Belonging: how to create lasting change amidst global DEI challenges - key takeaways
💡 Missed our recent Beyond Wellbeing LIVE session?
No worries - we’ve got you covered! Here’s a rundown of the key takeaways from our discussion. We hope these insights spark ideas for your own organisation, and if you’d like to chat, drop us a line at hello@kamwell.com.
📌 The Evolving DEI Landscape
Pushbacks and Progress: While DEI efforts have advanced globally, political shifts (like the US executive order eliminating DEI initiatives) are creating ripple effects worldwide, prompting organisations to re-evaluate their approach.
The Business Case for DEI: Despite resistance, the need for DEI is stronger than ever, with increasing diversity across generations, global workforces, and the growing demand for inclusive workplaces.
Finding Your ‘Why’: Organisations that stay committed to DEI efforts are those whose leadership truly understands the "why" behind the work, seeing inclusion as essential to innovation, talent retention, and long-term success.
📌 Shifting from Performative to Systemic Change
Beyond Performative Gestures: This is an opportunity for organisations to course-correct if their DEI work has been superficial. The future lies in embedding DEI into every function, process, and decision, just like any other business-critical agenda.
Accountability at the Top: DEI efforts are more impactful when they report directly to the CEO, ensuring leadership accountability and making it clear that inclusion is a priority, not an afterthought.
Rebranding or Recommitting?: While some companies are re-labelling DEI efforts to avoid controversy (e.g., focusing on "belonging" or "inclusive leadership"), it’s crucial to avoid diluting the work and instead focus on what drives real change.
📌 Data, Targets & Measuring Impact
The Power of Data: Data is essential to influence leadership, demonstrate impact, and guide decision-making. From representation stats to employee engagement and retention rates, measuring progress is key to sustaining DEI efforts.
Using Targets with Care: Setting targets can drive accountability, but the goal should be creating fairer systems, not just hitting diversity quotas. Targets should be used as a tool to uncover gaps, not as the end goal itself.
Measuring Belonging: Organisations can assess belonging through metrics like early attrition rates, engagement with ERGs, and employee participation in DEI and wellbeing initiatives. Exit interviews are another valuable but often overlooked source of insight.
📌 Leadership, Culture & Belonging
The Role of Leadership: Inclusive leadership is no longer optional. Leaders need to create psychologically safe environments, listen more than they speak, and champion DEI beyond isolated moments (like speaking at events) - it’s about day-to-day consistency.
Empowering ERGs (Without Overloading Employees): ERGs play a vital role, but organisations must avoid relying solely on underrepresented groups to lead the work. ERGs should be well-supported, linked to business strategy, and given a real voice in shaping decisions.
Storytelling as a Catalyst for Change: Sharing personal stories is a powerful way to challenge assumptions, build empathy, and foster connection, but leaders and employees alike need support to share their stories in a way that feels safe and impactful.
📌 The Path Forward
Linking DEI to Business Strategy: DEI efforts are most sustainable when tightly connected to organisational success, influencing talent strategies, customer insights, innovation, and long-term growth.
Investing in Expertise: Whether through external consultants or upskilling in-house DEI teams, organisations should treat DEI like any other critical function, bringing in the right expertise to guide the work and avoid costly missteps.
The Next Generation is Watching: Gen Z, the most diverse and vocal generation yet, expects workplaces to be inclusive. Ignoring DEI not only risks losing talent but also impacts how future-proof a business is for the evolving workforce.