Do you need to review your EDI policies? Telltale signs that new training may be needed
Equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) has been an important internal metric for businesses to track for some time and has only grown in importance in recent years. As we understand more about the systemic biases that affect marginalised communities in society, so too do we understand the need to provide a progressive and equitable atmosphere in private enterprise.
EDI support specialists are available to assist in the design and improvement of EDI policies, but knowing when to use them can be difficult – especially for a business that hasn’t dealt with their EDI footprint before. What are some signs that EDI improvement may be necessary?
Low employee retention
One unique sign that your business’ EDI policies may be in need of overhaul relates to your employee retention rates. Employee churn refers to the pace at which staff rotate out of your business, and at which new staff members are onboarded – a high churn rate implies that staff are unhappy with an aspect of the business.
EDI concerns are a leading cause for high employee turnover, especially in recent years. Corporate responsibility is held in high regard by the contemporary workforce, and poor examples of EDI implementation do not inspire confidence in the modern worker. Work environments that do not promote inclusivity are often perceived as hostile and can be effectively inaccessible to specific communities.
Shallow – and aging – candidate pools
The responsibility a business has with regards to the promotion of EDI is a public one and one which reflects on its wider ethos publicly. For younger members of the working population, social justice concerns rank highly in terms of importance and value, alongside sustainability measures and environmental consciousness.
If your business is failing to attract younger candidates to new roles and postings, this may be an indication that public perception of your business’ social commitments is poor. Alternatively, it may be that your internal messaging is not doing enough to promote an inclusive atmosphere, thus turning away prospective candidates.
Negative staff feedback
Lastly, and most overtly, staff complaints about internal processes or company culture are a key indicator that something needs to change. Indeed, if staff complaints to your HR department have begun to mount, change to your business’ EDI approach is long overdue.
In instances where staff complaints have been raised regarding the business’ lack of diversity, or approach to inclusivity, conversation and transparency are a necessity. Inviting the complainants to a constructive roundtable on the issues facing the office or department can be a good start, enabling you to pinpoint the specific areas that require improvement. Then, a comprehensive EDI package can be developed that prioritises the issues at hand.
It may be that personnel are responsible for the negative company culture or instances of inequality, in which case targeted training and disciplinary measures are a vital provision. A workplace cannot be truly diverse unless it seeks to dismantle the various ways in which intolerance can take root – down the patronage of individual clients or staff members.
