Well-known voices have recently grown louder in their encouragement for leaders to do away with any EDI progress. Now, more than ever, it’s important to understand why that approach could do far more harm than good.
It’s no secret that times are tight for many of us at the moment. With utility bills and rent prices increasing, and food and transport costs doing the same, people are needing to make tough decisions on where they can cut back, and where best to spend their money. These dilemmas are already difficult enough to overcome in our personal lives, but the stakes feel even higher as employers, where every decision can have a lasting impact on your workforce and organisation.
Something that often falls foul of cost-saving exercises is a company or organisation’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies and practices. This is no surprise when a worrying number of high-profile figures seem determined to downplay the importance of EDI on a daily basis, leading similarly-minded individuals to take their words as the truth. We see that leadership teams may look to their EDI budget as a quick and ‘harmless’ way to maintain cash, pulling back on training and resources in this area. But does EDI really need to cost the Earth? And, what message does it send to clients, partners and potential candidates about organisations who choose to cut EDI spending?
Short-term gain, long-term pain
An important aspect to consider is what cutting back on EDI says about your organisation. Attitudes have shifted, with those that don’t provide EDI-conscious working environments losing favour over those that do. In turning your attention away from EDI, you risk making valuable current employees feel marginalised, unheard and let down, with a real chance of them seeking out new positions more aligned with their moral beliefs and requirements for their work lives.
Likewise, a lack of information about your EDI commitments on your website may not initially seem significant, but prospective colleagues and shareholders will likely be looking for this before deciding if your organisation is right for them. Cutting support for EDI may not only lose you great team members, but could also have adverse future financial effects too —a costly error in more ways than one.
Perfect is the enemy of done
Charity People has always done our level best to offer the highest standards of EDI practice and policy, but we’re always learning and looking for ways to improve. Businesses who think that being able to provide the very highest standards of EDI is an unreachable goal should consider that slower progress is better than no progress at all —much like you wouldn’t expect to be competing in bodybuilding competitions after your first session in the gym.
Instead of looking to save money by removing your EDI spend entirely, focus on the things that you can do —there are plenty of them. Here are a few simple, budget-friendly suggestions:
- Inclusive job descriptions and hiring practices – using language that isn’t biased, making sure interview panels are diverse, and ensuring job adverts are more accessible by using clear wording and allowing flexibility in job requirements.
- Creating and encouraging employee resource groups (ERGs) – ERGs are designed to bring together employees with common experiences or interests, such as gender identity or ethnicity, to celebrate diversity, tackle workplace challenges and foster relationships.
- Leaders setting the tone to ensure EDI becomes second nature – leaders should set an example, calling out non-inclusive actions, sharing their own commitments to EDI and seeking input from diverse voices. This includes creating opportunities to learn about EDI, identifying EDI champions throughout the business, and acknowledging diverse holidays and celebrations.
There are many ways to build upon your EDI practices within your business without needing expensive training programmes or taking up extensive resources. The key is simply making EDI-conscious policy and practice the norm. Doing so can only have positive effects, empowering your colleagues, building knowledge and, without doubt, leading to higher staff retention.
EDI cannot be viewed as a tick-box exercise, it should form part of the lifeblood of your business. Regardless of what certain, loud, voices tell you, our experience is that workforces have developed higher standards for what they expect from their colleagues and employers, and rightfully so.
You may not have all the answers or solutions right away, but heading in the right direction with consistency and accountability at all levels will make your organisation a more inclusive, attractive and enjoyable place to work, which will bring rewards in the long run.
Loud voices with large platforms will always try to set the narrative—and unfortunately, they often take others with them. However, as our suggestions show, driving forward with EDI practices and policies can be both easy and effective —without costing you your business. The external noise around EDI will eventually let up, as these loud voices turn their attention causing problems elsewhere. In the meantime, we would encourage you to continue to strive for progress. Given the increasing want for more understanding, acceptance and collaboration from the ones that matter most —the workforce, perhaps the real question isn’t, ‘Can we afford to keep EDI as a priority?’ but rather, ‘Can we afford not to?’.
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