How to improve DEI metrics: 6 challenges to overcome

The Harvard Business Review Analytic Services (HBR-AS) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently published a study on workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) with sobering results. Despite making DEI initiatives a high strategic priority, only 33% of leaders say they’ve greatly improved their workplace. Even fewer employees (29%) think their organisation is where it should be with respect to DEI. The results beg the question, why are organisations struggling so much? Seven experts weighed in on the issue in a panel discussion dedicated to workplace DEI (Silva, K., et al., 2022). They agreed that challenges are partly due to DEI metrics. Before discussing metrics, I need to clearly define (and uncouple) diversity, equity, and inclusion:

• Diversity is the presence of individual differences, like race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and age.
• Equity is fair treatment and access to resources for all people, regardless of individual differences.
• Inclusion is the degree that all people feel welcomed, heard, and safe to fully participate in groups or other processes.

Now, I can highlight six key metric challenges that limit progress on DEI initiatives.

1. Metrics are not universal.
2. Research participation is low.
3. Sentiment is difficult to capture.
4. Data are difficult to interpret.
5. Success is hard to define.
6. Results are difficult to communicate.

There are many challenges that prevent organisations from successfully improving workplace DEI. However, by addressing metric issues, organisations can remove some barriers and hopefully create a more productive, safe, and happy workforce. Resources Harvard Business Review Analytic Services & Society for Human Resource Management. (2021). Creating a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion: Real progress requires sustained commitment. Harvard Business School Publishing. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/pages/dei-metrics-.aspx Hurt, K., & Dye, D. (2020).  Courageous cultures: How to build teams of micro-Innovators, problem solvers, and customer advocates. HarperCollins Leadership. Leiderman, S.V. (2018). How to communicate diversity and inclusion when you aren’t quite there yet. Sustainable Brands. https://sustainablebrands.com/read/marketing-and-comms/how-to-communicate-diversity-and-inclusion-when-you-aren-t-quite-there-yet Menzies, F. (2018). Meaningful metrics for diversity and inclusion. Include-Empower.com. https://cultureplusconsulting.com/2018/10/16/meaning-metrics-for-diversity-and-inclusion/ Silva, K., Kazmi, M.A., Kirkland, J., Polk, K., Tringale, A., Markell-Goldstein, H., & Oki, T. (2022). Measuring, Interpreting, and Communicating DEI Metrics [Panel]. Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Annual Conference, Seattle, WA, United States. Sparkman, D. J., Eidelman, S., Dueweke, A. R., Marin, M. S., & Dominguez, B. (2019). Open to diversity: Openness to experience predicts beliefs in multiculturalism and colorblindness through perspective taking. Journal of Individual Differences , 40(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000270 Wullert, K., Gilmartin, S., & Simard, C. (2019). The mistake companies make when they use data to plan diversity efforts. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/04/the-mistake-companies-make-when-they-use-data-to-plan-diversity-efforts