In the Great Resignation, diversity is more important than ever – overlook it at your peril
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has only grown in prominence since the pandemic. Employees are actively leaving non-diverse companies in search of more compassionate employers – something that’s only intensifying the Great Resignation fall out. Now, as workers slowly head back to their offices, inclusivity is top of the candidate “wish list”.
Looking at the current social and economic milieu in Canada right now, including the cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation, DEI is evolving beyond a box-ticking exercise to a strategic necessity.
“Far too often, diversity is treated as one item on a list of countless boxes to check when assessing company culture and public image,” says Rolddy Leyva, chief diversity officer at technology giant Splunk. “In addition to leadership commitment and accountability, DEI success ultimately depends on innovative thinking, bold ideas, a commitment to embrace each and every employee voice as well as bringing everyone along the journey.
“The most impactful DEI leaders pull rich perspectives from every corner and it’s critical you have the ability to assess, listen and amplify voices within an organization. DEI cannot be exclusive to any one team or person – everyone has a role to play, an experience to share and an ear to give.”
In our recent 5-Star Diversity and Inclusion Employers awards, HRD looked at the current state of DEI in Canada – taking into consideration organizational strategy, C-suite investments and future-planning initiatives. Our data uncovered that the most important factor for employees when it comes to DEI programmes was a “sense of belonging”, followed by the knowledge that people’s personal beliefs are respected and knowing who to go to if you witness inappropriate behaviour. Most importantly, employers in Canada cannot rely on ‘one size fits all’ programs that bear no relevance. After all, the best ideas on how to commit to DEI in 2023 may already be swimming around in employees’ minds.
“A truly diverse workplace is made up of a collective, meaningful effort by both the organization and employees, including diversity of thought and ideas,” says Sada Carman, HR generalist at BlueCat, one of the award winners. “You only get that when you are being intentional about having a diverse group of people at the organization. This, of course, impacts so many pieces of the employee lifecycle from recruitment, to onboarding, to development and retention.”
Take a look at HRD’s full 5-Star Diversity and Inclusion Employers special report here.
