{"id":6244,"date":"2024-05-02T16:32:38","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T16:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/uk\/?post_type=resources&p=6244"},"modified":"2026-04-27T12:43:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T12:43:03","slug":"how-to-develop-a-successful-dei-strategy","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/uk\/resources\/hr-strategy\/dei\/how-to-develop-a-successful-dei-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"How to develop a successful DEI strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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by Brightmine<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) continues to gain frequent mentions as one of the top people and business priorities. But how many employers are still falling short on transforming their DEI strategy into action? And is it still a priority at an organisation\u2019s highest levels?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certainly, increased scrutiny of DEI programming has caused leaders to think twice about their approach. However, DEI progress continues to offer proven benefits, and leaders would be remiss if they didn’t take note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article explores actionable steps employers can take to remain committed to DEI by developing a DEI strategy that won\u2019t get stuck in neutral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defining DEI <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, is a group of organisational practices that focuses on creating an environment where people from diverse backgrounds feel respected, valued and included. Though DEI is often referred to together, each element has a unique meaning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Diversity<\/strong> describes the representation of different demographics and characteristics among a group of people. This may include race, ethnicity, nationality, cultural background, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability status or veteran status. It can also include socioeconomic background, education, neurodiversity and other characteristics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Equity<\/strong> is when all people of diverse backgrounds have meaningful access to the same opportunities to progress and succeed. This may be related to their career, education, health, financial security or environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Inclusion<\/strong> is when people of diverse backgrounds feel integrated and welcome in a group, such as a team in the workplace. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

DEI is often implemented through policies, practices, programming, training and monetary investments. These efforts are intended to promote understanding among different groups of people, improve representation, and challenge biases and systemic inequalities within the organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a DEI strategy?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A DEI strategy is a plan of action that provides structure and direction to an organisation\u2019s approach to DEI. A DEI strategy establishes goals, budget limits, key performance indicators, a timeline for achieving goals, and other important strategic elements. It also helps determine who has ownership over DEI and define the organisation\u2019s commitment to DEI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The business case for a DEI strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Research shows that improvements in DEI lead to improvements in talent and other business-related key performance indicators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With respect to talent, the Brightmine (formerly XpertHR) 2023 global DEI survey <\/a>found that organisations that prioritise DEI are \u201csignificantly more likely to report improvements in key talent turnover, employee engagement, and net promoter scores (NPS).”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chart 1: DEI prioritisation and business outcomes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Other research shows that workplace DEI also improves innovation<\/a>, employee productivity and financial performance. In fact, McKinsey & Company\u2019s research on the financial performance of diverse teams<\/a>\u2014which has spanned now almost 10 years\u2014found that the likelihood of outperformance has actually grown over the years. That is, diverse teams are even more likely to financially outperform homogenous teams today than they were in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By recognising these benefits, organisations can build a workplace environment that drives growth while supporting better people outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Developing a successful DEI strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What makes a DEI strategy successful? The answer may vary slightly for every organisation. The following, however, are key steps that all organisations should consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Set strong goals that you’re prepared to commit to <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Setting appropriate goals sets the stage for any strategy. Given the impact a DEI strategy has on the employer brand and DEI program compliance, it’s extremely important to choose DEI goals carefully. Goals for a DEI strategy should be meaningful, realistic, specific and aligned with the organisation’s mission, values and business strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of authenticity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When setting goals, take extra care to ensure that the organisation can truly commit to and take action on them. Making unrealistic commitments can lead to being perceived as inauthentic, which will ultimately harm your DEI and business outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It\u2019s easy to say something,” says Sabina Mehmood, pay equity leader at Brightmine. “Walk the walk, not just talk the talk may be a clich\u00e9, but that\u2019s still where we are to a degree.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To show that an organisation\u2019s commitment to DEI is authentic and sustainable, Mehmood stresses communicating with employees at all levels of the organisation, even if it means acknowledging the need to do more. “It\u2019s ok to say ‘we got it wrong, but this is what we\u2019re doing now and will prioritise,'” says Mehmood. “You can pivot as long as you\u2019re explaining what’s happening and why.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allocating Resources<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For a DEI strategy achieve its goals, it needs to have the appropriate resources. When setting short- and long-term goals, be sure to consider what resources are needed to make sustainable progress on each goal. This may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n