What are the most common mistakes you see in a company's Diversity & Inclusion plan?
Many companies will have a well-organized Diversity & Inclusion plan (often referred to as D&I). However, having a plan is not the fix-all for addressing diversity and inclusion issues in the workplace. Talk to the interviewer about some common mistakes you have seen in a company's D&I plan and include some positive thoughts regarding potential solutions. If you have not recognized any issues with the D&I plans of previous organizations, here are a few common missteps that you may find:
- Treating D&I solely as a Human Resources issue versus a company-wide responsibility
- Creating a firm plan but falling short with training or putting the plan into action
- Having a one-sided approach expected to fit everyone
- Focusing on diversity (the 'what) but not inclusion (the 'how')
- Limiting the demographics included in the D&I program
- Leaving it up to employees to drive the D&I plan
- Rarely revising the D&I plan for tweaks and improvements
"I believe there are many missteps that even a well-meaning company can make in their Diversity & Inclusion plan. The top three I have seen include not understanding the difference between diversity and inclusion, treating D&I as strictly an HR function, and insufficient training on D&I efforts. I believe that diversity addresses the 'what' and the 'who' but it does not address the 'how.' This is where inclusion comes into play since it's the plan put into practice. Many organizations do not seem to understand the differentiation fully. When it comes to HR practices, the HR team needs to embrace the D&I plan fully; however, it does not stop there. HR should collaborate with all employees and all other functions to ensure that the plans are clear and put into place. When it comes to a D&I plan, a company should consider regular training versus a one-time event. These are a few common mistakes I have seen in diversity and inclusion plans, but luckily there are many resources to help an organization change and become better."
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Anonymous Answer
A common mistake I see in a company's plan is all about what they are going to do but not putting it into practice. There needs to be actual seminars or online training that the employees must complete. Putting things into practice helps employees learn the concepts and encourages them to actually act them out. And it needs to be a constant thing every few months rather than a one-time event.
Amanda's Feedback
Well done! D&I plans can often be all plan but no action. You're right - consistent employee engagement and follow-up action are vital to weaving diversity and inclusion into the organization's culture.
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