I have provided inserts from my diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) guide, The 6 Methods For Your Organization to Become Inclusive. If you would like to read the complete document, click here.
I wrote this in response to the impact of George Floyd’s death and the influx of companies reaching out to me as the leader of the African-American Marketing Association. In the guide I outline, six steps organizations can make to enhance their diversity and become a more inclusive and equitable company.
Not Culturally Aware: What is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion?
When we discuss diversity we immediately think of race. However, there is a great deal of depth when it comes to diversity. Diversity means gathering individuals representing various backgrounds such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and other factors. Diversity can be broken down into internal and external factors. The internal factors connect to our identity as we belong to a larger group of people. This includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Culture
- Age and generation
- Gender
- Sexual Orientation
- Physical and mental ability
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population by race and ethnicity includes:
- White Americans
- African or Black American
- Hispanic or Latino
- Asian
- American Indian and Alaska Native
- Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
- Other races
- Two or more races
Not a Culture Fit: The Language of Inclusion
Language has power. Language is inclusion. It demonstrates how we navigate the world, in this case, the workplace. Whether it is internal or external, written or verbal, communication needs to remain respectful at all times. There has been so much emphasis on what is politically correct when we need to focus on professional competencies while remaining personally conscious. Tierney Bates interim executive director of university career services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), “language is a key element of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and can help or hinder efforts in this area.”
The language of inclusion starts from the recruiting phase leading up to when the hiring manager needs to make a decision based on cultural fit. Lauren Riveria, author of Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs, mentions in her book when interviewers said they “clicked” or “had chemistry” with a candidate, they often meant that they shared a similar background. On the flip side, when interviewers said that they didn’t think a candidate would be a good fit, it was often because that person didn’t have a similar background, not because the candidate lacked skills or positive values. To sum it up the interviewer is gauging from personal experience and not what is best for the team or company as a whole.
It is not unusual for an unconscious bias to turn into a microaggression. A microaggression is a comment or an action that negatively impacts an individual or a minority group. A microaggression may or may not be intentional, but it is a form of discrimination.
Coupled with unconscious bias this can affect anyone at recruiting, mentoring, wages, and promotions. In order to do so, we have to remove all stereotypes and biases of groups of people. How does bias show up? Some examples of how microaggressions show up in the workplace:
- You’re so articulate. You don’t sound Black.
- Is that your real hair? Can I touch your hair?
- Telling a transgender person, they don’t look “it.”
- Complaining about a female boss, calling her crazy or out of her name.
- Not willing to learn how to pronounce someone’s name.
Unable to Find BIPOC Talent: Establish & Maintain Viable Talent Pipelines
“While it might sound like an excuse, the unfortunate reality is that there is a very limited pool of black talent to recruit from,” Charlie Scharf, CEO of Wells Fargo
Companies face several challenges when it comes to finding diverse talent. The human resources department should not be the only team responsible for DEI initiatives and goals. These efforts should be extended to all leaders and their departments.
Since creating AAMA, one of the most common questions I hear is, where are all the Black marketers? A recent survey conducted by Line 25 Consulting, asked what are the challenges when it comes to finding BIPOC talent, 93 percent of human resource professionals stated that volume is lacking. Followed by the quality of applicants, lack of local candidates, and job posting distribution. If recruiters are having challenges finding diverse talent, then what hurdles are candidates dealing with? It is good practice to publish a job opportunity; however, minorities are on the short end of the stick. The Harvard Business Review did a study where women only apply for a job if they meet 100 percent of the qualifications versus men who feel confident at 60 percent. Furthermore, 20-25 percent of Asians and Blacks receive callbacks when they whiten their resume. Overall, minorities are restricted when it comes to stepping into a hiring process, which further strains our conversation on equity and inclusion.
The truth of the matter is Black talent is everywhere. Where are you looking when it comes to recruiting diverse candidates?
Companies have to become intentional when it comes to recruiting an array of diverse candidates. Organizations have to create pipelines from entry-level to C-suite roles. This may range from outreach to Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and professional associations are a good start. Furthermore, talent has to be nurtured once they are hired.
Lack of Sponsors: Inclusive Leadership & Holistic Representation
Sharon Chuter launched the #PullIUpOrShutUp campaign on Instagram to push brands to reveal the racial makeup of their corporate workforce and executives. Amazon, Adidas, Microsoft, and Nike are a few companies that have been called out on the makeup of their leadership. Black employees at Adidas exposed some of the company’s racial shortcomings that resulted in the chief of global human resources resigning.
The Wall Street Journal article Why There Are Still So Few Black CEOs, highlights that there are only four Black CEOs among America’s Fortune 500 companies. Overall, Black people represent 3% of executives or senior-level roles. The total make up of ethnic minorities in executive positions stands at 11% with a breakdown of:
- LatinX – 3%
- Indians – 3%
- Asians – 2%
- Middle Easterns – 1%
- Multiracial – 1%
Diversity initiatives cannot start and stop in the hiring process. Leadership must be proactive in creating an agenda and be fully vested in the DEI strategy and process. Equity and inclusion are carried in the culture, executed through the company’s vision, and benefits the employee through their tenure. Inclusive leadership and holistic representation are crucial when it comes to the future of work.
Everyone’s Not an Employee: Supplier Diversity
In 2019, the Small Business Administration reported 30.7 million small businesses and 8 million are minority-owned. Let’s be honest, everyone is not an employee. Departments need to find the best way to incorporate supplier diversity for their needs. According to the SBA, a supplier diversity program encourages larger businesses to use minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, LGBT-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, historically underutilized businesses as suppliers.
All companies should invest and leverage supplier diversity initiatives. Not all work has to be employee-driven. The human resources department should not carry all the responsibility when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Managers should examine roles and job descriptions to determine what is best suited for the team and organization. The key is identifying projects versus operations. Projects are best suited for agency partners or freelancers for a specific time period. While operations consist of daily tasks that sustain the project upon completion that responsibility is dedicated to an employee.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Can’t Be Measured: The Accountability of DEI Initiatives
We can no longer settle for quick fixes based on a checklist. In the famous words of Lord Kelvin, “if you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.” Companies can measure and monitor data on a quarterly basis and include it in their annual report. As entrepreneurs and marketers, we discuss numbers all the time from milestones, revenue, profit margins, impressions, analytics, etc. Companies that say there is no way to measure diversity, equity, and inclusion do not want to be held accountable.
There are at least six categories that need to be considered when tracking diversity and inclusion initiatives. They include:
- Recruitment – Creating pipelines that allow for qualified applicants, interviews, hires, and diversity boards and partnerships.
- Salary – Ensure offers and increases are equal across the board for male, female, and non-gender talent.
- Supplier Diversity – Creating a user-friendly process. Tracking vendors, proposals, and awarded contracts
- Representation – Make sure that each department has fair representation as well as in leadership roles. Also beneficial for supplier diversity.
- Advancement – Monitoring the success of employees
- Retention – Track the attrition rate and survey why employees leave the company to determine what systems can be repaired.
If you would like to read the full guide, click here.
Hire a Fractional Diverse Marketing Consultant
If your organization could benefit from a free inclusive marketing consultation or if you are looking for an inclusive marketing speaker for your next event, don’t hesitate to reach out. For more information send an email to info@michellengome.com.
