Building a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy for the new year can feel overwhelming for company leaders. It may seem like there are too many moving parts  – gathering data, identifying priorities, assigning roles and responsibilities, finding a budget, and the list goes on.

Where should companies begin?

The reality is employees want to be a part of a culture that makes them feel safe, valued, and supported. When leaders keep this in mind, organizational barriers become opportunities for growth.

• Limited resources show leaders they have to prioritize and use the resources available to make consistent progress, no matter how big or small.
• A lack of DEI education means the company can invest in training and more learning opportunities.
• If the company is struggling to gather data, there’s still an opportunity to set measurable goals and data-gathering systems for the future.

Every company is at a different stage in its DEI journey, however, there’s always room to make continuous improvements. Below are Perfeqta’s recommendations for turning your 2023 DEI progress into a strategic plan for 2024.

Assessing 2023 DEI progress

Before your team dives into planning for the new year, take time to look at the progress you’ve made in 2023.

• Collect and analyze data: Look at company data on employee demographics, engagement, promotions, and retention rates. Review past employee survey feedback and other qualitative data to understand your team’s sense of belonging and overall satisfaction in the workplace.
• Gather employee feedback: If you’re looking for more data, conduct anonymous surveys and focus groups to get feedback on your company’s DEI initiatives for 2023. Ensure these surveys are well-structured and include open-ended questions.
• Assess leadership’s understanding of DEI: It’s important to evaluate your senior leadership’s commitment to DEI initiatives before moving forward. Did they complete a DEI training? Have they been involved in DEI planning meetings? Have they completed their assigned tasks?
• Find the gaps: After collecting data, identify how far or close you are to meeting your DEI goals. What did your team do well? Where did people fall short? What resources do you need to meet your 2024 goals?

Perfeqta's free DEI quiz is a great tool that provides insight into your company's current state of DEI. It only takes 10 minutes and you'll receive recommendations on how to evolve DEI at your organization.

Building your 2024 DEI plan

The goal is to embed DEI seamlessly into your entire company strategy, which requires commitment from senior leadership.

• Set clear and measurable goals: Look back at company data and employee feedback to determine which areas of the company need the most attention. Define specific goals around hiring, retention, DEI training, employee belonging, and inclusive leadership. Make sure your goals are measurable so you can assess progress throughout the year.
• Outline your action plan and assign responsibilities: In as much detail as possible, begin mapping your strategic plan and define who within your organization is responsible for each task. Establish accountability at all levels, from senior leadership to individual team managers. You may also partner with a DEI consultant to help do the heavy lifting when building this roadmap.
• Allocate resources: Confirm what resources your team will need, including budget and personnel, to effectively carry out your DEI vision.
• Invest in training and education: Implement company-wide DEI training programs to educate your employees on the importance of DEI and how they can contribute to a more inclusive workplace.
• Monitor and evaluate progress: On a quarterly basis, look at key DEI metrics, which include representation, turnover, hiring, advancement, employee engagement, and pay equity. Identify where you need to revamp your strategic plan to continue making progress.
• Communicate progress with your employees: Keep your team in the loop by sharing the company’s DEI goals, programs and initiatives that are in the works, how they can get involved, and how they can share feedback with senior leaders.

As the year comes to a close, this is the time to set your company up for an impactful year ahead. Fragmented data, limited resources, and uncertain priorities shouldn’t be barriers, but rather opportunities for improvement.

Evaluate your company's DEI progress to build a more inclusive culture

Perfeqta created a free quiz that helps leaders assess their company’s DEI maturity in minutes. 

You answer 20 questions about your company’s current DEI initiatives and we’ll show you where you fall within our 5-stage maturity model. We also send immediate recommendations on how to evolve DEI at your organization.

Take the quiz today and learn more about your company’s current state of DEI.