The Focus on DEI Does Not Stop After Recruitment - Keith R. Wyche
People are the most important asset of any company. An organization is only as good as its people are. No matter the potential, a business will not succeed without properly managing, leveraging and supporting its people. Employees need to be in inclusive environments that foster personal and business growth. If properly valued and treated, employees will operate at peak performance, which then in turn will culminate to a more successful business.
So, who are the people who have the greatest impact on human capital? Human resource professionals. They are often an employee’s first contact with an organization, and their continued line of assistance and guidance.
Today, HR professionals are being faced with the challenge to conduct initiatives promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. Throughout my years of experience leading companies at different points in their DEI journeys, it is clear the weight that HR holds in carrying out these missions.
I recently wrote a piece, ‘5 Ways HR Professionals Can Serve as Champions to DEI’, read one of my suggestions below.
Move Beyond Focusing on DEI During Recruitment to DEI Throughout the Employee Experience and Lifecycle
“Most organizations lean in on recruiting for diversity. The logic behind this is that an organization needs diverse employees in order to have a diverse talent pipeline and concerns over equity and inclusion.
“Focusing on recruiting makes a great deal of sense for organizations that employ few people who are not white, male and heterosexual. But a problem I have observed is many organizations start and end with recruitment of diverse employees without ever following any real strategy to ensure a positive experience throughout the career lifecycle of the diverse individuals they hire.
“As a result, many organizations resign themselves to a never ending cycle of recruiting to fill positions recent hires have already left. Or, worse than the revolving door, leaders interpret poor retention rates as evidence that ‘diversity simply doesn’t work.’
HR professionals can lead the way in helping their organizations move beyond diversity recruiting alone. Examples of questions to convince leaders to ask and answer are:
- How have we prepared the organization to receive and embrace diverse new hires?
- Are we providing peer mentors to help new employees navigate the organization?
- How do we effectively share information on organizational culture while onboarding new employees?
- Are employee resource groups made aware of new hires so they can extend a welcome?
- Do we adequately assess the backgrounds of new hires who come to the organization with previous work experience so we can begin developing possible career paths?
- Are we tracking the career progress of diverse employees during their time with the organization?”
About Keith Wyche: Keith is a change management leader who strives to assist organizations in reaching their potential. With decades of experience managing billion-dollar businesses across several industries, Keith applies a holistic approach to sustainable and efficient change. Keith is an author and leader who advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion in workplace talent and in customers through bridging community gaps. His vast experience and skills allow him to turn around struggling organizations and create strategic solutions for the best results.
You can visit his LinkedIn here.
