Diversity and Inclusion – 71 percent of surveyed organizations aspire to have an inclusive culture

As organizations face shifts in globalization, employee expectations, and the competitive landscape, the topic of diversity and inclusion is becoming increasingly critical. Our latest research found that 71 percent of surveyed organizations aspire to have an inclusive culture, but only 12 percent have achieved this objective. Organizations should find new ways of thinking about diversity and inclusion to successfully build an inclusive culture.

Driving Your Organization to an Inclusive Culture

The Bersin by Deloitte Diversity and Inclusion Maturity Model offers a roadmap for organizations looking to become more inclusive. Why do inclusive cultures matter? Our research found that organizations with inclusive cultures, when compared with organizations that lack inclusive cultures, tend to be:

• Six times more likely to be innovative
• Six times more likely to anticipate change and respond effectively
• Twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets
So how can your organization build an inclusive culture? Our analysis reveals six principles that are key to becoming a more inclusive organization:

1. Treat D&I as Business-Critical, Not Compliance-Necessary. Organizations that approach D&I as a business priority are much more likely to be high in maturity and to report superior business outcomes.
2. Move Beyond Diversity to Inclusion and Diversity. Organizations that focus on the value of inclusion and invisible diversity, in addition to traditional diversity, typically have superior performance as compared with those that do not.
3. Prioritize Inclusive Leadership. Leaders play a critical role in the creation of an inclusive culture. Leaders who are personally committed to and who demonstrate inclusive behaviors are a hallmark of a mature organization.
4. Embed D&I into All Talent Practices. Help to reinforce an inclusive culture every day by integrating both traditional and invisible diversity into all talent management practices. It is especially important to do this at moments which affect the talent pipeline, such as decisions that impact talent acquisition, promotions, succession management, and leadership development.
5. Provide D&I Resources That Empower Individuals to Take Action. Inclusive organizations are more likely to offer resources that enable individuals to bring their authentic selves to work, manage unconscious bias, and leverage the support of mentors and sponsors to help them to navigate their organizations. Further, more mature organizations offer these resources broadly—not just for diverse populations.
6. Drive Accountability, Not Metrics Tracking. Organizations should create accountability by sharing strategic measurements about diversity and inclusion-related activities and their impact, and have senior leaders discuss achievement on an ongoing basis.

Our research found that the most mature organizations, those at Level 4 of our Maturity Model (see Figure 1), have effectively employed these six principles to build a culture of inclusion in which all employees are responsible for diversity and inclusion, and leaders are held accountable for embedding D&I throughout the organization.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at  New Deloitte Research Identifies Keys to Creating Fair and Inclusive Organizations