2023 achieve Virtual: Inclusion & Belonging
2023 achieve Virtual: Inclusion & Belonging
When it came to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging efforts, a commitment and plan for change were only as good as their impact. More money than ever was spent on DEIB work. According to Global Industry Analysts Inc., the global market for Diversity and Inclusion was estimated in the US at $9.3 billion in 2022, and it was projected to reach $15.4 billion by 2026. Yet, after spending exceedingly large amounts of money on DEIB training, tools, tech, and HR strategies, little impact was seen. Even though the majority of executives rated DEIB as an important issue, Gallup found that people of color were more likely to have experienced workplace bias, with about 24% of Black and Hispanic or Latinx employees experiencing discrimination in the workplace. Furthermore, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10.1% of people with disabilities were unemployed in the previous year, while the average US unemployment rate sat at approximately 8.1%.
With that said, organizations that cracked the code to fostering workplace inclusion and belonging reaped significant benefits. According to McKinsey, corporations identified as more diverse and inclusive were 35% more likely to have outperformed their competitors. In fact, McKinsey's 2020 "Diversity Wins" study found that companies in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity outperformed those in the fourth quartile by 36% in profitability.
What was the key to creating diverse teams and unleashing their power? According to Qualtrics, a sense of belonging was the top driver for employee satisfaction. To put it simply, when people felt included and had a sense of belonging, they were more inclined to voice their big ideas, share criticisms, and take risks - without the fear of embarrassment and judgment.
The work was hard, but there were effective ways to weave inclusion & belonging into the ethos and fabric of the organization. Participants joined us and learned the strategies that placed inclusion & belonging at the heart of their organizational culture.
Key Event Takeaways:
- Participants walked away with ready-to-implement strategies to develop inclusive leaders and create responsible allies to foster workplace inclusion and psychological safety.
- Participants gained effective bias-reducing practices to dismantle systemic barriers.
- Participants learned from experts about how to attract, retain, and nurture neurodivergent workers to gain a competitive advantage.
Fireside Chat - Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workplace.
Mita Mallick, Author at Reimagine Inclusion
Angela R. Howard, Founder and CEO at Call for Culture
We were delighted to welcome Mita Mallick, a seasoned change-maker with a proven track record of transforming businesses. With a passion for inclusive storytelling and a fierce advocacy for including and representing Black and Brown communities, Mita made a significant impact in the beauty and consumer product goods space throughout her extensive marketing career.
Driven by her commitment to creating inclusive work environments, Mita served as a Chief Diversity Officer, building end-to-end inclusion ecosystems in both large corporations and small organizations. Her expertise was sought after by renowned companies such as Carta, Unilever, Pfizer, AVON, Johnson & Johnson, and many more. As a sought-after speaker and coach, she empowered startup founders, executives, and public CEOs.
Listen into this session for the opportunity to learn from Mita Mallick's wealth of experience and gain valuable insights into empowering change, fostering inclusive leadership, and creating a more equitable workplace.
Enabling Inclusion By Dismantling Systemic Barriers
DeRetta Cole Rhodes, PhD - Chief Culture Officer at Atlanta Braves
Micki Mulima - Director, Inclusion, Leadership & Talent Development at Kingston Health Sciences Centre
Jennifer Stanford, CEO at Emergent Performance Solutions
In this session, we explored crucial aspects that hindered diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts in the past and discussed effective strategies to overcome them.
We delved into the "pre-work" necessary to adopt an inclusive lens and the groundwork for a comprehensive transformation.
Our expert speakers delved into key areas such as:
- Understanding the reasons behind past failures in DEIB initiatives
- The pitfalls of hiring DEI specialists without adequate support and leadership commitment
- The policies and systems that needed to be dismantled
- Pressing needs to eliminate structural and cultural barriers that impeded organizations from attracting diverse and talented employees.
Panel Discussion - A Generative Dialogue Around The World Of Inclusion & Belonging
Maureen Andretta, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at NTT Ltd., Americas
Anna Eleazer, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at BetMGM
Amanda Atkins-Sperling: VP, People & Culture at Herrmann International
This panel discussion fostered a generative dialogue, providing an opportunity for genuine inquiry and sharing that led to a deeper understanding of how these organizational leaders are tackling inclusion & belonging.
During the panel discussion, we covered several important topics, including:
- How DEIB could be built into values-system and ethos
- The evolution of DEIB from being a separate program or entity
- An exploration of past failures in DEIB efforts
- The crucial role of leadership in driving DEIB initiatives
- Strategies for unlocking performative DEIB
- The identification of necessary systems, technologies, and processes to create and track DEIB strategies
Cultivating a Thriving DEIB Culture: Strategies and Impact Measurement
Liz Pavese, Ph.D, Sr. Business Psychologist at WorkDay
Jasmin Zamora, Director, Engagement and Inclusion at Cision
George Rogers, Chief Culture Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory
During this session, our expert speakers guided participants through tangible and ready-to-implement approaches to foster psychological safety, establish a culture of inclusion and belonging, and integrate DEIB throughout their organizations. We emphasized the importance of treating DEIB as an integral part of the values system, rather than a standalone initiative, and explored effective strategies to connect and align DEIB efforts across all levels of the organization.
Key focus areas of this section included:
- Equipping managers and leaders with insights and tools to drive change transparently
- Providing tools to listen to employees in an inclusive manner and derive equitable and relevant insights
- Exploring the utilization of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), peer groups, and ambassadors to reinforce cultural elements aligned with DEIB
- Building safe and inclusive spaces for discussions surrounding various life topics and real-world situations
Participants learned how to measure the impact of their efforts, empower their workforce, and foster an inclusive environment where every individual could thrive and contribute their best.
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