company can have fun and be relaxed around it. With an inclusive culture at play, employees feel like they can show up as the best version of themselves and deliver what is expected of them and more.

In a non-inclusive workplace, someone might feel a need to hide part of themselves or put forward a false self in order to fit in with colleagues. This is known as code-switching. Many of us have code-switched at one point or another, even without realizing it, but it should never be the norm. A survey commissioned by the job site Indeed discovered that 34% of Black employees have code-switched in the workplace, whereas the average rate of all participants in the survey was much lower at 20%.

Code-switching occurs even in companies with concentrated DEI efforts. This proves that diversity on its own isn’t enough; people need to feel included too. Though you might put the work into finding talents from diverse backgrounds, if you aren’t creating an inclusive environment for them to thrive then they will just go elsewhere.

A company might want to improve their gender diversity, but if their first female or non-binary executive walks into the boardroom and finds themselves surrounded by cis-gendered men, they won’t feel as welcome as they would if they saw others like themselves. Likewise, any person of color walking into a predominantly white workforce might wonder if they are just a racial diversity hire if they feel their treatment is different from their colleagues. Inclusion programs need to build on what diversity and equity initiatives have already created, or they will fail before they can take root.

The evolution of DEI

DEI initiatives have evolved over time, but there is still a lot of work to be done. A company can do all it wants to support diversity, but unless equity and inclusion are also treated with respect, the diverse perspectives they seek are never going to stick around.

Since there have been so many conversations about fair treatment and how DEI initiatives can feasibly work, there are a few extra steps that can deepen our understanding of these programs.

Belonging

Here at MentorcliQ, we’ve spoken about the importance of Belonging in relation to DEI programs a few times! Ultimately, Belonging is the end goal of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion when all three work together. An employee who experiences all three in their workplace should hopefully feel a sense of belonging.

It is not just a vibe someone tries to assess, it should be tracked by tangible and measurable KPIs. Remember, this is not just about developing programs and groups that appear to cater to certain demographics and then releasing them without another thought. Creating Belonging should be an ongoing effort that you revisit time and time again.

Use Belonging alongside the other DEI principles to create four pillars your organization is built around to build a culture of respect, trust, and support. By using all four in harmony, your workforce should be able to approach any problem or task with diverse perspectives and experiences to help them reach a solution.

Justice

We are also beginning to see the concept of Justice being included in discussions around DEI frameworks. Many DEI programs are unfortunately set up to fail. Due to systematic issues, those in charge of DEI efforts within their company may often find that they face resistance and a lack of resources waiting for them when trying to make changes, or even simply struggle with the workload required of them on top of their usual task assignment. Any DEI commitments simply tail off and the company is left with the same issues they faced before.

So, how can we change this? Through Justice; targeted effort to bring about lasting systematic change in the business as a whole.

In an article examining DEIJ, Mia Henry writes:

Justice does not only ask who is represented at our table but moves us to inquire about who is served at the table that has been set. Further, it asks: Are there any barriers that prevent certain people from being served? It requires that we name and examine historical and current systems of oppression. It helps us expand the conversation beyond diversity and embrace the complexity of addressing oppression in all its forms, not just marginalization.

This is a really good explanation of the end goals of Justice. It is not just about recognizing we need to find new Diverse voices, or that the division of assets should be Equitable, or that we Include everyone around the table. We need to dismantle the barriers within the organization that prevent employees from feeling like there is a place for them within the company. Often, this might require us to look outside the company too, either to the industry or even to the wider society we live in. Your employees deserve to be treated the same no matter the company they choose to work for.

Rework your DEI programs today

If you feel like your DEI programs are falling flat, or if they don’t appeal to the underrepresented groups in your workforce, it is high time that you made some changes. Take things back to the drawing board and get members from all levels of your organization around a table to discuss their preferences for an inclusive workplace. Work together to create a new DEI program that caters to each person’s unique circumstances as much as possible, so that everyone can find a welcoming atmosphere in your company. To support these DEI efforts, companies can explore various tools and resources to aid their employees and DEI champions.

A great place to start is with software design for the creation and promotion of ERGs. They are designed to carve out safe spaces for marginalized voices to come together to network, socialize, and work towards creating change within their organizations. Senior executives need to listen to the recommendations coming from their ERGs so they understand where the needs and wishes of their employees without them passing through an executive filter.

Running an ERG is no small feat. The right software can simplify processes for everyone, from ERG members participating in groups and events to the DEI team monitoring for results. With the Diverst ERG software from MentorcliQ, the admin of running an ERG is lessened, allowing executives to more effectively balance the needs of the ERG with those produced by their role in the office. And for ERG members, all the information they could wish to know about the ERG is in one intuitive platform!