Learn How to Increase Diversity at Your Company
Netta Jenkins CEO, Aerodei
CEO, Aerodei | Driving Global Workplace Impact | Head of Growth Revenue
Ha! The title caught your attention, but are you ready for what it will take to truly increase diversity? Increasing diversity at your company can happen easily. However, it will take self-reflection, intention, and action. You may be saying, “but, Netta, I thought you were going to tell me something I didn’t know!” Sorry, but many skip this process. Many focus only on recruitment, for example, and think the easy solution is to focus on HBCUs.
Everyone wants to know how to increase diversity, but don’t want to dig deep. If you are truly ready to increase representation, then read all the tips below and apply them. And if you are guilty of solely focusing on recruitment, then implementing a holistic plan – and measuring your own progress – will be a good sign that you are truly committed.
Phase 1: Self-reflection
1. Define what diversity means. Who is under-represented or even missing from your company? Solve your code. Hint: your company data will tell you.
2. Identify who is in your personal network. Hint: look on LinkedIn and count the number of women, Black, Latinx, Indigenous and other People of Color. This is an exercise that will help you discover part of your issue.
3. Reflect on your past jobs. Anyone of color you can refer or women? If not, then why didn’t you speak up then? When you think of a woman, which race or ethnicity immediately comes to mind?
4. You find that your network is homogenous and that you have been blaming recruiting when you could never really add value to the process.
After taking these three steps, did you discover anything, especially on a personal level? You might have even learned if you are a part of the problem.
Phase 2: Apply intention.
5. Set your commitment to connect with under-represented people you worked with in the past. Thoughtfully ask if they’d be willing to help you, and if so, ask them how they felt by your association, especially how they were treated by you.
6. Commit to creating a change within yourself.
7. Be intentional in your commitment to equity. Identify the inequitable practices at your company that would deter, prevent, or disadvantage someone from landing a role with you.
Phase 3: Take action based on what you’ve learned.
8. Attend conferences that are focused on people from under-represented groups. (Including now – every industry has pivoted to virtual conferences and webinars.)
9. Retool your job requisitions for outdated discriminatory language.
10. Connect with someone – or many people – from under-represented groups. Start building your personal pipeline, so you have candidates at the ready the next time you’re filling a role.
Head to www.holisticinclusion.com for consulting services.
Helping people have transformative conversations
4yThis is wonderful. I also loved the webinar you did with Madi, Janice and Aaisha. I was living for it!! 🙌 Thank you for your wise guidance.
Future of Work | People & Culture | Diversity Equity & Inclusion - Building a better workplace for everyone to grow in.
4yCongrats on the top voice recognition. Well deserved! Can’t hold back greatness 📈
Global People (HR) Executive | Master Life Coach & Practitioner | DEIB Influencer | Entrepreneur I Doctoral Candidate I Keynote Speaker | Strategist I ForbesBLK I 2023 Inducted NSLS Presidential Member
4yThank you Netta Jenkins, MBA (As Seen on Forbes) my fellow Diversity champion. Great Read!
Head of Delivery at The Expert Project
4yTop read! This is really valuable, thanks.
🐘 International Speaker 🐘 Enterprise Coach 🐘 Workplace Mental Health - Addressing the Elephant in the Room 🐘 Go from thinking to doing & dreaming to being 🐘
4yNetta Jenkins, I love that your advice is specific, clear, and really gives us concrete steps especially in the self-reflection stage. 10 years ago I looked at my network and realized that despite my protestations of support for marginalized groups, my network was largely homogenous (and predominantly male!). As a woman in IT I was proud to be thought of as "one of the boys". In University too I had felt that way. I even modified my accent when I went away to school so that I would fit in. Around the same time a friend challenged me to attend an event that was for a marginalized group. Initially thinking I would be intruding - and the truth is that some attendees thought I WAS intruding on their sacred safe space - I took the opportunity to experience for two days what the people at the event experience EVERY DAY. I was almost "the only". There were two other white women in the group. I found myself asking questions I never had before. Should I congregate with them to feel safe? Should I avoid them to avoid the appearance of being cliquey? In that moment I realized how LITTLE I understand about the daily experience of people who are not privileged in the same way as me. And my privilege was starkly illuminated. I have never before looked around and wondered whether I am welcome, whether I belong. Even as I modified my behavior in university I implicitly believed that I belonged. It was my right to claim my place. In expanding my network I have also discovered my tribe. I have made some wonderful, supportive friends, found sisters - and brothers - and really feel like for the first time in my life I am part of a community. I have close contacts all over the world. I have people I can turn to and they (hopefully) can turn to me. I am no longer faking. And it all started with the question "who is in my network?" Thank you for this post!