Creating equity at the workplace is a conscious process. It involves a few deliberate and explicit efforts. Here are five ways to achieve equity by design.
Offer clarity: This sets the ball rolling for all equity initiatives. From the language you use to communicate with the underrepresented groups to the goals you intend to execute for them and how you measure them- clarity is the keyword. Your intended groups will have to be with you in all the processes you follow, and they will be on the same page only when they know what is being done for them. Do you want to nurture more women leaders to occupy top positions? Spell out the programs you are rolling out for them like career sponsorship or mentoring.
Look at data: There are many ways to go about equitability. But the best is arrived at only when you have the facts and figures that can guide you. Data can be ascertained at many levels—demographic data of your employees, retention-attrition data, employee engagement data, etc. These give you the paths to charter your equity objectives and goals.
Hire to enrich company culture: While it is safe to hire based on experience and skill sets, it is important to hire employees who can contribute to your culture. Alongside questions and tests to check and gauge expertise, you must also have ways to find out if the person can contribute to your culture through their diverse perspectives.
Put an end to discrimination: Having zero tolerance towards any form of discrimination is essential to ensure equity. Be it biases or procedures that may be discriminating, ensure that there is no scope for these in any form. Revisit policies like medical and leave. For instance, extend health insurance for partners of employees from the LGBTQ+ employees. Extend parental leaves to employees going for adoption or surrogacy.
Back ERGs: Employee resource groups or the ERGs bring together employees of one category. While they voice out concerns, it shouldn’t be an Islandic approach. Getting the top management to support mentors and sponsoring these would also help align their needs with the organizational goals.
Designing equitable workplaces involves taking into consideration the needs of every employee. It irons out inequalities and puts everyone on equal ground.
