The Business Model of DEIA

Presented by Dr. Nicholas Lamar Wright
Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
University of Kentucky Human Development Institute

An early career mixed man with dark hair and brown skin wears a red shirt, white tie and dark suit. He is standing outside and smiling into the camera.

Thank you for joining the session, titled The Business Model for DEIA. Taking our series of training, focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Learning Objectives

Gain a deeper awareness of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and how these principles lead to success.
List strategies to promote DEIA throughout the organization.
Inspire a commitment to DEIA to gain a strategic business advantage.

This session shares more about understanding, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in business and other organizations.

This presentation is more than just about understanding, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. It’s about creating a plan to focus on diversity by creating an inclusive and equitable culture throughout the work, environment, fostering a sense of belonging for all employees, resulting in positive outcomes.

Steps to encourage diversity include Mission, Vision and Goals, Leadership Commitment, Hiring Practices, and Training and Education

Centering Equity

Equitable Policies

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Hiring Practices

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Equal Access to Training and Development

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Equitable Performance Evaluations

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Fostering Inclusion

Hiring Practices
Cultural Competence PRograms
Employee Resource Groups
Feedback

Prioritizing Accessibility

Universal Design

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Hiring Practices

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Accessibility Audits

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Accommodations

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Commitment to DEIA

Leadership Participation
Inclusive Leadership Development
Recognition
Accountability

Business Advantage Through DEIA

Employee productivity
Increased retention
Wider talent pool
Overall performance

Reflection Questions

Does our organization’s current mission and vision align with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility? How can we improve?

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In what ways does our organization focus on inclusivity? What initiatives are we currently enacting to ensure people feel that they belong?

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How has DEIA contributed to our organization? In what areas can we still improve?

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Questions or Concerns

Dr. Nicholas Lamar Wright

Nicholas.wright@uky.edu

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

University of Kentucky Human Development Institute

After completing this, you have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. You will also learn new strategic ways of having excellence in these categories which leads to success in not just one area but throughout your organization.
You will also have the opportunity to learn unique methods and strategies that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. I know that these can be challenging concepts at times, but this presentation informs you on strategies to ensure you excel in these areas and build a comprehensive framework that supports all employees.
Lastly, this presentation aims to inspire your commitment toward diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, focusing on these areas gives the employees you have the opportunity to work with, and your organization as a whole, a strategic advantage.
When we commit to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, we are to our employees and our organization’s overall success session. I shared how diversity refers to an expanding range of differences that makes individuals unique. Diversity refers to the various characteristics, identities and experiences of people that their perspectives are founded on.
Now let’s learn how we can encourage diversity throughout an organization to leverage this uniqueness that makes your organization special. When we focus on diversity in an organization, we must first start with the mission vision and goals.
These are the foundational pillars that motivate organization’s actions.
For this reason it is crucial that DEIA. Is embedded in these to reflect the core elements of the organization. We understand that the mission statements outlines the purpose of the organization.
One way organizations can encourage diversity is by including your commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. In this statement of purpose. One way to do this is to mention that you care about your employees and want everyone to feel respected, empowered.
This small statement goes a long ways.
The vision statement describes your organization’s aspirations.
Leaders can include DEIA. In these vision statements by including an aspiration to foster environments where all identities can thrive.
This establishes the long term goals for your organization and builds on that commitment. Finally, you have the goals of the organization.
These goals are a way of sharing the objectives of the organization.
You can bid diversity in the organization’s goals by clearly articulating the importance of diversity and discussing that you hope to achieve a workforce that reflects the diversity
in the community we serve.
These are ways that you can bid. DEIA. In the foundation of the organization. Another way is ensure. Leadership is dedicated to promoting these aspects.
Leadership sets the tone of the organization. and it is important that they are advocates of DEIA.
They can show this commitment to diversity by including diversity in the strategic plan, but also holding one another account
sets the stage for excellence. In this area
leadership has a commitment to diversity. It sets an example for others which establishes organizational culture.
his pivotal, that leadership fosters diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility throughout the space.
Hiring proxies are another area that can and should encourage diversity.
Focusing on the hiring committee, the committee should have diverse skills and perspectives to evaluate candidates comprehensively.
This allows your bias to be diminished, creating a more inclusive caring process.
Lastly, diversity can be encouraged through professional development. When we create opportunities for all people to gain exposure and enhance their skills, it contributes to learning and equal opportunity.
These training and education sessions can be focused on networking to connect with various colleagues and on cultural confidence, to help people navigate diverse perspectives.
These are just a few ways. Your organization can improve in the aspect of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Session. We discussed the concept of equity
just a reminder. Equity is different than equality, and focuses on fairness. justice in the distribution of resources and opportunities
equity does is that barriers do exist and equity ensures. Everyone has an equal opportunity to success.
Let’s discuss how we can center equity in our organization.
When I discuss centering equity, I’ve been putting fairness and justice in focus to ensure equal opportunities for all individuals from various backgrounds.
We can start centering equity in the organization through policies designed to proactively promote fairness and justice.
some policies to directly combat discrimination barriers, or to explicitly prohibit discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
Most organizations believe that discrimination is wrong, but by having policy in place.
it proactively informs people that this is not tolerate. When you
policy, please be sure to add, in a reporting structure, so people can hold one another account and share their experiences.
Another example of an equitable policy is through hiring and recruitment
techniques for anonymous hiring and sure, showing the names on applications.
This ensures that people are not judged based on their names
by eliminating potential discrimination. In this way, when it’s equity, they’re hiring
organizations can also center equity by creating equal access to training.
In the last slide we discussed implementing professional development opportunities, but everyone must
community to attend them.
All employees, having equal opportunity to skill enhancement, allows for
patients consider equity through equitable
violations. Performance evaluations are systemic
systematic processes for an organization to assess an employee’s job performance.
It is crucial to center equity in the process to reduce bias
organizations can do this by setting clear objectives
having standardized evaluation process and continuously providing feedback. These are just a few ways. Organizations. Consider equity reaching a more inclusive workplace.
In the last training sessions we discussed inclusion being the practice of creating organizations that value all individuals and their identities.
In this session. Let’s discuss how organizations can foster inclusion to create environments for all individuals, though by accepted, and that they belong
and start with fostering inclusion in the hiring process. One way to do this is by going into some job descriptions.
These are descriptions that accurately share the job description, and a pill to wide audience
to build inclusive job descriptions. It’s important to remove gender biased terms and focus on the skills needed for the role.
Unknown Speaker
09:18
Well, appeal to a wider audience.

Dr. Nicholas Wright

09:22

Inclusive job descriptions give people a glimpse into the organization’s culture. Organizations can also foster inclusion by providing social competence programs. These programs are designed to enhance the way people effectively interact and communicate.

Posting. Ongoing cultural, pompous training allows a multitude of people to participate and interact with their colleagues
by increasing awareness to diversity in these programs. It enables people to foster inclusion as they navigate the environment.
Way to foster inclusion in your organization is promote employee resource groups.
employee research groups are employee groups which people can volunteer to participate.
Employee resource groups have been shown to create a sense of community and contribute to the overall workplace culture. Most employee resource groups are open to everyone, but typically focus on shared characteristics or interests that connect people through experiences.
Employee resource groups are a way to foster inclusion and promote employee engagement
slightly. I want to discuss feedback as a tool for fostering improvement.
sharing opportunities to provide feedback allows people to understand the impact of their actions and promotes communication and improvement.
Finding constructive feedback motivates people to grow
that this constructive feedback is balanced with positive feedback. Employees also have an opportunity to share feedback with their leadership.
Great!
That’s the feedback and other strategies to foster inclusion.
This culture is built throughout the organization.
Accessibility was also discussed in last session, and it refers to creating environments, services, products, and communication that ensures everyone can forward, participate
permissive characteristics to effectively embid DEIA throughout the organization would have to priorit prioritize accessibility. One way accessibility is prioritized is through universal design.
Universal design is an approach that ensures all products, services and environments are usable to people of all abilities without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
The goal of universal design is to create inclusive and equitable experiences for everyone, which is also the goal of DE. In the
7 concepts surrounding universal design should be embedded throughout the organization, such as equity, use flexibility, use simple and intuitive, and use perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort and size and space for urban use.
Universal design goes far beyond accessibility and creates welcoming environments for everyone leading to fostering sense of belonging. I know hiring practices have been listed a few times before, but it’s important to prioritize accessibility and eases what will allow individuals in all abilities to just fake fully.
It’s important to have inclusive job descriptions that eliminate Able’s language.
but the material should also be accessible to all
proactively providing resources and accommodations, shows a culture of inclusion. Archives and accessibility in this way allows for skilled individuals to be employed by eliminating barriers.
Accessibility audits are another way to prioritize accessibility.
Disability audits are evaluations conducted to assess the level of accessibility. This is a great way to hold your organization accounting while also locating barriers to accessibility
leading to the creation of a more inclusive environment.
Lastly, to prioritize accessibility accommodations to be easily available
combinations refer to adjustments or modifications, ensuring people with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate combinations, work to eliminate variance and provide support.
It is important to implement universal design.
But if accommodations are needed, organizations should work to make this process simple as possible.
This gives evidence that everyone person belongs and is encouraged to participate
by focusing on these strategies organizations not only prioritize accessibility, but foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Throughout the culture.
Reason we focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility throughout the organization
is because of the positive factors it leads to.
When we value diverse perspectives, foster inclusion, center equity and prioritize accessibility.
We build more diverse teams that have an array of experiences, ideas, and perspectives. The various viewpoints promote creativity throughout the culture, and encourages people to share their ideas without the fear of judgment.
EIA. Also improves problem. Solving from people within the organization.
possess diverse perspectives and effectively collaborate. They bring an array of solutions to problem solving approaches
when the multitude of voices felt power to communicate
that provide a provide innovative ideas and enhance decision-making abilities for the organization
working in this framework also encourages employee engagement.
EEIA. Is weaved throughout. The culture colleagues feel more likely to engage with one another activities in the organization as a whole.
for your population leads to increased connection and a higher sense of belonging.
Lastly.
having DEIA.
How is the organization to be better equipped to react to their bob and role.
You discuss the creativity workforce report.
But diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility creates an environment for everyone to be flexible, and reflect and respond effectively to the change in dynamics
through to the full benefits of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in an organization.
It’s important to have commitment
organizations can’t admit to DE by having full leadership participation.
This is crucial because it encourages others to follow the example of leadership.
Leadership, fully participating, allows the revisible advocacy of the existing culture. Inclusive leadership development also shows the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
This shows that leadership skills are being cultivated in a wide, diverse audience, and people feel value.
Organization invest and employees employees in turn will invest in organizations, values in goals.
Recognition is another way of something.
This concept celebrates diverse perspectives, and creates a culture that finds strength in diverse workforce by celebrating accomplishments and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
the organization acknowledges efforts and contributes to people being best.
This not only enhances the organization’s performance. but also its representation for caring for people.
lastly, to truly commit to DEIA. We must have methods to hold each other in the organization account.
Urging feedback. Putting people responsible allows not only for an inclusive port from the bill, but to be sustained
this person’s involved longevity.
These are some of the ways organizations can commit to diversity, equity.
inclusion, and accessibility.
but
or discuss the numerous business advantages by embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility throughout the organization.
deep
employee productivity in a variety of ways. When organizations promote inclusive cultures, it leads to higher employee engagement and motivation.
When this is the case, employees are more likely to invest time and effort into their work leading to increased productivity.
Even spaces that meet employees needs encourages them to say.
But organizations promoting de IA they want. I’ve increased retention and retain highly skilled talent. retaining employees leads to organizational stability and productivity.
Not only will organizations be able to retain talent, but they will also draw in a wider talent, pool by promoting inclusive iron prices.
organizations promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The overall performance will increase.
The employees at the organization will have an increased overall being leading to a better communication.
more investment of time, and better outcomes for the organization as a whole.
hope that by understanding the business model of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility. You can now tell why this is important, not just for the employees, but for the overall organization.
I encourage you to implement some of these strategies offered to create an organization that encourages diversity centers equity fosters inclusion, and prioritize accessibility to gain the overall business advantage.
This session ends with reflection questions. I encourage you to participate and answer these questions for yourself. so we can all continue to learn and grow.
Please feel free to pause the next slide to take as much time as you need with the reflection questions.
does your organization’s current mission envision a line with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility?
How can this improve?
In what ways does our organization focus on inclusivity? What initiatives are we currently enacting to ensure people?
As DEIN. Contributed to our organization
in what part still improved
this session was a useful learning opportunity.
I thank you for joining, and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out
the QR code to the Human Development Institute’s website can be found on the screen.
I encourage you to continue impacting, belonging and joining us in the next DEIA training module.