“Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth.” (Political activist Jesse Jackson)

“Political correctness is about looking good to others. Being inclusive is about being good.” (Author, artist, and activist Sam Killerman)

Diversity is the presence of differences within a given setting. These include race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, language, disability, age, religion, political perspective, and socioeconomic and veteran status.

Equity means promoting justice, impartiality, and fairness within your organization. As a result, your policies, processes, and procedures are fair and provide equal possible outcomes for each one of those groups. And inclusion is the process of ensuring that everyone feels a sense of belonging within your workplace and its culture. Inclusion outcomes are met when your company is truly inviting to everyone.

• Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are vital to creating and maintaining a successful workplace. In addition to helping all your team members thrive personally and professionally, the business case for DEI is strong. According to recent research, for instance, gender-diverse companies are 15 percent more likely and ethnically-diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to outperform their competitors.

Making DEI a Reality

It can be a challenge for a business to navigate the sensitive issues and complexities related to achieving true DEI. Fostering a DEI environment requires a proactive commitment to uncovering and resolving inequities experienced by any groups within your employee population who may be marginalized.

• Another study recently revealed that Black employees participated in company retirement plans 21 percent less than White employees, and Hispanic employees participated 40 percent less.

How Can PEO’s Help Your Business?

Why are there such imbalances – and how can you ensure they don’t occur at your company? For an increasing number of small to mid-sized businesses, a professional employer organization (PEO) can offer the support and expertise needed to guide and implement DEI efforts and policies. PEOs take innovative approaches to help their client companies.

• Hire and retain diverse talent.
• Identify employee DEI needs through data analysis and active listening.
• Build benefit packages that support a workforce’s diverse personal needs.
• Adjust communication materials to be more inclusive and diverse.
• Create training programs to undo racism.
• Implement professional development and community involvement initiatives to drive DEI awareness and promote positive change.
• Craft policies, programs and communications to challenge biases, get employees thinking, and nudge people out of their comfort zones so they can grow as individuals, colleagues and community members.

Looking for A PEO Partner You Can Trust?

PEOs are in the business of helping other businesses grow and improve. This includes fostering cultures of integrity and taking better care of all their people. So, as you strive to uphold DEI as an integral thread in the fabric of your business, you may want to consider the added benefits of a PEO partnership. To learn more about PEOs and other customized HR service solutions to meet your unique needs, contact Key HR today.