3 Pitfalls To Avoid in an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Assessment
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In the last year and half, organizations have started to look inward and conduct equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) assessments. These assessments are a great way to unearth and address some of the systemic barriers that may be present in an organization. However, I hear of organizations falling into a few pitfalls and would like to share some practical tips to avoid making the same mistakes in your own organization.
Lack of buy-in: Typically, an assessment request is issued by senior leadership and, depending on the size of the organization, driven by the EDI committee. There tends to be buy-in from the senior leadership, but when it comes to the Board and rest of the staff, the important step of gaining buy-in often gets overlooked. Unfortunately, without buy-in the implementation of recommendations could get derailed. You may want to ensure that as part of the EDI assessment there is a process in place to communicate the intent of the assessment and to hold space for questions or discussion. When I conduct assessments, a key step I take before consultations with stakeholders is to communicate the purpose of the assessment, the value of the input, and confidentiality of the feedback. Often, I will meet with the Chair of the Board to discuss the assessment and answer any questions prior to the Board consultation. I have found that this helps to generate buy-in for the EDI assessment process and implementation of the recommendations.
Recommendations are too high-level: Unfortunately, I am aware of organizations that have undergone an assessment only to receive recommendations that are too high-level and without a practical strategy to implement. I will note that none of my clients experience this. You should ensure that whoever is conducting your assessment – whether it is an internal or external consultant – is able to provide recommendations that drill down to your organization’s specific policies and procedures: meaning the recommendations are detailed so that staff know exactly what actions they need to take. I always make sure to provide detailed actions and exact wording on amendments to HR and Board policies and procedures.
Lack of budget for implementation. The entire assessment process, including the implementation of the recommendations, needs to be resourced. After an assessment is conducted, staff are often left to implement the recommendations, but without the time or expertise to do it properly. The implementation may become cumbersome and perhaps not all of the recommendations are realized. If you are hiring an external consultant, budget for the consultant to implement the recommendations. It will save you and your staff a lot of time and headache.
These are just a few strategies and tips. I hope they have been helpful. Have any questions? Reach out, comment on the post on LinkedIn, or book a call. We would love to hear from you!