In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, many organizations made bold statements supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Black Lives Matter, and the need for social justice and system change.

Since then, leaders found themselves pondering how to continue their learning and create change in their organizations. Employees may be pushing management to explain why the company issued a solidarity statement but are not making progress internally. Newly-formed DEI committees may be struggling to get initiatives started. There may be pushback from vocal employees that disagree with statements.

We suggest the following to get started or to continue your company’s journey:

• Learning Orientation: continue learning for yourself and your team. Read articles, attend trainings, talk with others,and invest in education for your team. Learn the basics as you would for any other subject matter.‍
• Build a Small Committed Group: Partnership can make a big difference in advancing DEI efforts. Establish a DEI Committee. Partner with a few key people in leadership who can commit to advancing the effort. ‍
• Assessment: Data can help make a case for the need for focusing on DEI. Use employee survey data, conduct focus groups. What are the experiences of different groups in your organization? Look at the demographics of your company – where are strengths and areas of improvement?‍
• Develop a Vision and Define Goals: Define what you want to accomplish.‍
• Prioritize Key Strategies: Realize that you can start small and build to your goals. One of the most important places to start is with Inclusion and Equity of people you already have in your organization. Building inclusive and equitable practices will strengthen your ability to retain newer people who join the organization. ‍
• Integrated Plan: Make your DEI goals and strategies part of your annual planning or strategic plan. Depending on your organization size, you may need a dedicated leader or team to advance DEI efforts.

Remember that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work is an ongoing journey. It requires time commitment and planning, but the benefits to your organization and to your staff make it worth the effort.