This informal CPD article, ‘Deconstructing the DEIB framework, past, present and future’, was provided by Usri Basistha, Associate at Equilibrio Advisory, whose vision and mission is to provide legal remedies & psychological interventions for building Equitable & Safe Spaces.
Introduction
If you are a working professional, the chances that you have come across the acronyms DEI or DEIB in the recent past are quite high. Although, such programs have been around for decades now, the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) industry have been in the news recently.
Irrespective of differences in opinion around the purpose and efficiency of DEIB programs, the statistics (1) tell a clear story:
- Diverse companies are 70% more likely to capture new markets.” (HBR)
- “Corporations identified as more diverse and inclusive are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors.” (McKinsey)
- “2 out of 3 job candidates seek companies that have diverse workforces.” (Glassdoor)
- “Inclusive companies are 1.7 times more likely to be innovative.” (Josh Bersin)
- “Diverse management teams lead to 19% higher revenue.” (BCG)
- “Diverse teams are 87% better at making decisions.” (People Management)
Looking at these statements, it is amply clear that integrating DEIB work into an organization’s structure not only leads to innovation and healthier work culture but
Deconstructing DEIB – Unpacking the Meaning Behind the Acronym:
However, before we get into the details of discussing the integration of DEIB into the organizational culture, a question naturally arises: what do these letters even mean?
Furthermore, what do they stand for? How are these ideas interconnected? And most importantly, how do they apply to organizational structures and/or cultures?
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) is a framework of gauging organizational culture and addressing gaps in it. It can be adopted by organizations to ensure that all its employees get a chance to actively participate within a supportive workplace structure and thrive.
If we were to further break down the DEIB framework, it would look something like this:
1. Diversity – The DEIB framework begins at recognizing the natural diversity that exists within human societies. If we look to our natural ecosystems, we can see that biodiversity is a healthy phenomenon, that helps flora and fauna evolve better.
Similarly, the tenet of Diversity urges organizations to have a diverse workforce. This diversity can be reflected through race, gender, ethnicity, religion, caste, age, ability, sexuality, language and much more.
Well, how does this look when applying to an organization?
Imagine for a second, that you are organizing a dance-party, and you have delegated the task to four party-planners namely, Diversity Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Then the purpose of Diversity would be to ask,
“Has everyone been invited to the party?”
Well-integrated diversity initiatives first look at plugging gaps in the system when it comes to under-representation of certain groups and following it up with inclusive hiring programs.
2. Inclusion – With the acknowledgement of diversity, inclusion comes as the natural progression. Inclusion is all about taking affirmative action.
However, inculcating inclusion is more than tokenistic representation. It is about identifying the gaps in diversity initiatives; it is about developing solutions and systems that encourage all individuals to participate meaningfully at work. Inclusive systems ensure that every employee has the space to feel heard and no one feels alienated within the larger organizational structure.
At this stage of organizing the dance-party, Inclusion asks,
“Is everyone being asked to/given the space to dance?”
Inclusion builds spaces where everyone has the chance and space to participate. This can look like anything from job postings to awareness trainings about the realities and challenges marginalized communities face.
3. Equity – Before we understand the concept of equity, it is important to see it as distinct from similar-sounding principle of Equality.
Equality is the principle of sameness and treating every individual in the same way, equally. While this is a noble concept, simply adhering to equality may make us miss the nuances that a diverse workforce bring. Every person may not need the same resources or support.
This is where the concept of Equity comes in. Equity recognizes that different individuals have different needs. Equity then becomes about addressing the differing needs of everyone in an equitable manner.
If we come back to the dance-party, then the job of Equity would be to ask,
“Does everyone have the shoes they need thatmake it possible to dance?”
In this sense, equity is all about streamlining systems and adapting them to address the needs and challenges faced by a diverse workforce.
4. Belonging – Since humans are hard-wired to be social beings, the instinct to belong, to a larger community or cause, becomes a basic human need. However, this sense of belonging remains incomplete if they are not accepted into the larger fold as their authentic self.
When organizations do not have space for all types of people to thrive, then there is a possibility that those who differ from the norm will truncate facets of their personhood in their attempts to fit in. This is often observed within marginalized communities, wherein people belonging to those communities feel a need to hide certain parts of their selves to blend in–to have access to the same kind of opportunities as everyone else.
Therefore, the practice of making space for Belonging within the work culture, is about creating psychological safety. Properly integrated, the tenet of belonging ensures that all employees feel safe to state their needs, and voice their opinions and even challenge authority.
At this final stage of organizing the dance-party, the purpose of Belonging becomes to ensure,
“Do the people feel safe to ask for a song change at the dance?”
“Do they feel safe to decline if they do not want to dance?”
Integrating the principle of Belonging into the work culture is then about creating an atmosphere of safety, where all employees are encouraged to participate, where managers and team leaders have the skills of unlearning unconscious biases, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution.
USA Civil Rights Act
Exploring the socio-historic context:
To better understand the rise of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) framework, we must delve into the history (2) of the time where these concepts emerged. The acronym of the DEIB framework has evolved over the years, as socio-historical currents evolved; it has morphed from Diversity programs to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and finally to the DEIB framework. It was a gradual evolution where each of the tenets came into relief along with the social movements of that time, mainly in the United States of America.
In the 1960s, the workspace looked very different from what it is today. There was not a lot of diversity to be seen in corporations and organizations. However, with the rise of the Civil Rights Movement in the USA, the USA Civil Rights Act was signed. With this the concepts of racism and how it permeates the workplace became more mainstream. There was a call for allowing diverse demographics to enter the workforce.
Through the 1970s and 1980s various people’s right movements gained momentum. The LGBTQIA+ rights movement, the third wave of the feminist movement began coming into popular discourse. The idea of diversity expanded, and the need for including various groups of people into professional spaces became more mainstream. With the rise of affirmative action, the first Employee Resource Group was created at Xerox in the year 1970.
In the 1990s, the Disability Rights Movement had a significant win when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 was passed. This civil rights law called for the need to make public spaces more accessible for the disabled community. With the strengthening of these people’s right movements, the concept of Equity came to the forefront. Diversity and Inclusion programs began to recognize that the diverse needs of diverse employees could be only met with the concept of equitable accommodations.
Through the first two decades of the twenty-first century, the feminist movement brought light to the issue of sexual harassment at the workplace. Several movements like #MeToo emerged and proved how insidious the problem was across all industries. A lot of countries, including India, focussed on bettering workplace safety which gave birth to laws like the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 or the POSH ACT.
Simultaneously, growing awareness around mental health brought the concept of psychological safety to the forefront. After the pandemic of 2020, it became clear that mental wellbeing could no longer be ignored. This brought in the concept of ‘Belonging’ which stresses on the need for acceptance and emotional wellbeing at the workspace.
Why does DEIB matter, today?
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging are not just catchphrases, but an intentional roadmap that can shape the culture and efficiency of an institution. It is about realizing that prioritizing deadlines and work goals, can be supported when factoring people’s unique and distinct selves and anchoring practice within the wellbeing of all employees.
It is significant to note that for DEIB programs to truly take root, an organization has to reassess its infrastructure and involve its leadership. Therefore, the resistance to implement DEIB strategies is not uncommon at an organizational level. Having noted that, when implemented right DEIB initiatives can bear quantifiable outcomes, as the statistics suggested previously.
In the recent decades, workspaces have become more multicultural and diverse than ever before. Simultaneously, due to global political shifts the rise of misinformation, that eventually leads to divisive attitudes and intolerance towards certain communities, DEIB initiatives take on a renewed urgency. DEIB programs bring in the awareness and skills of empathy and understanding that can prove to be the adhesive joining diverse, multicultural teams together.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Equilibrio Advisory, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
References:
(1) Diversity in the workplace statistics you need to know - https://www.instride.com/insights/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion-statistics/
(2) The Little Known History Of DEI And Why It’s Critical To Its Survival, by Julie Kratz - https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2024/12/29/history-of-dei-why-it-matters-for-the-future/
