Six ways to activate D&I in a small team or business
By Jo Faragher on 1 August 2023
In this year’s d&i Leaders global benchmarking survey, around three-quarters of organisations reported that they had a dedicated D&I function, an increase on previous years. Yet around a third operate with just one person on that team, and more than half had fewer than 10. Still more were working on D&I projects as part of a wider role in a function such as HR. For small businesses the challenge can be even greater as they are starting their D&I journey from scratch.
Either way, it’s clear that D&I teams are not expanding at the same rate as the challenges facing them. Being the ‘go-to’ function whenever there are questions around culture, internal communications or how to increase representation at senior level can be exhausting if it’s just you or a few colleagues and volunteers. Correspondingly, budgets in small D&I teams or businesses can also be prohibitive, but there are a number of things that can be achieved without the backing of a major corporation or financial sponsor. “Small businesses can often overlook DEI, believing it to be something that only big organisations with deep pockets need to think about,” says Toby Mildon of Mildon Consultancy. “The truth is, the benefits to these smaller businesses are just as compelling – and impactful change needn’t break the bank.”
1. Find your ‘why’
“While the business case of EDI is evident, by being really honest about the driving force behind why it’s on your radar will help you to prioritise where you focus your effort,” advises Katy Morrison, EDI lead at Connect Three, a leadership consultancy. From there, teams should craft their “vision and commitment” – the way they would describe their intent both internally and externally. “This should be linked to your mission, visions, and goals of your businesses. Better yet, by including teams in the process, this will help to create further meaning and relatability. This doesn’t need to be polished and perfect at the start but should provide motivation and guidance to those reading it,” she adds.
2. Work closely with other teams
“The fundamental issue is collaboration,” says Loraine Martins OBE, global director of equity, inclusion and diversity at change consultancy Nichols Group. “If you work with other teams – whether that’s HR, procurement, communications – you can enable them to take on some of the responsibilities for delivering EDI, which means the size of your team is less important.” Smaller D&I functions can activate other teams on aspects of diversity such as recruitment, supplier relationships or succession planning by providing an infrastructure in which to work, without having to fully manage these activities themselves.
“The added value you bring as a D&I function is your expertise, your knowledge of best practice and being a critical friend,” adds Martins. “The relationship is based on respect and influence, but you should be in a position where you can challenge policies or be disruptive.”
3. Update your people policies
Younger businesses will be able to shape HR and recruitment policies from the early days, while more mature organisations with a small D&I team will be able to use current policies as a springboard to become more inclusive, says Morrison from Connect Three. “This should guide what actions will be taken to help your people feel safe from discrimination and harm at work, for protected characteristics and beyond,” she suggests. “Ensure that the language is non-discriminatory and goes beyond just doing the bare minimum. This may also help you to review employee benefits or team events that you run with this lens too, for example if all of the team events are based around drinking alcohol, this may exclude people from joining. Communicate this out to your people so they know where they can access this.”
4. Get quicker results
“Smaller businesses [or teams] are typically more nimble and adaptable, decisions can be taken quicker,” Mildon adds. “Tiny inclusive steps can have a big, beneficial impact downstream.” Examples of small but important activities include stating that you are open to discussing flexible working on all job adverts, running job adverts through gender decoders to ensure language is inclusive, organising team coffee mornings to discuss mental health, or working with local charities or disabled organisations on recruitment.
It’s crucial to celebrate these results, however small, he adds: “If impactful changes are implemented, don’t be coy about celebrating success. Inclusivity and diversity are powerful differentiators for consumers and buyers. Those businesses leading the DEI charge should rightly be proud of their actions. Be sure to highlight successes on the website or via socials., perhaps enter awards.”
5. Amplify your voice
Employee networks, sponsors and diversity champions across the business can help spread the D&I message or ensure that your activities are more impactful. “Having support from employee resource groups or people who are activists in the business can help change happen,” says Martins. They can also help overcome barriers that may be preventing a small and agile team from getting things moving, she adds, as “your line to the leadership is what helps – you need permission to play from the CEO, space to influence that is not predicated on size”.
Access to useful data internally and externally will also help to amplify your cause; Martins suggest building a good relationship with data teams or analysts in the business if it has them. Morrison agrees that data gathering can be an inexpensive but impactful way to drive progress, adding: “One of the first actions we took was the introduction of our EDI Data gathering tool to help us understand the range of diversity we had within our team and where some inequalities may exist for us. For example, this helped us to look at the technology and systems we use, as well as cultural considerations in working patterns.” Explaining to employees why the data is being collected and how it will be used will encourage them to disclose.
6. Listen to employees’ stories
Data provides one dimension of the employee experience at your organisation, but another low-cost but effective way to connect with the workforce is by listening to their stories. “Can you honestly say you know how everyone on your team feels? Particularly those with one or more of the nine protected characteristics?” asks Liz Clover, co-managing director and strategy chief at thisishome.co.uk, which helps companies develop engagement strategies. “Those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Those who didn’t go to university. If you don’t, then you should start by listening.”
Clover says that staying aware of this “daily experience” can provide D&I teams with the added insight they need to create more equity and belonging. She adds: “This might be in terms of redesigning your people processes, such as how you recruit, how you onboard, how you reward, recognise and develop your talent. Are these processes inclusive and fair? Do they work for everyone? If your organisation has a clear purpose, using storytelling to bring it to life can also be unifying. Do you have a strong corporate narrative that helps your people understand the role they play in achieving your organisation’s strategic ambitions?” Often, organisations will have many cultural tools already at their disposal – it’s just about making them work harder, she concludes.
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d&i Leaders is a global community of senior diversity, inclusion and HR focused professionals, looking to collaborate, network and accelerate their workplace inclusion strategy.