Diversity & Inclusion: Why Are Companies Struggling to Make Progress?

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While the benefits of having a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment have been proven by various studies, why are companies struggling to make progress?

To better understand the dynamics at play, let’s look at a similar situation of how companies have responded to studies related to employee engagement. It has been proven that having an engaged workforce results in larger profits, less turnover, more productivity, improved safety, enhanced innovation, better customer satisfaction . . . the list is endless. But after a dozen years of touting the positive benefits for an engaged workforce, survey results continue to show that the level of employee engagement in the U.S. is less than 40%.

It doesn’t make much sense does it? The benefits or business case for an engaged workforce is huge, yet companies continue to fall flat on making significant progress on increasing the level of employee engagement.  Why is that? It’s because fostering an engaging work environment, much like fostering an equitable and inclusive work environment, requires more than a business case. It requires a culture shift.

Changing workplace culture isn’t driven by a business case.  It is fueled by passionate leaders, who through their words and actions, create a foundation of trust, open communications, fairness, respect and inclusion.

Companies who are serious about fostering a more inclusive, equitable and engaging work environment are arming their leaders with tools and skills to support the behavior and process changes needed to positively impact their company culture. And they are holding their leaders accountable for creating positive change. 

Do your leaders have the tools, skills and the passion needed to fuel a cultural change? Because if nothing changes, nothing changes.

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