{"id":81646,"date":"2022-02-24T15:09:28","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T23:09:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/?p=81646"},"modified":"2022-11-22T02:15:07","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T10:15:07","slug":"diversity-and-inclusion-goal-setting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/diversity-and-inclusion-goal-setting\/","title":{"rendered":"Equity Through Diversity and Inclusion Goal Setting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Diversity and inclusion goal setting<\/a> has traditionally been a tricky process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest barriers to improving diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is simply setting the right goals. If our goals are too vague or unrealistic, we can\u2019t put metrics behind them to track our progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what steps do you need to take to refine your diversity and inclusion goal-setting process? The key, it turns out, is doing the research on the front end to set realistic, achievable diversity and inclusion goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easy to pick up a common metric, add a percentage in front of it, and set that as an OKR,\u201d says Rocki Howard<\/a>, chief people and equity officer at The Mom Project<\/a>. \u201cBut when we haven\u2019t dug deeper in terms of what it will actually take to achieve that OKR \u2014 that\u2019s where the challenge comes in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how you can dig deeper to set realistic company diversity and inclusion goals in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research What You Need to Do<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you can set objectives and key results (OKRs<\/a>) that move the needle on your DEIB initiatives, you need to work on the front end to determine your actual end goals for diverse talent. Start with your why: Why are you doing this in the first place and, based on that, what does success look like? You have to be honest about your motivations to set clear, attainable goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People skip this step because they want to get straight to setting goals, so they create models based on what other companies are doing. \u201cFundamentally, the first step is actually identifying your organizational goals,\u201d Howard says. \u201cSo many companies try to model their DEI data from what other companies have done.\u201d But no two companies are alike, and DEIB looks very different in different organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engage the Right Stakeholders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Setting your DEIB goals probably won\u2019t be a linear process. You have to ask several questions about your ideal future state before creating plans to achieve it. Start by identifying this: What does<\/em> DEIB mean to your organization? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t answer these questions alone, though \u2014 you need to engage the people who are most affected by the outcomes of your company’s diversity and inclusion goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you really want to answer the \u2018why,\u2019 engage your stakeholders,\u201d Howard says. \u201cWhat are their expectations, and what do they need?\u201d Think about historically excluded talent in your employee population, as well as clients and community members affected by your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using surveys, focus groups, and interviews, collect your stakeholders\u2019 perceptions of an ideal future state. This process can help you better understand what inclusion and belonging look like at your company. Be open to learning during this process. Listen to what stakeholders list as their \u201cmust-haves\u201d and make those your priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commit to the Right Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t achieve any business goals without investing in the right resources. You need to balance aspirational goals with the actual resources at your disposal (including time, finances, and people resources).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To determine the resources you need, you must find out what needs to change. Work backward from the ideal future state you compiled while talking with stakeholders. \u201cOnce you\u2019ve identified what the future state is, what success looks like, you have to do a gap analysis to understand where you are today,\u201d Howard says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be as objective as possible during this process. To set specific, actionable goals, you need a granular understanding of where you are today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the results of your gap analysis to realistically forecast the resources you\u2019ll need to move the needle on your DEIB initiatives this year. \u201cWe haven\u2019t been realistic and honest about what we\u2019re willing to invest,\u201d Howard says. Companies set goals without understanding the finances behind them or who owns the objectives, and that\u2019s why they end up setting goals that fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commit to the Right Plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Leaders set DEIB goals at the top, whether they want to create change or because they feel pressured to do so. But without following the previous steps and developing a concrete plan, those OKRs simply aren\u2019t realistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s typical for a company leader to set goals like having a percentage of new hires come from historically underrepresented groups, for example. But without doing the research and allocating resources, is that goal possible to achieve? Simply making the commitment leaves several questions unanswered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n