How Do We Start Our DEIB Journey?

DEI Focused Employee Survey

           Though April is celebrated as Diversity Month, we must strive to recognize and celebrate diversity throughout the year. Building an annual diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) plan puts you in the driver’s seat to execute it. We at BurgeonHR recommend you start your DEI planning journey by conducting a DEI pulse survey.

Setting the Stage 

A DEI pulse survey allows you to obtain valuable insights regarding your employees’ experiences, the diversity of your current workforce, and the adequacy of inclusive policies and procedures. In order for it to be most actionable, it should be customized to your organization’s specific needs and goals. It’s also important to guarantee anonymity to encourage honest feedback. 

Drafting Questions

The survey should include questions that directly measure the outcome of inclusive behaviors. Some examples from SHRM’s “Employee Survey: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” to help you understand what makes a functional DEI survey: 

• Overall DEI: Management shows that diversity is important through its actions 
• Hiring and Recruitment: There is diversity among the people a job candidate will meet/see on his/her first visit to the company
• Career Development: There is a career development path for all employees at this company 
• Personal Experiences: Getting to know people with backgrounds different from my own has been easy at this company 
• Policies and Procedures: I am aware of and understand the procedures for reporting incidents of discrimination and/or bias in the workplace
• Inclusion: Management of this company demonstrates commitment to meeting the needs of employees with disabilities 

Continuing to Action

It is key to ensure that DEI efforts are woven into the fabric of your startup’s culture, policies and day-to-day operations. You should plan to conduct a survey and action its results every 6 months, to gain accurate insights of the changing composition of your workforce, and pivoting your strategy where and when needed.

If you would like to create DEI survey that is customized to your organization needs, reach out to us here.