Five EDI Practices You Can Action Today

EDI in the Workplace

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are more than just buzzwords. EDI captures an essential human right – to belong as who you are. Not only is there an increasingly strong business case for diversity, with shifts in workplace demographics and competition for experienced talent, lip service won’t cut it any more. Strong EDI practices are no longer an exception, they’re a baseline expectation. And, it bears repeating, they’re a human right.

How Can We Help with EDI

When Reimagine Work clients come to us with EDI concerns, we start by asking a few questions to help identify what the concern is. What we almost find every time is that it’s not a lack of employer willingness to create a truly safe and inclusive workplace, but a lack of capacity and/or uncertainty about where to start. Sometimes it’s the fear of discovering unconscious bias in hiring practices; for others it’s a hesitancy in how to speak for members of marginalized or underrepresented groups. No matter what’s driving the concern, the result is the same – employers end up procrastinating taking action to solve EDI issues rather than doing the one thing they actually want – making a space where everyone thrives.   

Five Ways to Walk the EDI Talk Now

Here are 5 straightforward ways RW encourages our clients to “walk the talk” when it comes to EDI.

Start a Committee

Call it whatever you want: a committee, a counsel, an advisory panel, an action group… or let the people in it decide. The point is to bring together those who will create capacity and ensure EDI efforts are focused in the right direction and in the right way. Don’t overcomplicate this. And for goodness’ sake, make it enjoyable. Send out invites, set a meeting, and make it happen. Hot tips: provide snacks (or, in RW speak: DoorDash ‘em); send invites well in advance, and make sure meetings happen on work time.

Set an EDI Budget

Putting aside a dollar amount specifically for upskilling your team in EDI sends a strong message that you’re committed to matching your talk to your walk. If there just isn’t room in the budget, get creative: arrange a trade for services, or have an internal expert host a lunch and learn (while acknowledging and compensating for any labor that falls outside of typical job duties!)

Revamp your Handbook

While policies that promote equity, diversity and inclusion are not enough on their own, they do form an essential part of your foundation and set the tone for the culture of your workplace. Revisit (and rewrite if needed) your handbook and policies to ensure you’re using inclusive language and include specific language around EDI, accommodation, and human rights.

Revisit Recruitment

Get bold with this one. Don’t be afraid to discover where you could be doing better. Recruitment is a huge opportunity to integrate stronger EDI practices by attracting diverse candidates through inclusive job posting language and strategic distribution of postings. Identify anywhere there is bias during the hiring process and get rid of it! For example, you can start by screening resumes without identifiers (stripping names and personal information) and ensuring your hiring panel incorporates a variety of perspectives and backgrounds.

Hire a Trainer

At RW we’re firm believers in drawing on internal talent and expertise whenever possible, and we don’t hesitate to go outside the work family for help when we need it.  While internally-driven initiatives are important for continuity and job satisfaction, adding external capacity and expertise can make sure there is learning and accountability, support and that EDI goals are approached thoughtfully by a neutral party. Keep continuous learning top of mind by scheduling pro-led sessions throughout the year.

Want to explore EDI training? Need help revisiting your policies with EDI in mind? Looking for support or tools to set up a committee? Drop us a line, we’d love to help.