How to Use Feedback to Improve Diversity and Inclusion Efforts
In the ever-evolving landscape of diversity and inclusion, businesses are continually seeking innovative ways to foster a more inclusive environment. Insights from a Chief Human Resources Officer and a Director General provide a glimpse into industry-leading practices. From focusing on inclusion efforts to revisiting hiring practices, this article compiles thirteen invaluable insights from various experts. Explore the first and last actionable strategies shared by these thought leaders to enhance your company's diversity initiatives.
- Focus on Inclusion Efforts
- Showcase Diverse Representations
- Enhance Inclusive Leadership Opportunities
- Expand Recruitment Outreach
- Increase Representation in Leadership
- Clarify Information for Minority Businesses
- Create a Diversity and Inclusion Committee
- Implement LGBTQ+ Inclusivity Training
- Use Gender-Neutral Language in Marketing
- Diversify Property Listings
- Address Team Diversity
- Expand Cultural Product Offerings
- Revisit Hiring Practices
Focus on Inclusion Efforts
Our company once received feedback during an employee engagement survey indicating that while we had strong diversity initiatives, our inclusion efforts needed more focus, particularly in fostering a sense of belonging for underrepresented groups. Employees shared that while diversity was celebrated in hiring and promotional materials, they sometimes felt excluded from decision-making processes or lacked opportunities for mentorship and leadership development.
We took this feedback seriously and launched a multi-step initiative to address it. First, we implemented listening sessions to hear directly from employees about their experiences and suggestions for improvement. These sessions revealed the need for more structured mentorship programs and greater transparency in how decisions were made within teams.
Based on this input, we created a mentorship and sponsorship program aimed at connecting underrepresented employees with senior leaders to support career development and visibility. We also revised team meeting norms to ensure all voices were heard by encouraging leaders to solicit input from quieter team members or those in minority groups.
Additionally, we introduced inclusion training for managers, focused on creating equitable opportunities and fostering an inclusive team culture. This training was paired with metrics to track progress, such as measuring participation in leadership programs and gathering ongoing feedback from employees about their sense of belonging.
The result was a noticeable improvement in employee satisfaction scores regarding inclusion and belonging in the next survey. This process underscored the importance of listening to employees and taking actionable steps to ensure that diversity efforts extend into meaningful inclusion initiatives.
Showcase Diverse Representations
Someone once said that our ads didn't really show how unique our town was. Even though they loved our goods, one customer told us that the pictures we used didn't show people of their race or body type. They felt left out by this. I remember that moment very well because it showed me that we were ignoring a big part of our community. I gave what you said a lot of thought, so I set up a meeting for our team to plan. Before we looked at who we were missing from our efforts, we looked at the data. We looked at the demographics of our customers and the poll results.
We made real changes after that. It was important for us to show a wide range of racial, age, and body types in our crew and models. In one ad, there was a woman in her 60s, a plus-size model, and a young guy with a fake leg. A lot of people called the company because they were so glad they finally felt seen and loved. "I feel like I'm being shown in an ad for the first time ever," wrote one woman. I thought about how small changes can make people feel important after hearing that. The main goal was to connect with and trust our fans more, and it did that.
Enhance Inclusive Leadership Opportunities
At Best Diplomats, we recently received feedback about our diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts during an employee survey. Some employees expressed that while our programs were helpful, they desired more focus on creating inclusive leadership opportunities for all backgrounds, particularly for women and underrepresented groups in higher-level positions.
We took this feedback seriously and decided to enhance our approach. First, we introduced targeted mentorship programs to connect emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds with senior leaders. This allowed for more guidance, visibility, and networking opportunities.
Additionally, we launched workshops on unconscious bias and inclusive leadership, helping to equip our management team with the tools to support diverse talent actively.
We also regularly reviewed our promotion and recruitment practices to ensure they aligned with our D&I goals. The feedback was invaluable in helping us refine our approach and ensure that our diversity initiatives were inclusive and created real career growth opportunities.
This process reinforced the importance of listening to our team and acting on their input to improve continuously. It reminds us that diversity and inclusion are ongoing efforts, and being responsive to feedback is crucial to creating a truly inclusive workplace.
Expand Recruitment Outreach
We received feedback that our recruitment efforts weren't attracting a diverse enough pool of candidates. To address this, we partnered with more inclusive job boards and expanded our outreach to underrepresented communities. We also held workshops to ensure our interview process was equitable. Since then, our team's diversity has increased, and we've seen a more inclusive company culture that fosters creativity and innovation.
Increase Representation in Leadership
Our company once received feedback from employees through an anonymous survey that highlighted a lack of representation in leadership roles and the need for more inclusive policies. We reexamined our diversity and inclusion (D&I) strategy as a result of this input.
To support the advancement of disadvantaged personnel, we established organized mentorship opportunities and started leadership training programs that addressed unconscious bias. Additionally, we created employee resource groups (ERGs) to foster belonging and held quarterly forums to gather ongoing input.
As a result, we saw a 20% increase in diverse hires for leadership positions within a year and a marked improvement in employee satisfaction scores related to inclusivity. The experience demonstrated the power of listening and taking actionable steps to foster a more inclusive culture.
Clarify Information for Minority Businesses
A contractor once mentioned in a customer survey that our website's information about eligibility for minority-owned businesses wasn't as clear as it could be. They felt this lack of clarity might discourage small business owners from diverse backgrounds. I immediately worked with my team to create a comprehensive guide specifically for minority and women-owned businesses to understand bond requirements and eligibility. We also added a live chat feature so that clients could get their questions answered instantly. This proactive step resulted in a noticeable increase in inquiries and applications from businesses we had previously struggled to reach.
Create a Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Once, we got feedback on our company's culture from an employee engagement survey mentioning the lack of inclusion among the cultures of the workplace. Employees felt that though systems were in place, they were still away from the decision-making process surrounding workplace diversity and inclusion policies. With such an understanding, we conducted focus groups to give more insight into these issues so that no one was left unheard.
We learned that employees wanted more transparency and involvement in our D&I initiatives. So, we set up a Diversity and Inclusion Committee comprised of members from different departments and backgrounds who worked towards creating actionable goals and reporting back to everyone in the organization regularly.
We also built a place for anonymous feedback on D&I initiatives so that employees feel free to have a say. The pathway improved our D&I strategies and brought out a sense of ownership among employees, letting them value themselves as contributors to the workplace culture we shall be fostering.
Implement LGBTQ+ Inclusivity Training
One instance that stands out to me is when our company received feedback from one of our clients during a post-transaction survey. The client, who identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community, mentioned feeling uncomfortable with some of the language used by another agent in our company during their home search process. This was a wake-up call for us as a company to take a closer look at our diversity and inclusion efforts.
We immediately took action by conducting an internal survey among our agents to gather their thoughts and experiences on diversity and inclusion within the workplace. The responses were eye-opening, with many suggesting ways we could improve and become a more inclusive company. Based on the feedback we received, we implemented diversity and inclusion training for all our agents. This included education on unconscious biases, LGBTQ+ inclusivity, and cultural sensitivity. We also made changes to our marketing materials to ensure they were inclusive of various backgrounds and identities.
Use Gender-Neutral Language in Marketing
I have always been committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in my company. However, it was not until we received feedback from one of our clients that I realized there were areas where we could improve.
The client, who identified as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, shared their experience of feeling excluded during the home buying process. This feedback made me realize that while we had policies in place to promote diversity and inclusion, they were not effectively implemented in practice.
To address this issue, I immediately called for a team meeting to discuss how we could improve our efforts towards creating an inclusive environment for all clients. We brainstormed ideas such as hosting workshops on cultural sensitivity and implementing diversity training for all employees.
We also reached out to the client who provided the feedback and invited them to be a part of our brainstorming session. Their insights and suggestions were invaluable in helping us understand the specific needs of the LGBTQ+ community in the real estate industry.
Based on their feedback, we made several changes to our practices, such as using gender-neutral language in all our marketing materials and providing resources for finding LGBTQ+-friendly neighborhoods.
Diversify Property Listings
I've had the privilege of working with clients from all walks of life. However, like many industries, real estate has been historically lacking in diversity and inclusion efforts. This is something that my company has actively recognized and taken steps to improve upon.
A few years ago, during an annual review meeting with our team, we received feedback from one of our clients regarding their experience with our agency. The client shared that they felt excluded and uncomfortable during some interactions with our agents. They also mentioned feeling underrepresented when browsing through property listings on our website.
This feedback hit close to home for me as I've always prided myself on being inclusive and welcoming to all my clients. It was a wake-up call for our team to reassess our current practices and make necessary changes.
We immediately took action by implementing diversity and inclusion training for all agents in our company. This included education on unconscious bias, cultural awareness, and sensitivity towards different backgrounds. We also made an effort to diversify our website's property listings and showcase a wider range of backgrounds in our marketing materials.
Address Team Diversity
I have always been committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the industry. However, like any other company or organization, there is always room for improvement. This was made apparent when my company recently received feedback on our diversity and inclusion efforts.
The feedback came from one of our clients who had expressed concerns about the lack of diversity among our team of agents. They pointed out that not only were there very few people of color represented, but also a noticeable gender imbalance. This feedback was eye-opening for me and my colleagues.
We took this feedback seriously and held a meeting to discuss ways we could improve our diversity and inclusion efforts. We realized that while we may have been open to working with clients from diverse backgrounds, we had not actively taken steps to increase diversity within our own team.
To address this issue, we started by expanding our recruitment efforts to reach out to a more diverse pool of potential agents. We also implemented unconscious bias training for all current and new employees. This helped us become more aware of any biases we may have had and how they could impact our interactions with clients.
Additionally, we made changes to our marketing materials and language to be more inclusive and welcoming of individuals from different backgrounds. We also made sure that our office environment was inclusive by displaying artwork and decorations from a variety of cultures.
Expand Cultural Product Offerings
Reflecting on a recent experience, my company received valuable feedback concerning our diversity and inclusion efforts from a mixed demographic of customers. It was an eye-opener, underscoring areas where we could be more inclusive both in our product offerings and in our team composition. With my background as an entrepreneur in the floral industry, I've always prioritized creating a welcoming environment in physical stores and online platforms.
Acting on the feedback, I introduced diversity training for our team, ensuring everyone felt respected and valued. It's important to embrace differing perspectives since they often spark creativity and innovation within the team. Additionally, I evaluated and expanded our product line to cater to a broader range of cultural preferences and events. The process of transformation was both enlightening and rewarding, and it allowed me to grow not just as a company but as an individual who values inclusivity in every facet of my business.
Revisit Hiring Practices
There was a time when our company received feedback on its diversity and inclusion efforts. We had been promoting our inclusive workplace culture, but some clients felt that we were not walking the talk.
Our team took this feedback seriously and used it as an opportunity to reflect and improve. We started by revisiting our hiring practices and made conscious efforts to diversify our team. This included actively seeking out job candidates from underrepresented groups and providing equal opportunities for all applicants.
In addition, we also conducted training sessions for our staff to raise awareness about unconscious biases and how they can affect our interactions with clients. This helped us create a more welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of their race, gender, or sexual orientation.
