Good intentions aren’t nearly enough to fix bias in the workplace. HR and diversity, equity, and inclusion leaders are responsible for evaluating the systems and processes that systematically dissuade equal opportunities.

Virtually every business will state that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are business imperatives, particularly during crises. Recently, a survey was conducted that revealed that nearly 70% of diversity leaders said they are focused on advancing underrepresented employees. Yet, another assessment of HR leaders shows that 88% feel their business was ineffective at expanding diversity among employees and leaders.

In our work at Woods Kovalova Group, our data shows that less than 10% of senior-level corporate positions are women from a racial or ethnic minority, in addition to only 19% by minority males.

All organizations must assess their systems and processes to allay bias.

We’ve pinpointed several barriers to the development of underrepresented people:

• Vague career routes and steps to progress

• Insufficient exposure to senior managers

• Lack of advisors or career support

Three behaviors Human resources can take to reset how underrepresented talent is developed.

1. Repair the manager-employee connection

Traditionally, companies have concentrated on “overhauling” underrepresented talent via formal leadership development courses. To achieve progress on boosting diversity representation, organizations ought to build strong manager-employee relationships that establish the correct foundation for encouragement and development.

Managers are powerless to effectively implement critical advocacy and progression-related activities if they fail to have a consistent working rapport with their workers. This is considerably more difficult when supervisors and employees come from unique backgrounds.

• Instruct managers just how to build individualized support for their employees while empowering them to be influential mentors.

• Build leadership awareness of the experiences of underrepresented employees.

• Be a go-between that ensures trust is strong among underrepresented employees and their supervisors.

The most effective organizations surpass conventional leadership development curriculums that concentrate solely on skill-building to advance females, LGBT+, or racially and ethnically diverse people. As an alternative, Woods Kovalova Group suggests they target leaders of program members to propagate awareness of the experiences of their employees, construct trust and enable more manager backing. 

2. Facilitate growth-centered networking groups

Companies have usually viewed groups as support systems for employees and have carried an impromptu approach. The result is often grouped as lacking diversity in position, skill, rank, and background with inadequate involvement of senior managers. 

Growth-centered groups are deliberate and self-sufficient, supplying an array of diverse people in position, skills, rank, and backgrounds.   

When underrepresented people have diverse groups, the organization becomes more effective. Woods Kovalova Group research reveals that in establishments that form networking groups for underrepresented people, human resources leaders are more likely to relate that they are supremely effective at cultivating inclusion.   

Here are essential actions human resources can take to enable growth-centered network groups:

• Support employees by educating them on how networking will facilitate better diversity and inclusion, especially for underrepresented employees.

• Allow underrepresented employees to actively network and educate managers and leaders on building and managing networks to help underrepresented talent perform, progress, and develop.

• Raise expectations for networking across underrepresented employees, managers, and senior leaders.

3. Redesign talent processes to mitigate bias

Organizations often rely on increasing manager perception of DEI goals and supplying unconscious bias and inclusivity training to lessen bias. However, infrequently, they restructure processes to create opportunities for underrepresented people. Restructuring processes is the least-used method in bias mitigation because DEI doesn’t own talent procedures, and it requires a substantial change endeavor. Nevertheless, it can be one of the most valuable.

To wholly embed inclusion and provide reasonable regard to underrepresented employees for progress:

• Task employment on need-to-have as opposed to nice-to-have conditions.

• Increase employment prospects to consider nontraditional talent.

• Revise definitions of potential for relevance as business needs change.

• Look at job design to assist diverse employees with varying needs and predilections.

• Reconsider how performance is assessed, including who gives feedback and how efficiency is defined, and hold managers accountable for a fair evaluation of candidates and replacements.

• Shift internal hiring procedures.

About Jim Woods

Jim Woods has been a global diversity and inclusion expert since 1998. He advocates linking strategic interventions to bottom-line business results. He is a D&I innovator and respected thought leader, having written numerous leadership books and contributed to many publications on the subject of strategic diversity and inclusion and leadership solutions. As President and CEO of Woods Kovalova Group, he has had the privilege of working with clients that include Whirlpool, the U.S. Army, Homeland Security, Deseret Bank, Seimens, and myriad organizations and individuals everywhere.

He has taught fifth-grade math and science along with teaching human resources and leadership on the university level. Mr. Woods holds a bachelors’ degree in business administration and leadership. Including a master’s of science in organizational development and human resources.

He delights crowds as a speaker and is an accomplished children’s book author. Mr. Woods landed his second Fortune 1000 client while homeless living in his car. Work with Jim.