Diversity Goal Setting

If you're setting goals to create a more inclusive workplace in 2025, my experience may save you time, money, and unmet expectations. ✅ Quick Wins (low effort, high impact) Start with team psychological safety. Inclusion is felt most in everyday team interactions—meetings, feedback, problem-solving. 👇 Use tools like: 1. The Fearless Organization Scan to uncover blind spots and team dynamics. 2. Debrief session with an accredited facilitator to discuss results openly and set clear, actionable improvements. 3. Action plan with small shifts in behavior, like leaders modeling vulnerability, asking for input first, or establishing "speak-up norms" in meetings. These micro-actions quickly build team inclusion and unlock collaboration. 🏗️ Big Projects (high effort, high impact): To create sustainable change, invest in structural inclusion. 👇 Focus on: 1. Inclusive hiring & promotion practices: build diverse candidate pipelines and train interviewers on bias mitigation. 2. Inclusive decision-making: ensure diverse perspectives are integrated into key business decisions. 3. Inclusive leadership: train leaders to actively foster diverse perspectives, intellectual humility, and trust in their teams. Empower leaders to align inclusion with business goals and make it part of their day-to-day behavior. 🎉 Fill-ins (low effort, low impact): Awareness events (like diversity month) are great for building visibility but should educate, not just celebrate. 👇 For example: 1. Pair cultural events with workshops on how diverse values shape workplace communication. 2. Use storytelling to highlight how diverse perspectives lead to tangible business wins. 🚩 Thankless Tasks (high effort, low impact): Avoid resource-heavy initiatives with little ROI. 👇 Examples: 1. Overcomplicated dashboards: focus on 2–3 actionable metrics rather than endless reports that don’t lead to change. 2. Unstructured ERGs: without clear goals and leadership support, these often become frustrating rather than empowering. 3. One-off training programs: A two-day training on unconscious bias without follow-up or practical tools is a missed opportunity. 💡 Key Takeaways 1. Inclusion thrives where it’s felt daily—in teams and decisions. 2. Start with quick wins to build momentum and tackle big projects for systemic change. 3. Avoid symbolic efforts that consume resources without measurable outcomes. 🚀 Let’s turn inclusion into a tangible, strategic advantage that empowers your teams to thrive in 2025 and beyond. _____________________________________________ If you're new here, I’m Susanna—an accredited team psychological safety practitioner with over a decade of experience in DEI and inclusive leadership. I partner with forward-thinking companies to create inclusive, high-performing workplaces where teams thrive. 📩 DM me or visit www if you want to prioritize what truly works for your organization. 

As WGEA’s mandatory gender targets take effect, it’s tempting to rush straight into action. To pick a number. Draft a statement. Publish a plan. But here’s what we know: targets set without understanding the systems behind the data risk doing more harm than good, especially in this environment. Because gender pay gaps, leadership gaps, and promotion gaps are not just numbers. They’re signals, telling the story of your systems, power structures, and workplace culture. And if we don’t listen, we miss the opportunity - and the obligation - to act: A 9% gender pay gap? ⚠️ A warning sign. Less than 35% women in leadership? 🚩 A red flag. 5% of all promotions to part-timers? ❗ Low male uptake of parental leave? 🔍 A cultural cue. These aren’t quirks of the data. They’re evidence of deeper risks: - Sex-based discrimination in career pathways - Bias in performance and promotion - Cultural assumptions about gender roles - Power imbalances that enable harassment And under Respect@Work, these risks are now your legal responsibility to identify and eliminate. Positive Duty is in force - and the financial and reputation risks continue to grow. ✨ GEN – our Gender Equality Navigator – analyses what’s behind your numbers. And this is what our clients are loving right now. One client’s coaching data revealed 5 clear barriers to equality - but it also what was working and needed to be amplified. For example: - Why ambition stalls after parental leave - Why women weren't applying for senior roles - Where sponsorship capability is missing - How flex stigma erodes progression - Why men aren't taking their full parental leave allocation So, instead of chasing arbitrary targets, they set goals around promotion equity, parental leave consistency, and pay gap reviews - tackling the real drivers of inequality in their business. That’s exactly why we built GEN: to combine system-level data with coaching insights, so you can set targets that are grounded in evidence and act on the root causes of inequality. 👉 If you’re setting your gender targets right now, let’s talk about how GEN can help you see not just the numbers, but the story behind them. #RespectAtWork #WGEA #genderequality #leadership #culture Caroline Maillols [Mah-yols] Vikas Thakur Ben Gilbert Tegan Sturrock

Generic diversity statements in job ads often backfire. Research shows they can actually decrease applications from candidates of color. Instead, use concrete commitments. A craigslist experiment tested this by adding one sentence to a standard diversity blurb: "We've set a goal of hiring at least one woman or racial minority for every white man we hire." The result was striking: applications from women and people of color increased significantly. And, importantly, it didn't deter white men or lower the quality of applicants. This works because specific goals signal real commitment. Today's job seekers are looking for evidence that your dedication to equity goes beyond platitudes. To attract diverse talent, go beyond boilerplate language: 📊 Set and share specific diversity goals 👥 Be transparent about your current workforce demographics 📣 Highlight concrete actions you're taking to promote inclusion By being clear and specific in your job ads, you can create a more diverse and qualified applicant pool. It's a simple change that can make a big difference! #DiversityInHiring #InclusiveRecruitment #MakeWorkFairBook PS - Stay tuned for this paper from Erika Kirgios, Edward Chang, and Ike Silver - currently under review.

In the nonprofit world, DEI often faces an uphill battle—especially with tight budgets. But here’s the reality: effective DEI is essential, even when resources are limited. Nonprofits can’t afford to ignore this just because they’re doing “good work.” Too often, nonprofits are led by white leadership with boards that see their commitment to a cause as proof of their dedication to equity and inclusion. Yet, with leadership remaining homogenous and diversity concentrated in lower-wage roles, that commitment often falls short. The occasional appointment of a leader of color doesn’t change the fact that the organization is, at its core, still missing the mark on real diversity. And, more often than not, there’s no safe space for staff to challenge these inequities. Pushback against those who raise concerns can be even stronger in nonprofits because many leaders believe that simply being a part of a nonprofit means they are inherently “good.” But being “well-meaning” isn’t enough. Nonprofits need to make DEI a real priority, even with limited funds. Here’s how they can start making meaningful progress: 1. Make DEI Core: DEI must be a part of the mission, not a side project. Leaders need to confront uncomfortable truths, recognize where they fall short, and integrate DEI into every aspect of the organization. 2. Leverage Internal Talent: Form DEI committees with staff from all levels. But here’s the catch: the burden of this work shouldn’t fall on lesser-represented staff. Leadership must share power and show their commitment by actively participating, creating a level playing field where power is used to advance DEI efforts—not to silence them. 3. Be Transparent: Publish DEI goals, track progress, and share the outcomes with your team. Use data on diversity in staff, board members, and volunteers to set goals that are measurable and actionable. 4. Invest in Equity Training: Use affordable resources like webinars and workshops to move beyond just raising awareness. Equip your team with the skills to address inequities head-on and foster a culture that prioritizes equity. 5. Create Safe Spaces for Honest Conversations: Underrepresented staff need spaces where they can voice concerns without fear. Listening sessions, anonymous feedback options, and regular check-ins don’t require large budgets but can transform the organization’s culture. 6. Rethink Leadership Pathways: If your leadership pipeline looks the same as it did five years ago, it’s time for a change. Focus on programs that prepare diverse staff for leadership roles and ensure that your recruitment and promotion practices reflect a commitment to equity. Nonprofits don’t get a pass just because they’re doing “good work.” Real change happens when DEI becomes central to the mission, not just a nice-to-have. Stop relying on the comfort of being “well-meaning” and make DEI a strategic priority—even with a limited budget. #DEI #NonprofitLeadership #EquityMatters #DoTheWork #NonprofitSuccess

It’s crucial to navigate the often overwhelming discourse surrounding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with clarity and purpose. The first step is to establish clear, measurable objectives for your DEI initiatives. This involves setting specific goals, such as increasing representation of underrepresented groups in leadership roles or improving employee engagement scores. By having well-defined targets, you can focus your efforts and measure progress effectively, cutting through the noise and demonstrating tangible results. Another key strategy is to leverage data to inform your DEI efforts. Collecting and analysing data on workforce demographics, employee experiences, and the impact of DEI programs allows you to identify areas for improvement and track the success of your initiatives. Data-driven approaches help to ground your DEI strategies in evidence, making it easier to communicate the importance and effectiveness of these efforts to stakeholders. This not only helps in addressing misconceptions but also in building a strong case for continued investment in DEI. Finally, fostering an inclusive culture requires active and visible leadership. Leaders must model inclusive behaviors, such as actively seeking diverse perspectives and addressing unconscious biases. Providing regular training and creating platforms for open dialogue can help in building a more inclusive environment. Additionally, involving employees at all levels in DEI initiatives, through resource groups or feedback sessions, ensures that everyone feels a sense of ownership and commitment to these goals. By maintaining a continuous focus on improvement and staying informed about best practices, everyone can effectively cut through the cacophony and drive meaningful change within their organizations. #diversity #equity #inclusion #belonging

When an organization has DEI goals, it often just sets and forgets them. Diversity, equity, and inclusion can not be separate from strategy and business operations; DEI must be embedded into what companies do and how they do it. If these commitments to inclusion are not built into the fabric of the culture and philosophy of the company, employees and customers will sense that the goals are disingenuous. Part of that is setting measurable goals that leaders within the business are held accountable to. A business’s recruiting strategies, marketing, and promotion practices must reflect these goals or fall flat, doing more harm than good. This is where you see a lot of organizations on lists that celebrate DEI efforts. And while I think these lists are a force for good, we often see that companies featured on these lists have a very different reputation in employee reviews on Glassdoor. You can’t just pay lip service — people who interact with your business as professionals or customers must feel your commitment. The people processes within your organization — hiring, onboarding, mentoring, development, etc. — must nurture diverse talent and help people of all backgrounds succeed materially. It isn’t enough to say you’re committed to inclusion, you must embed it in everything you do, from the mission statement to your business strategy. --------------------------------------------------------------- ✨ For help embedding true inclusion into your business practices, feel free to reach out at be-limitless@wemahoover.com