Time for change in the workplace

Instilling diversity, equity and inclusion takes hard work, but the benefits aren’t debatable

During all of the tumult we’ve experienced across the Hartford community and across every workplace, one thing that has remained a constant, and perhaps become even more clear, is the value of staff and employees.

Whatever product or service your company or organization provides, without the people to make it happen organizations will struggle to survive and ultimately perish.

These are indeed trying times. The pandemic has upended so much of what we thought about both work and workplaces. Some long-held norms and traditions have been turned upside down, while other previously perceived radical approaches to work have become the norm.

But this is clear: Rigidity and lumbering processes that are resistant to change are out. Creativity, nimbleness, employee trust and empowerment are in.

What has also emerged during this extended crisis we have endured is a renewed focus on the value and importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. It has become clear these can no longer be seen as buzzwords tossed around casually, with the hope to create a veneer authenticity.

Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion must now be at the core of every organization and company that aspires to be a top workplace.

The benefits of doing so are virtually limitless. It doesn’t matter what line of business an organization is in. Companies that have a genuine commitment to DEI:

Will be more profitable.

Will have better connection to employees, customers and/or clients.

Will be more effective and/ or impactful in carrying out the mission.

Will be able to attract the best and brightest talent in the marketplace.

This is one of those rare approaches to which there is no downside.

But what do we mean when we say DEI?

Diversity is the presence of difference. These differences may include race, gender, religion, sexual orientation. They may include ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, language, (dis)ability, age, religious commitment or political perspective.

Equity is the process of fairness. Equity is rooted in the policies and practices organizations implement to promote justness and impartiality.

Inclusion is an outcome. It is about creating a culture and environment to ensure those who are diverse actually feel and are welcomed.

The journey may look different for every company or organization, but there are likely a few commonalities along the way. A commitment to DEI:

Must be intentional, persistent and transparent.

Should be reflected throughout every level of the organization.

Must establish accountability and measurements.

Be prepared for some discomfort.

Ask for help along the way Most importantly, be prepared to reap the benefits of becoming a better organization.

No organization, company, region or state can fully prosper while systematically excluding significant segments of its participants from equitable opportunity. The loss of creativity, experience, productivity and economic output is a recipe for disaster.

We simply cannot compete in a national or global economy with so much of our talent marginalized and sidelined.

Connecticut has the wealth and the resources to set an example of what a more equitable society would look like.

Jay Williams is president of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. This essay is adapted from his keynote address at The Hartford Courant’s annual Top Workplaces awards ceremony held virtually Sept 23.