How to Bring True Equity to the Workplace

For the first time in my 25+ years of being a diversity and inclusion expert and consultant, companies are beginning to have conversations about equity in the workplace. Of course, most people understood fundamental equality. But it was difficult for leaders and HR managers to wrap their heads around diversity and inclusion in the early days.

By the time I started my business in the '90s, schools and organizations had accepted and pushed forward the ideas pioneered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as he is widely accepted as a forefather of equality because of his legacy during the civil rights movement. I think it also helps that the American revolutionary forefathers had already put forth the notion that all men are created equal. However, they failed to demonstrate any real belief in their claims.

Suddenly, people held companies accountable for their leadership teams' diversity, how they pay their workers, and what they had to say about the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Equity is something altogether different. It had not caught most companies' attention until May 25th, 2020, when the Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd. If you were paying attention, social media displayed the power of good people in large numbers. Post after post showed companies that many people were no longer satisfied with optical empathy or box-checking. Suddenly, people held companies accountable for their leadership teams' diversity, how they pay their workers, and what they had to say about the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

On a day that was no different from any other day, officers killed another Black man, and everything changed. The calls I received were less of me trying to convince companies why equity is important and more of companies asking how soon I could help them implement equity into their organizations. So, if you're ready to roll up your sleeves, do the real work, here is how you can get started:

Companies often purport diversity numbers that can make it appear that diversity and inclusion is a priority. I recently worked with a company that had diverse representation but little equitable representation. This particular company had many diverse hires; however, most hires that fell into a diverse category worked low authority and low wage positions. If illustrated on a pyramid, it would be an apparent racial hierarchy.

Diverse hires in the majority of low authority and low wage jobs means that although diverse hires may have access to a living wage, companies do not empower them with leadership and promotion opportunities. Companies not only miss out on doing equity work to make the world a better place, but they miss out on diverse thought that breeds varied problem-solving approaches.

Pay has been on the list of things we don't discuss in the workplace like race, religion, and politics. Interestingly enough, many of those taboo topics are potentially linked. If companies want to do equity work, then pay transparency policies are a bold first step. It is crucial to have precise measurements that illustrate how compensation correlates to employee performance indicators and labor metrics. It is equally essential to make sure that the company pay structure is comprehensively and regularly discussed throughout the organization so employees understand how work is valued and measured.

Diverse hires in the majority of low authority and low wage jobs means that although diverse hires may have access to a living wage, companies do not empower them with leadership and promotion opportunities.

Companies must ensure that all leaders understand the pay structure and have the knowledge to document all pay decisions accurately. Lastly, every organization goes through shifts where roles and responsibilities change. Be sure to keep job descriptions up to date so that shifting responsibilities align appropriately with pay.

It's easy for us to assume that most people have similar lives to our own. After all, our most significant reference point is our personal experience. We think that our co-workers have the same support systems that we do. As we focus on creating equity for diverse groups, we must keep in the forefront that diversity goes beyond individual experience.

With a diverse background come diverse challenges. For example, people who fall into diverse categories may have varying literacy levels, language barriers, and knowledge about navigating employment and bureaucratic structure. For many, it may be the first time they have had access to these professional spaces. Companies that offer tuition reimbursement benefits can help employees who do not have the economic capacity to obtain a post-secondary education without support.

With a diverse background come diverse challenges.

Many employers could provide child-care options or paid leave options. For example, a single mom who has to pick up a sick child from daycare is more likely to be at risk of reprimand if she has to miss work. Alternatively, someone who has spousal support and can split time off for sick children can appear more committed to the company. It is less of a reflection of a commitment to the company, and more of a reflection of missing support systems that would ensure all employee's success. We have to work to ensure that we protect employees who face unique challenges with policies that alleviate burdens and barriers instead of increasing them.

Equity work is real work. It means giving more than what has traditionally been acceptable. Equity work requires a company that understands the interwoven and complex issues contributing to society's isms. The inequitable systems that create the problems we're seeing in our homes and institutions today are intentionally keeping people from achieving economic and social mobility. Therefore, it will take even more intentional efforts to create new systems that allow people the right to life, liberty, and happiness.