How to Start Your D&I Implementation with Communication and Reduce Resistance

The million-dollar question for companies is how do you successfully implement D&I into your organization? One of the first steps in the implementation process is communicating that you are focusing on D&I. However, already by communicating your focus on D&I, you risk creating resistance. Welcome to the conundrum of D&I, where perception is reality. For that reason, how the recipient perceives the communication is based on their perception and not your key message.

How to communicate without excluding is one of the things we have been talking a lot with our members in the D&I Lab Community. First via a virtual D&I lab with Louise Münter (we highly recommend giving the video a watch - there’s a lot of hidden gems). And latest at our D&I Lab meeting, where we gathered to apply Louise’s teachings in-person through a co-creation session hosted by our very own Helene Aagaard.

So without further ado, here are some helpful tips in order to avoid potential pitfalls in your D&I communication strategies - from both us and our D&I Lab members.

Center D&I communication from the purpose outward. Successful communication starts from the inside out. Often companies will push messages of diversity and inclusion along with their sustainability goals for the next five to ten years. However, successful companies understand the importance of inspiring employees around the topic of D&I. So, how do you inspire employees to connect to D&I? 

Simple, you start with your why or purpose (e.g.values: fairness, equality, happier working conditions, being their authentic selves at work, or making sure no one feels excluded). It is important employees connect to your why and this purpose may be conveyed differently based on region or department. From the purpose, you work your way out to the how and what.  

The Golden Circle,Simon Sinek 

You need a critical mass of at least 30%. In order for new ideas or concepts to gain traction in order to grow there has to be a sufficient number of people within society or an organization to move the needle forward with this new idea. As a leader or employee, trying to incorporate D&I into your organization - you have to understand where your organization is on its D&I journey and if there is critical mass pushing for the adoption of inclusive practices.  

The law of diffusion of innovation says that the first 2.5% of our population are our innovators. The next 13.5% of our population are our early adopters. The last 34% are your early majority, late majority, and laggards. So where do you see yourselves and your organization in the market of D&I? 

Meeting people where they are. Maybe within your company you are an early adopter or part of the early majority, and you understand the importance of D&I and are ready to implement some low hanging fruits - congratulations. However, certain departments or areas of operation  within your organization may not feel the same way and may lag behind.  

To deal with this, we say, have patience with the rest of the organization to catch up. Change can be scary. Understanding and openly communicating concerns helps foster a sense of dialog that employees are seeking during this transition such as having continual dialogue meetings or “open-door policy” with leaders. Additionally, communicating to employees that D&I changes do not happen over the course of a night, but over a longer period of time (e.g. sometimes up to 10-15 years) is one way to reduce resistance.  

Broadly speak about diversity. Your communication around diversity should be broad and intersectional. Companies often shape their D&I narrative around gender diversity. Unknownly companies inadvertly pushes men and non-binary people out of the conversation. You want everyone to see themselves in the conversation around inclusion because it is a conversation that requires all people. But, how do you get people to see themselves in D&I?     

As an organization, you want to create a strength-based narrative around all identities, even the current majority because successful D&I implementation requires “all hands on deck” in order to navigate towards a more inclusive environment.

Context-specific communication around D&I. This may seem counterintuitive from the message presented above, but it’s not. Another way for employees to see themselves in D&I conversations is through context or region-specific reframing. Organizations pushing D&I in overseas operations - fail to reframe D&I issues that occur in Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa - therefore overseas employees may perceive D&I as a passing trend pushed by Americans or HQ. The beauty of D&I is its malleability, therefore finding out what are the most pressing issues within the region and addressing those before pushing HQ’s D&I agenda. 

Use data to spotlight major issues. D&I is not fluf work but a business imperative. Like with any business case you need data. D&I is no different. Collecting and showcasing D&I data can help you and the rest of your organization understand the gaps and systemic biases occurring in the hiring, pay, and promotion processes.

Resistance from middle managers. Organizational D&I initiatives not only need to be supported from top management, but middle management as well. Therefore, keeping the lines of communication open between top management and middle management in order to address concerns as well as providing middle managers with key D&I data will help them support and promote the business case around D&I.