The foundations of infusing equity into organizational culture apply at every level.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Businesses Large and Small
Y’all, last week, I got to sit down and answer some important questions as part of QuickBooks Canada’s “Ask the Expert” series. Here are the top four takeaways.
Get Clear on Language and Values
As you begin to work on changing your organization, it’s important to clarify terms and values with everyone involved. Here’s a good guide: diversity is something you count; inclusion is something you feel; equity is how you build and sustain inclusive, diverse, courageous cultures.
Having a shared understanding of terms makes it easier to define the values that will drive your organization’s decisions around DEI and racial equity work.
Standardize Systems
To put equity into action in your organization, it is important to make systems around pay, hiring, and promotion as standard and transparent as possible. Doing so allows employers to guard against implicit bias and create spaces where employees are compensated equitably for the work they do.
Reflect on Your Organization and the People You Serve
Does your business look like the community it serves? Are you paying attention to how your product impacts different groups in your community? Are you partnering with and amplifying the work of Black, Indigenous, People of Color in your sector?
As you reflect on your community and your organization’s place in it, you will see where and how you can change, and you will find ways to live into your DEI values by collaborating with those around you.
Cultural Change Requires Bravery and Compassion
One critical piece of wisdom to keep at the forefront of your work is this: you will mess up. Your business will mess up.
As an organization willing to do this work, you have to be ready to look at organizational apologies and accountability, and you have to be ready to grapple with what it means to learn publicly.
This is courageous work, and it is important to have the space to learn and the courage to act.
We do this work in community. Please know I am always here for questions as you learn, and I’d love to partner with you as you work to build equity in every space.
Let’s go get free!
Click here to see Desiree’s full QuickBooks Canada “Ask the Expert” video.