Four Steps to Cultivating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

As Diversity Month concludes, we all must strive to continue to advocate for the change necessary in acknowledging and celebrating diversity in the workplace. Enspira strives to help cultivate lasting change by educating ourselves and others–and most importantly, taking action wherever and whenever we can. As these can be difficult, complicated conversations, we’ve established best practices and resources to help you and your organization along the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) journey.

Step 1: Acknowledge that privilege is real

The first step is to recognize the privileges we may have that others do not. Privilege is not the presence of perks and benefits, but rather the absence of obstacles and barriers. Ask yourself: what harmful biases am I not aware of because I don’t have to confront them due to my race, gender, etc.? At work, are there spaces or resources I might have access to due to those privileges?

If these obstacles and barriers don’t impact your day-to-day life, it can be difficult to acknowledge their existence and potential ripple effect. Identifying your privilege is a key first step.

Step 2: Become curious about difference

As individuals, we need to educate ourselves on DEIB and not rely on our peers from underrepresented communities to explain it to us. There are currently myriad tools at our fingertips to learn and understand what it means to have (or to lack) privilege. Seize the opportunity–read books and articles, listen to podcasts, attend webinars, etc.–that offer different perspectives and viewpoints, so you can come to the table with an informed view.

By understanding your own privilege, you strengthen your ability to empathize with people from other walks of life, and better set the stage for the discussions that drive progress towards impactful change.

Step 3: Find ways to infuse awareness into your organization

While it’s on us as individuals to educate ourselves, that’s not to say your organization can’t augment and assist with the education process. By providing resources and raising awareness, workplaces can send a powerful message to employees that it cares about these issues, thus laying a foundation and setting the tone for action. There’s also an opportunity to begin framing the conversation and instill a common vernacular, so there’s a common thread that runs throughout conversations about diversity.

An organization may demonstrate its allyship by making a statement, but without a concrete plan of action, that can feel performative. Employees need to feel it. Organizations can show up as allies by providing spaces to learn about differences, celebrating and highlighting diverse perspectives, and reviewing policies, programs, and practices with a lens toward equity.

Step 4: Become an inclusion accomplice

Nothing changes without action. Beyond allyship, action means being an accomplice. In doing so, you and/or your organization accept the potential consequences of using your privilege to step up and support underrepresented communities through meaningful action. Speaking out publicly as an organization against injustice, mentoring and championing underrepresented individuals within your workplace, and supporting underrepresented businesses and communities—with financial or time investments—are great starting points.

To help guide individuals and organizations through the ever-evolving DEIB journey, we’ve compiled the following list of important DEIB resources that help raise awareness, educate, and ultimately, take action. We hope that you find these helpful, and ask everyone–including ourselves–to continue putting in the work that will make the world more equitable and inclusive for all.