Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) in the workplace are overlapping concepts and initiatives that involve hiring people of different backgrounds while encouraging their participation. This can include age, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and more.
These have become increasingly important and essential aspects of work culture. In fact, they can boost engagement, job satisfaction, retention, performance, and profits.
There is much more to cover on this topic in the future, but let’s breakdown exactly what DEI&B means. An article from Collective Health describes each concept below –
- Diversity refers to how diverse a company is, not only in terms of race and gender, but also sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical ability, religion, and more.
- Equity represents how fair and impartial the workplace is, with the goal of ensuring that all employees have equal opportunities to grow and progress. It also means creating room for underrepresented voices, tackling unconscious biases, and providing inclusive, culturally competent care through your health plan.
- Inclusion highlights the importance of creating a welcoming environment for all, not just ensuring that people are treated fairly. Both in policy and in practice, employers should focus on making sure that everybody is heard and has the opportunity to surface their opinions, not just those that are comfortable in the spotlight.
- Belonging is a newest addition to DEIB values and the last part of the puzzle. It represents the affinity and positive relationships that emerge between employees of various backgrounds when businesses actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace.
Understanding DEI&B is a vital workplace initiative to foster a more inclusive workforce.