It tends to be companies’ major actions (and inactions) that make headlines when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. But for employees, the day-to-day workplace experience is where these efforts are felt.
Ensuring people from all backgrounds and lived experiences feel welcome at work is everyone’s responsibility, and even small actions can have a significant impact.
Change, after all, starts on the individual level: Even the most active and effective employee resource groups today began as just an idea, and the most diverse workforces were built one hire at a time.
While companies have ramped up investments in DEI initiatives in recent years, there is still considerable progress that needs to be made. According to PwC’s 2022 Global DE&I survey, 31 percent of those surveyed believe diversity stands in the way of employee progression at their organization.
The survey also demonstrated that sometimes there is a disconnect between how well leadership believes a company is doing with DEI efforts and what employees actually experience. When asked, for example, about affinity groups, 28 percent of business leaders said these groups drive strategic priorities at their company, while only 15 percent of employees shared that outlook.
To close the gap of that disconnect, individuals at all levels can bring valuable perspectives to DEI conversations. Employees can also drive DEI initiatives further — whether by participating in committees, volunteering at events, providing feedback and suggestions, or simply leading by example.
For people looking to make their mark, though, a supportive team and organization can make all the difference, as the companies highlighted here demonstrate. Below, employees from Fivetran and Carrot Fertility share how open communication, humility and engagement from C-suite leadership can empower individuals to spark change.
Fivetran supports data-driven businesses with reliable, easy-to-use data integration solutions.
Beyond simply speaking up, what’s one concrete action an individual contributor can take to bring about meaningful DEI change in their organization?
When it comes to DEI, I find that listening is vastly underrated as a tool. Bringing about meaningful change doesn't automatically happen with nice words on your wall and website. It happens when employees truly start listening to one another with the intent to understand rather than reply or argue.
This does take courage — the courage to be vulnerable and to be willing to potentially misspeak — but without courage, our individual walls stay up with little room for growth.
Bringing about meaningful change happens when employees start listening to one another with the intent to understand rather than reply.”
Because things that require courage often involve risk, meaningful change can take time. It involves building authentic trust within a relationship to show that you truly care, you’re willing to put in the work to understand another’s perspective and you’re committed to learning and growth.
Carrot Fertility provides fertility care for employees of hundreds of multinational companies globally.
Beyond simply speaking up, what’s one concrete action an individual contributor can take to bring about meaningful DEI change in their organization?
Starting an employee community group is a wonderful way to bring about DEIB-based change within an organization. An ECG is a great platform for employees within an identity group to connect and have a collective voice.
When I joined Carrot, I created Carrot AAPI and recruited two other amazing colleagues to co-lead our 40-plus-member ECG. We meet monthly to discuss topics related to the AAPI community, occasionally do remote lunches together and plan regional meetups to connect in person and celebrate holidays such as Lunar New Year. We’ve also brought in AAPI speakers from outside the organization for events open to everyone at the company with the goal of sharing our AAPI culture and connecting with the Carrot community at large.
An ECG is a great platform for employees within an identity group to connect and have a collective voice.”
In addition to Carrot AAPI, we now have several ECGs across the company, ranging from Rainbow Carrots, our LGBTQ+ group, to Black at Carrot, Parents of Carrot, and more.
How does the leadership at your company encourage or empower individual employees to be vocal and active in driving forward DEI initiatives?
As an ECG lead, I meet monthly with our chief human resources officer and with the other group leads to discuss projects within our ECGs and strategies on how we can best engage our members. Our CHRO supports our ECGs by providing a budget and working with other company leaders to ensure that teams encourage their employees to engage with their ECGs.
One recent project I am proud of was launching our ECG Culture Chats, where members of our ECGs can connect with candidates. I worked with our CHRO and all our ECG leads to find participants. Before someone accepts an offer with us, we give them the option of connecting with an ECG member so they can ask questions about Carrot and our culture and learn more outside of the specific role they’re interviewing for.
