As we continue to press forward to the end of the year, there continues to be a lot of discussion regarding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.  Most of what we hear has been prompted by the death of George Floyd.  George’s violent and untimely death has caused many of us to stop, pause, and reflect on the injustices that has plagued many for years.  The injustices that people experience ranges from gender, religion, sexual orientation, and race.  Unfortunately, many people deal with injustice / inequality in silence alone until something tragic happens that gets people to stop and temporarily pay attention.  The incident that happened to George Floyd was the event that made people stop and pay attention.

The days and weeks that followed the death of George led to countless protests and unrest among many people.  Leaders within organizations were forced to acknowledge and encourage discussion as people from all backgrounds were experiencing emotions ranging from fear to hurt to anger.  For organizations that had a department focused on DEI efforts, the event provided an opportunity for them to discuss their stance on inequality within the workforce and how any forms of discrimination would not be tolerated.  For organizations that did not have a formal department established, the event exposed a gap that quickly needed to be filled within the business.  Unfortunately, the two months that passed since George’s death have left many organizations in the same place – discussing DEI efforts.  While discussing DEI is great, it is time that we move forward to taking action.  Your employees are looking for more than just another meeting or town hall on addressing racial inequality.  They are looking for you to move from discussion to action.  This may mean you need to establish a DEI department or that you make changes in how you recruit, select, and retain diverse talent.  It could mean bringing in a team skilled in DEI to help train staff on diversity and unconscious biases.  Whatever method in which you choose to address the issue, it must be actionable.  Your employees demand and deserve a company that will not only speak out about injustice but will be brave enough to take required actions that demonstrate their stance.

Shifting from discussion to action can be an immense task.  Our consultants are knowledgeable and skilled at creating and executing a plan that will get you from discussion to action. Let’s get to work!