Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

DiversityByDesign is a comprehensive DEIB program designed to help organisations create inclusive environments that drive innovation, performance, and employee engagement. 

Human services organisations have diverse workers including staff cohorts, such as First Nations people, people with a lived experience of mental illness and suicidal thoughts, LGBTIQA+, immigrants, neurodiversity, age and disability, and need to have inclusion strategies and actions as part of their responsibility to a psychologically safe workplace.

Diversity: Encompasses demographics such as gender, age, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, location, nationality, disability status, and more. The more diverse the workplace is, the broader the range of these demographics. Yet, simply having a diverse workplace is insufficient. The key is to prioritise creating a workplace environment that embraces and supports workers from diverse backgrounds.

Equity: An equitable workplace means that every person receives equal opportunities, is treated fairly, and has the resources they need to succeed, regardless of their background.

Inclusion: An inclusive environment means that all workers are treated with respect and care, despite any differences, and are made to feel welcome, valued, and heard. 

Belonging: All workers should feel accepted, valued, and heard at work. Belonging is about fostering psychological safety in groups, where every person is comfortable expressing themselves without fear of judgment or retribution. Belonging is a key driver of workplace culture success.

An inclusive culture values and respects diversity, allowing everyone to contribute their unique perspectives and expertise. The workplace can attract a more diverse range of workers by actively investing in creating a safe and inclusive environment.

Requiring individuals with diverse backgrounds to conform in these environments will cause them to lose their unique value.The key is to accept, and work effectively with diversity, to create improved outcomes for the organisation and the people you serve. 

Key components:

1. DEIB  Assessment:

• Evaluate  current organizational DEIB practices and culture
• Identify  gaps and opportunities for improvement

2. Diverse-by-Design  Team Building:

• Create  teams with intentional diversity in skills, identities, and lived       experiences
• Develop  strategies to maximise collective intelligence and creativity

3. Inclusive  Leadership Development:

• Train  leaders to foster inclusive environments
• Develop  skills for leading diverse teams and driving innovation

4. Inclusive  Innovation Workshops:

• Implement   inclusive design and systems thinking methodologies
• Engage  diverse stakeholders in co-creation processes

5. DEIB Strategy Formulation:

• Develop  a tailored DEIB strategy aligned with organisational goals
• Create  action plans for sustainable DEIB integration

6. Inclusive Policies and Practices Audit:

• Review  and refine HR policies, recruitment practices, and organisational  processes
• Ensure   alignment with DEIB principles

7. DEIB  Metrics and Accountability:

• Implement  measurement systems to track DEIB progress
• Develop  accountability frameworks for leaders and teams

DiversityByDesign is designed to help organisations move beyond performative DEIB initiatives to create transformative change. By integrating DEIB principles into all aspects of the organisation, from leadership to daily operations, this program aims to unlock the full potential of diversity, driving both social impact and organisational success. This offering leverages Kris Sargeant's extensive experience in creating inclusive environments and aligns with Diverse Leaders' commitment to fostering belonging and empowerment for all individuals. DiversityByDesign will help organisations build DEIB "by design, not by default," creating sustainable, inclusive cultures that drive performance and innovation in the human services sector and beyond.