It’s easy to set aside two hours for a workshop and call it a day, but companies that are truly committed to making progress on their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are ready for a heavier lift. Accomplishing real change requires changing the systems that corrode inclusion, which means people have to build new habits.
To Build a DEI Program That Works, You Need Metrics
Data will help you identify the biggest problems — and get buy-in from skeptics.
October 12, 2022
Summary.
The authors’ recent and ongoing research describe several situations where data has moved the needle in helping companies make progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion. At one law firm, DEI advocates wanted to change the firm’s system for allocating work opportunities to make it more equitable. They ran into a brick wall, until skeptics saw the data that showed that white male associates were getting significantly more billable hours than women or employees of color. And two tech firms are using metrics to pinpoint where their hiring processes needed fixing. As the authors conclude: If your company’s DEI program isn’t based on metrics, you’re throwing money into the wind in the hopes it will blow back into your pocket.
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Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to build a better, more just workplace.
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New!
HBR Learning
Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to build a better, more just workplace.