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THE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO DEI

Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and


Scale-ups in 2022.
EXPERTS’ EDITION
Thoughts from Diversity, Equity

Raquel Lainde & Inclusion expert

If we google the search trend for the terms "DI" or "DEI" we can see a growing interest in recent years.
More and more organizations are looking for ways to implement DEI measures and policies. Their
motivations vary, some more successful, others less so. There are those who relate it to corporate
social responsibility, to attract new customers, to retain talent, they think it is "fashionable", they need
to comply with legislative changes, etc.

Let's make a first spoiler of this guide: the best motivation to approach this search is to increase
employee engagement, employee well-being and the profitability of the company.

Over the years working in this area, I have seen it all. Companies that are well informed and educated
on the subject and others that do it incorrectly. The latter often come to me after a series of
inconsistent initiatives. Sometimes frustrated because they have received backlash for the measures
implemented not being coherent with what the organisation preaches, sometimes disenchanted for
not having obtained the expected results in the expected time. Almost always after making merely
aesthetic efforts or without the convinced support of the entire company.

Let me give you another spoiler: when it comes to cultural transformation, there are no magic
formulas or master keys that work for everyone.

Every organisation starts from its own idiosyncrasies and embarks on a journey of varying length. If
we want to embark on it, we must recognise where we are, decide where we want to go and draw the
route to follow realistically, designing strategies and narratives that motivate all members of the
organisation.

No two routes are the same, as I say, but there are universal good practices.In this guide, the Nailted
team has sought to make a good compendium of them to inspire your route and avoid the random trial
and error that wears out People and Culture teams when they have the wrong motivations and
superficial strategies, those who, when they reach specialists like me, do so without enthusiasm, burnt
out by frustration. I hope it will be of help to you and, if someday in the future we coincide, it will be by
sharing your success story.
Table of contents

1. Understanding diversity, equity and inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4

2. About the author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6

3. The true value of introducing DEI in the workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7

4. Measuring DEI: set up a monitoring system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9

4.1. Light survey: template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11

4.2. Extended survey: template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12

4.3. In-depth survey: template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13

5. A step-by-step to kick start your strategy in 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15

5.1. Encouraging employees to participate: get employee buy-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15

5.2. Involving company leaders: get executive buy-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 17

5.3. Driving cultural change: encourage a feedback culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19

6. Ideas and initiatives for cultivating DEI in your company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22

6.1. How to launch your DEI initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22

6.2. DEI ideas and initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 24

7. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 30

8. Experts predictions in 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 32

9. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 40

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 3
1. Understanding diversity, equity and
inclusion

The importance of cultivating diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace is growing
unstoppably. Social movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo and #StopAAPIHate, have
made people think about certain issues that arise in society and can be transferred to the
workplace. This has led to employees exposing discriminatory experiences and companies aiming
to end them and improve their business practices.

“88% of organizations consider workforce diversity a top priority,


and 85% said the same of inclusion” 1

DEI has become a central concern for companies wishing to create a positive employee
experience and for individuals seeking to develop their careers in fairer, more diverse and
inclusive workplaces. What was once considered a "nice-to-have" has now become a fundamental
part of People & Culture practices.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 4
But first things first, what are diversity, equity and inclusion?

● Diversity: the presence in the same work environment of people with social, physical
and/or psychological differences. A company that supports diversity intentionally employs
people with diverse attributes such as age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity,
etc. In a diverse workplace, differences between people do not block them from
cooperating and working towards the same goals.

● Equity: ensuring that everyone is treated equally and has access to the same
opportunities. An equitable workplace aims to remove barriers, unfair stereotypes or
biases that may unintentionally exclude underrepresented employees. Such companies
provide their employees with equal access to the resources needed to grow and develop as
professionals.

● Inclusion: refers to how people with different characteristics feel part of the larger group.
Inclusion is said to be the result of having a diverse workplace, however, you can have a
diverse group of people in your company but not ensure that everyone feels welcome,
involved, supported and accepted. Inclusive workplaces foster an environment where
people feel part of the team, regardless of their differences, and can participate in
decision-making processes on an equal basis.

Companies often forget that these three principles are mutually reinforcing. Diversity came first,
recognising that people with diverse attributes are not a barrier to working in the same
environment. Then followed equity, highlighting that everyone should have the same
opportunities, and inclusion, ensuring that all employees are involved in company matters.

For those People and Culture leaders who have already included DEI in their strategy and those
who haven’t, this guide will show you how to cultivate DEI in your workplace and deliver the
best employee experience, providing the necessary tools, guidance and support throughout the
process.

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2. About the author

Nailted focuses on making it easier for People and Culture professionals to take action to create
more inclusive workplaces.

Trusted by leading technology companies and used by more than 10,000 employees, Nailted
guides companies to easily adopt best practices to improve their company culture and helps them
understand how people of all groups feel about their workplace.

At Nailted we believe that the foundation for creating an inclusive environment, improving the
employee experience and ultimately transforming companies into better places to work starts
with feedback. Because normalizing feedback and psychological safety are mutually reinforcing,
we help companies create the right feedback-driven culture for them; fuelled by recognition
processes and feedback loops that allow them to enter a cycle of continuous improvement.

With the goal of helping People and Culture teams deliver the best employee experience, Nailted
guides companies to create a culture that everyone wants to be a part of. "An excellent partner
for any People team", "a way to adapt to the new vision of People and Culture", "a game changer
for our company culture", we don't say so ourselves but leading tech companies do.

Nailted is not just an employee engagement platform, but a way to drive real change in terms of
employee engagement, employee experience, inclusion and company culture.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 6
3. The true value of introducing DEI in the
workplace

DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion, is more than a concept related to company policies or
programmes. The introduction of DEI has been proven to create a positive impact in the
workplace, therefore supporting it has become key for companies around the world.

Gartner discovered that inclusive teams in high-diversity environments improve their team
performance by up to 30%, yet only 40% of employees agree that their manager fosters an
inclusive culture 2.

How is it possible that even though it brings so many benefits, many companies overlook it? Many
People & Culture professionals admit that it is not easy to implement, others do not have a clear
understanding of the benefits that including DEI in an HR strategy brings to any company.

What are the benefits of bringing DEI into the workplace?:

● Increased employee engagement: Deloitte's 2021


Global Human Capital Trends report highlights the
importance of DEI in increasing employee
engagement in the workplace 3.

Respecting the unique needs and potential of all


team members, companies gain greater trust and
commitment from their employees, increasing
their sense of belonging. This translates into more
engaged people who feel more satisfied in their
work, leading to a greater improvement in the
employee experience.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 7
● Improved performance: when people have a sense of belonging and feel more engaged
they tend to commit, work harder and smarter, resulting in higher quality work and
productivity. In fact, workplace belonging can lead to a 56% increase in job performance,
and a single incident of exclusion can lead to a 25% decrease in an individual's
performance on a team project.

● Greater talent acquisition: When you change your hiring mindset, you're not only
broadening your search to more diverse candidates, you're defining how candidates view
your company. According to a research by Glasdoor, 76% of people consider diversity in
the workforce to be a very important factor when evaluating a job offer or looking for
new career opportunities 4.

● Growth of in-house innovation: a more diverse group means a wider variety of ideas; a
diverse team can better identify what serves the needs of a wider range of potential
customers. According to Harvard Business Review, it has been statistically proven that a
company is better at innovation when it has a diverse workforce: “companies with
above-average total diversity had 19% points higher innovation revenues” 5.

● Better decision making: Inclusive decision-making is proven to confer a competitive


advantage to any business. Recent research by Cloverpop shows that diverse teams make
better decisions up to 87% of the time 6. Most of the time, decisions rest at the top, but
those that include minority voices in the decision-making process can gain new
perspectives, enabling decisions that might not otherwise have been made.

These benefits show how companies that support DEI are stronger than those that do not.
Including DEI in any People and Culture strategy is essential to building an engaged and happy
workforce along with a positive company culture, which translates into many benefits for the
individual, the team and the company itself.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 8
4. Measuring DEI: set up a monitoring system

A strategy does not come out of the blue. So do proposals for improvement once initiated.

That’s why it’s key to measure DEI at the beginning, before diving into setting up the strategy, and
during the process.

Measuring early in the process will give you visibility on where you are at the starting point and
what your people are interested in and concerned about to help you define a DEI strategy that
aligns with your company's culture. In addition, having that initial data will help you later on to
find out if there has been any evolution as the process moves forward.

It is important that you define how you are going to measure DEI in your workplace, so that you
have some KPIs to help you make data-driven decisions; set the baseline for your DEI initiatives,
discard the ones that don't work and replicate the ones that have a positive impact on your
people.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 9
So, let's get on with it! How do we measure DEI, initially and over time? By creating surveys to
send to employees. But not just any survey. Keep the following in mind:

1. Choose the right questions: to transform the results into actionable information.
2. Use the numerical rating scale as a response mode: offer 3-5 options for them to choose
from and allow you to get quantitative data.
3. Give them space to express themselves: provide a blank space for them to leave their
comments on the question, this way you will also get qualitative feedback.

In the implementation and development phase of your DEI strategy and initiatives, put more
emphasis on this topic in your surveys. However, at the same time, continue to send out regular
employee surveys, along with more focused DEI surveys, to get a more complete picture of your
organizational climate. Once DEI has become part of your everyday workplace, we suggest that
you include these questions in your regular employee surveys.

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4.1 Light survey: template

Get a first impression of the current state of DEI in your company and to lay the foundations for
your strategy. This survey will give you visibility on your organizational climate in terms of DEI,
help you understand your employees' opinion and help you know where and how to start.

Diversity Does my organization value diversity?

My organization is a safe environment for different social groups,


ethnicities and/or races.

My organization provides a safe environment for the free and open


expression of ideas, opinions and beliefs.

Equity I trust my organization to be fair to all employees.

How equitable are opportunities for people from all backgrounds and
identities to advance their careers?

I can voice my opinion or address people directly when I experience or


witness a DEI issue without fear of negative consequences.

Inclusion Are my unique background and identity valued by my organization?

I feel a sense of belonging in my team and organization.

How much do I feel respected by my colleagues?

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 11
4.2 Extended survey: template

Once you have started to build your DEI strategy and have put some initiatives in place, you may
want to monitor how things are evolving and therefore need to deepen your knowledge about
your people in terms of DEI.

Diversity On a scale of 1-10, how much time and energy are invested in making the
teams diverse?

I feel comfortable talking about issues like racism and sexism with my
team.

My organization clearly communicates information about its diversity


goals.

Our leadership is prepared to manage a culturally diverse workforce.

Equity I am included in decisions that affect my work.

I can voice my opinion or address people directly when I experience or


witness a DEI issue without fear of negative consequences.

How much of an impact do DEI ambassador-led initiatives have on


diversity and inclusion issues in the company?

People of different backgrounds are encouraged to apply for higher


positions in the company.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 12
People of different backgrounds are treated fairly in the internal
promotion process.

Inclusion How transparent is the process for career development?

I feel like I can be myself around my colleagues.

When colleagues witness bias, they readily call it out.

The people I work with treat each other with respect.

My company values employees of different ages equally.

4.2 In-depth survey: template

Once you have gained a good understanding of the DEI situation in your company, you can
expand your knowledge on DEI by launching surveys with more detailed questions.

Diversity Does our leadership understand the importance of diversity for our future
success?

How often have I experienced any kind of bias (direct or indirect) in


company meetings?

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 13
How often have I been the object of, heard or witnessed racial, ethnic and
gender-based jokes?

Equity Administrative tasks that don't have a specific owner are divided fairly (eg.
cleaning up shared spaces, taking notes in meetings, scheduling events...)

My career progress and/or standing in my company are not threatened if I


report a DEI issue I witnessed or experienced.

Training programs that promote DEI are useful and accessible to everyone.

Inclusion How ready is my organization to deal with cases of sexual harassment?

How ready is my organization to deal with cases of racial discrimination?

With these surveys, in addition to sending a signal to employees about what is important, you can
get a more detailed picture of your employees' experience of DEI to inform your DEI strategy
and monitor how diversity, equity and inclusion are evolving over time in your organization.

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5. A step-by-step to kick start your strategy
in 2022

Companies are realizing, now more than ever, that inclusive initiatives and company policies are
not just a positive aspect, but play a major role in creating a positive employee experience.
Some companies have started to work on implementing certain DEI initiatives, but as employees
increasingly demand that their companies build truly equitable, diverse and inclusive workplaces,
these initiatives have been seen as a gesture rather than a real commitment.

To transform these initiatives into a promise of real commitment to your employees, they need to
be backed by a strategy. This step-by-step will show you how to put your DEI strategy into
action in order to give meaning and purpose to those diversity, equity and inclusion ideas that you
have been wanting to put on the table for some time. The main aim is to avoid launching these
initiatives in an isolated and scattered manner, and to ensure that they are defined and guided by
a strategy that is aligned with the needs and concerns of your people.

5.1 Encouraging employees to participate: get employee


buy-in

Getting employee buy-in is essential to drive DEI initiatives in your organization. You will need to
get buy-in from employees to measure your organizational climate at the beginning of the
process and to monitor how your workplace is evolving with regard to DEI over time.

Getting it right from the start will prevent you from not getting the expected results and having to
rewrite parts of the process in the future.

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So, how do we encourage employees to participate?

1. Communicate with employees at all levels and


times: a major obstacle in any organizational change
is poorly managed communication. Getting
employees to understand every step of the process
will ensure that everyone is on the same page and
is encouraged to participate.

2. Make them feel part of the change: instill this


feeling in your people by involving them from the
very beginning. Employees accept change more
readily when they are aware of their
responsibilities; explain to them what their role will
be in the change process.

3. Approach reluctant employees in the right way: be aware that some of your employees
may be reluctant to the objectives you set. Make sure you start communicating your
measures by linking them to benefits that will motivate them and generate interest.
Highlight benefits such as the growth in innovation it will bring, the gains in collective
intelligence, the potential for better talent attraction, etc.

4. Allow time for everyone: give employees time to understand what is going to happen. This
way, they will have enough space to ask any questions they have or share their ideas
about the process.

5. Give them absolute freedom: it is essential that employees express their opinions freely at
all times. Ensure psychological safety in your organization and make sure that everyone
feels comfortable sharing their opinions, so that employees are more open to participate.

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6. Show them what you plan to achieve: explain the current situation and show how you
plan to improve it. Build a case example so that everyone can see what the results will be
and feel more committed to the efforts they will have to make to achieve them.

7. Be grateful to everyone: thank everyone who responds to your surveys, asks questions,
shares their views, etc., anything they do that gets them involved in the process. This way,
they will feel a greater sense of ownership of the change that will keep them engaged in
the process.

In building employee buy-in, it is important to establish a process that encourages connectivity.


You may not be able to get everyone involved at first, but consider that the most committed
employees can also be part of our change network, as ambassadors to help get others on board.
Involve those who have become a point of reference, and make sure that not only people who
are part of minority groups are involved in the project. If this is the case, ensure that their
participation is included in their paid hours and that their contribution to the cause is recognised
as a visible promotional tool.

5.2 Involving company leaders: get executive buy-in

You know that getting 100% executive buy-in is key to achieving real change. Most leaders say
they want to encourage diversity , equity and inclusion in their companies, but when that means
changing processes, spending money and investing time, things change.

So, how do we involve company leaders in the process?

1. Seek a personal connection: at some point, everyone has felt left out, treated differently
or felt they did not have the same opportunities as others. Introduce the topic, draw on
these internal experiences, and help them connect with the cause - "Have you ever felt
excluded or involved in an unfair situation? How did it make you feel?”.

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2. Show them that DEI helps the company grow: executives are more willing to invest
resources when they see that growth will be the bottom line. Drop this truth bomb -
diverse and inclusive companies make more money. Find out what sources they consider
legitimate so that you can support your statement with research from sources they trust.

3. Remind them of what is at stake: DEI is not just about winning big for the company and
the employees, but also about avoiding major losses. Losing a talented employee is costly.
It translates into administrative tasks, finding another person to fill the position, training a
new employee and giving that person the space to settle in.

4. Turn their words into action: some executives say that DEI is very important, but still fail
to show support internally. This is your opportunity to (gently) review their words and
open their eyes to reality: "You've mentioned that diversity, equity and inclusion are
important, but you haven't made any investment in the area, how can we move forward in
this regard?”.

DEI takes a unified team effort. Make sure you take a strategic approach to getting leaders
involved and aligned with your vision. This will ensure that they support you before, during and
after your DEI initiatives.

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5.3 Driving cultural change: encourage a feedback culture

No one said that driving cultural change was easy. But designing a feedback culture does not
happen on its own. Gather commitment, consistency, patience and time, and follow the tactics
below to create a feedback culture that will lay the foundation for the success of your DEI
initiatives:

● Make sure you are building a culture you believe in: if you don't believe in the culture you
are creating, no one else will. Make sure you trust the culture you are establishing, that
you care about equitable benefit and that you account for the changes you propose.

● Ensure communication and transparency: a great feedback culture does not stand on its
own. When there is a lack of transparency and communication, the company culture
crumbles.

● Provide training on feedback: the ability to give and receive feedback needs to be
developed and practised. Help your people in this regard by training employees on how to
communicate feedback effectively and sharing useful tips. Make visible the presence of
biases in feedback that tend to disadvantage part of the population. Try to attach scientific
evidence and examples to help them realise the problem and find out if it applies to their
individual cases.

● Initiate change from the top: when employees see that executive leaders follow certain
processes, they are more likely to align and do the same. Encourage company leaders to
lead by example and to constantly ask for and give feedback.

● Make it a habit: when feedback happens routinely, it becomes part of the company
culture. Look for opportunities to create this habit; send out employee surveys, promote
1:1 meetings, encourage employee recognition, etc.

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● Foster psychological safety: the success of the
feedback culture depends on the willingness of
employees to give honest feedback. Employees
must feel that they are in a safe environment and
know that they can express their opinions freely,
without fear of negative consequences. However, it
is very important to stress that all feedback that
employees give each other must be justified and
must relate to specific things and not to general
characteristics, to avoid biases that often penalise
people from minority groups.

● Choose the right feedback channels: each person will prefer to share their opinion in a
different way. Offer a variety of channels and allow employees to give feedback in the way
that makes them feel most comfortable - 1:1 meetings, anonymous employee surveys,
360 feedback, employee recognition messages, etc.

● Find the right technology partner: equipping your team with feedback tools can facilitate
feedback processes. Offer an easy way to save notes from 1:1 meetings, send and receive
360 feedback, give positive feedback to colleagues through recognition messages and
collect feedback through surveys. Nailted can help with this!

● Be aware of cultural differences in feedback: not all cultures are equally comfortable
giving feedback and do not receive it in the same way. To solve this problem, explain right
from the onboarding phase what kind of feedback is given in the company and what kind
is not. In this way, those who come from cultures where negative feedback is more direct
and those who come from cultures that tend to be more reluctant to give it, understand
what is expected of them in the company context and what they can expect from the
feedback they receive from their colleagues.

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● Encourage positive and corrective feedback: everyone likes positive feedback. But you
have to find the right balance between positive and corrective feedback to avoid the risk
of ignoring problems, while not forgetting to celebrate successes and avoid stalling
employee growth.

● Prevent majority groups from cutting themselves off from giving feedback: people from
privileged populations tend to give more complacent feedback to those in minority groups
to avoid being perceived as racist, sexist, etc., making it difficult for them to be truly useful
in correcting what needs to be improved. In the long run, this also makes it difficult for
them to keep pace with their peers. It is important to warn of this possibility that may
unconsciously occur so that it can be prevented in time.

Organizations with a strong feedback culture let the voices of their employees drive company
improvements. When it comes to DEI, being grounded in a strong feedback culture is especially
important as it involves launching measures that directly impact the well-being of all employees.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 21
6. Ideas and initiatives for cultivating DEI in
your company

Making DEI part of the everyday life of any Start-up or Scale-up is a long-distance race.

It means creating a new way of life for a workplace and implementing new initiatives to help the
company and its people adapt to this new reality. That is why, in this section, we will focus on
sharing ideas and initiatives to help create a diverse, equal and inclusive workplace that makes
employees flourish.

6.1 How to launch your DEI initiatives

Once you have engaged employees and managers, worked on creating a culture of feedback,
measured your organisational climate, and identified employee concerns, interests and certain
inequalities within your workplace with respect to DEI, you will have a very solid foundation to
start launching your DEI initiatives. What comes next?

Before launching any DEI initiative, there are certain things to consider at the outset:

1. Define clear outcomes and metrics: You’ve identified what the problem is, now you have
to define what you expect to achieve from your proposed solution and which metrics
you’ll use to measure those outcomes.

2. Estimate costs: some actions will be very simple to implement and you may find that this
point is not entirely necessary. But whatever initiative you launch, it is important to
consider not only the monetary costs, but also the time and resources you will have to
invest in it.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 22
3. Get executive support: Launching any kind of initiative requires a unified team effort, so it
is very important that you communicate your ideas to executives first. You have already
got the leadership involved and aligned with your vision, so getting their support at this
point should be straightforward.

4. Communicate and be transparent: to be accepted and to ensure that all employees will
participate, any cultural change or initiative must be clearly and transparently
communicated to them.

5. Prepare for training: training is necessary to understand the biases that prevail in working
environments. Without it, you are likely to have a superficial approach to initiatives,
make ineffective decisions and/or encounter conflicts and resistance that you do not know
how to resolve.

6. Set boundaries: When launching a new initiative it is important to be transparent from the
outset about what behaviour is and is not acceptable. It is possible that in the course of
the change that the inclusion of an initiative entails, discriminatory situations may come to
light. Should this happen, employees should be made aware of the consequences.

7. Measuring results: We have already gone through the DEI monitoring process in a
previous section “4. Measuring DEI: set up a monitoring system”. At this point, you need to
put it into practice.

Use these 7 steps to organise the launch of your initiatives to make it easy to both measure
success and optimize them for future improvements.

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6.2 DEI ideas and initiatives

Defining and launching your DEI initiatives can be challenging, but it’s crucial to creating a more
inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace for your people. Here is a list of 26 initiatives that will
help you to achieve the change you are looking for in your company:

1. Allow flexible working hours: lack of flexibility makes life unnecessarily difficult for some
employees, who may respond by switching to a company that offers it. People have all
sorts of personal situations that may mean they cannot easily work strict hours. Many
cannot take or pick up their children from school or accompany their parents or
grandparents to medical appointments if they are not allowed to adjust their working
hours. Show employees that you trust them to adapt their working hours to suit your
needs.

2. Review the times and environments


where important decisions are made: as
discussed in the previous initiative,
allowing flexible working hours is
important so that each employee can tailor
their working hours to their personal
needs. For this very reason, we must not
forget to keep flexible working hours in
mind to avoid meetings in which important
decisions are taken being scheduled at
times that do not coincide with family
care, for example.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 24
3. Make language gender-neutral: ask employees which pronouns they prefer to be used to
address them. Also, you can reinforce this point in the recruitment phase, review all your
job descriptions to see if "he/she/it" is used by default, and convert them to gender-neutral
pronouns such as "they".

4. Hold events and include holidays for under-represented groups: typically, employees
adapt to holidays and celebrations of events that involve the majority. The reality is that
internationalization and diversity of opinion are more prevalent in the workplace today
than ever before. Understand what holidays and events your people identify with and
don't leave them out of your company calendar. Consider special dates such as Black
History Month, Pride, Hanukkah or Thanksgiving.

5. Offer international food at lunch and dinner events: when hosting catered events, such as
Christmas dinner for example, offer an international variety of food to make international
employees feel welcome. This is also a good way to open up organic discussions about
other cultures among colleagues from different countries.

6. Schedule team-building activities during the day: employees usually meet, get to know
each other, have a drink, etc. after work. Some employees may feel unintentionally
excluded from these encounters as they have to attend to other responsibilities, such as
picking up their children from school. Allow all employees to have fun with each other
during working hours by scheduling fun activities at work.

7. Check the services you offer to employees: make sure that all employees' needs are
considered. For example, if the company offers fruit and snacks, make sure that allergies
have been taken into account. Another thing you can do in this regard is to stock tampons
in the toilets, to make sure that this need on the part of women is covered.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 25
8. Make sure that the temperature in your office is to everyone’s liking: a study by
nature.com has shown that in most workplaces the temperature defaults to what is most
comfortable for men, the lower temperatures 7. Open this discussion with employees to
find out if temperature is a factor that makes some people uncomfortable at work. Prevent
the most cold-sensitive group of people from having to work with a scarf in the office!

9. Analyze your breakout areas: identify who uses them most and how they are used. Try to
design inclusive breakout areas where everyone feels comfortable interacting. Many
important decisions, such as assigning tasks or projects, are made in these relaxed
environments and not everyone is always present. Also, check that there is a variety of
leisure options as many workplaces have dedicated breakout areas for employees, but
most tend to be limited to a football table as a pastime for everyone. Make sure that there
are leisure options for everyone - for example, reading resources with a variety of themes.

10. No women's or men's toilets: avoid making employees feel uncomfortable about having to
use a particular toilet. One idea is to post the same signs on every door that say "for those
who identify as" and include all groups, represented and under-represented, that may be
in your workplace. Posting these signs will help transgender and genderfluid people feel
more comfortable, as they will not feel obliged to make a choice.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 26
11. Establish a private room for breastfeeding women: provide a private place where
mothers can express breastmilk and have a refrigerator where milk can be safely stored.
Make breastfeeding mothers feel welcome and included by adapting the working
environment to their particular needs.

12. Make sure that the workplace is adapted to the conditions of disability: everyone has
different physical needs. Some employees may need to use a wheelchair or others may be
blind. Make sure that all areas of the workplace are adapted to their needs so that they can
feel as included in the office space as everyone else.

13. Approve the budget for ergonomic needs: because of their physical conditions, some
employees may need a different chair, table or desk lamp. Promote a healthy environment
by listening to the individual needs of all employees to tailor their workspace to what
makes them comfortable.

14. Make sure everyone has a voice in meetings: some people are less listened to or are more
interrupted by others. Train employees on how unconscious power and exclusion
dynamics operate and how to make changes to modify these behaviours.

15. Set wage standards that are not open to negotiation: some studies have shown that men
negotiate more often than women, and when women do negotiate, they tend to be
punished rather than benefit 8. In the end, the result is an equity problem. Make sure that
everyone is paid fairly through narrow bands for each role, so that salaries correspond to
skills, not bargaining power.

16. Provide learning and development programs according to roles: some employees are
more introverted than others, and others have more negotiating skills. These differences
mean that some people have learning opportunities that others do not because they are
not confident enough to ask for them. If you set up closed development programmes
based on roles, you can ensure that everyone will have the same learning opportunities.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 27
17. Define unbiased recruitment processes: to encourage a more objective recruitment
process, set out as precisely as possible the requirements sought for each position and
score the suitability of each candidate in the same way. Also, in interviews, whenever
possible, encourage the assessment team to be as diverse as possible.

18. Delve into the reasons for not considering a candidate: in some cases in reviewing
candidates, and guided by a "gut feeling", unconscious biases are likely to come into play.
Challenge the hiring team to give a more specific explanation for that rejection to uncover
possible hidden biases and have open conversations about them. Use this opportunity not
to shame the team, but to teach them to make fairer judgements about candidates.

19. Educate new employees from onboarding: communicate clearly why your company cares
about diversity, equity and inclusion, and what you are doing to pursue it. Be prepared to
answer any questions that may arise.

20. Create a space to communicate progress: provide visibility to all employees on the impact
of the company's DEI initiatives by communicating frequently and in a visible place the
progress being made towards the set kpi's to show improvement and inspire along the
way.

21. Avoid using common terms with racial connotations: there are certain words that have
been naturally built into our vocabulary that, even if we don’t want them to sound like
that, have racial connotations. You can start by changing words like “whitelist” and
“blacklist”, and “master” and “slave” to more neutral terms.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 28
22. Review the visual elements of your website: is there demographic diversity represented
there? Your company's website tells not only the story of your product or service, but
also your culture. Be sure to demonstrate diversity in the images you include and in the
messages you send to your audience.

23. Open an employee blog: offer your employees a dedicated space for them to write about
their experiences of working in your company. Especially ask underrepresented groups to
participate in this initiative so that other employees and potential candidates can
discover an authentic perspective of your company's diversity.

24. Invite DEI experts to give talks at your company: bringing experts to the company will
give employees the opportunity to better understand what DEI entails. They will then
have the opportunity to ask questions related to their specific concerns, giving you more
visibility on what matters to employees.

25. Create a channel to talk and learn about DEI: Create a channel within the company's
communication tool where employees can share articles and news regarding diversity,
equity and inclusion. This can help normalize actively talking about DEI in the workplace.

26. Visibly recognise when employees strive for diversity, equity and inclusion: celebrate
that your people are doing their part to make your company a great place to work - that
deserves great recognition!

When it comes to DEI initiatives, you can go big and launch several initiatives at once, or start
small and follow a steady development path. Whichever path you choose, remember: don't let the
scope of the initiatives overwhelm you and stop you from doing anything.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 29
7. Conclusions

Ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion has become fundamental to most companies around the
world. Talking about these concepts is the new normal. You can go on talking about them forever,
but taking action is the only way to move towards diverse, equal and inclusive workplaces.

This guide has shown you how to include DEI in your People and Culture strategy, but we must
never forget the role that feedback plays in the success of including DEI in your strategy. We
must not forget its role, nor what it implies.

Creating a feedback culture will lay the foundation for your DEI initiatives and help them flourish.
It is undeniable that organisations with a strong feedback culture let the voices of their
employees drive business improvements. It also opens the door to discussion and offers visibility
on certain situations that will lead to difficult decision-making. However, bear in mind that it
would be much worse not to be aware of these situations.

In order to prepare you for what lies ahead if you decide to include DEI in your People and Culture
strategy, what are the tips you should take with you?

➔ Be prepared to uncover unpleasant situations and hidden employee behaviours that you
didn't count on.
➔ Be prepared to be consistent with the DEI policies you are applying.
➔ Be prepared to make difficult but necessary decisions so as not to undermine what you
want to achieve.
➔ Be prepared not to jeopardise the safe space that your policies and the words that define
them have created for your people.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 30
Including DEI as part of your People and Culture strategy is definitely worthwhile. Companies
that support DEI are stronger than those that don't, build a more engaged and happier workforce
and create a more positive company culture. It goes without saying that cultivating DEI in the
workplace not only improves employee well-being, but also company performance and business
results.

For those people and culture practitioners who have already included DEI in their strategy, this
guide can help you add improvements, strengthen the process and feel more comfortable in
making decisions. For those who have not, this guide will serve as a solid foundation from which
to start. We hope that, from now on, this guide will become your best ally and help you create the
diverse, equal and inclusive workplace your employees deserve.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 31
8. Experts predictions in 2022

Juanita Kwarteng
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager at Publicis Groupe Canada

Being a good employer has become connected to implementing DEI and addressing
opportunity gaps. It is becoming crucial for employers to think about how their processes,
policies, and procedures can create social change in our society.

Maribel Ruiz Gil


HR Expert

Research shows that diverse, equitable and inclusive organizations achieve 70% higher
growth, 36% better profitability, 75% faster time to market, 19% better innovation. So, what
companies could do to reach it? Working on leadership, communication, talent management,
structures, processes, practices, mindset, skills. It means, placing in their agenda for 2022
shaping and building an inclusive culture as a business imperative.

David Zinger
Employee Engagement Expert at David Zinger Associates

Diversity Inclusion and Equity can be put into an alarming acronym - DIE. What needs to die is
inequity, exclusion, and naive uniformity. All transitions begin with an ending before moving
through a neutral zone towards a new beginning. I dream of a day when our "special" focus on
diversity, inclusion, and equity dies because it is so much a part of the fabric of our
organizations that to focus on it would be superfluous. Yet, I also know that in many ways we
are just entering the neutral zone and the way out of something is through it - so we must
move fully into all our efforts to foster, build, maintain, and enhance diversity, inclusion, and
equity for the benefit of all. The year 2022 offers us the opportunity to move through the
neutral zone in the right direction so that we can begin to take DEI for granted as the way
things are in all our organizations.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 32
Simone Veglia
Head of People & Culture Consulting at Growara

I’ve always been very passionate about History. For me, History is the “must have” knowledge
to make better decisions. I’m not that naive to think that History has the solution to our current
problems, but yes, I believe that being History savvy can accelerate and create solutions
nowadays.

Reflecting on diversity, equity and inclusion, I immediately think about Pirates (1650s-1730s)
and their cosmopolitan crews, just the 20% composed by white European people, and where
the boot was shared equally between all the boat members. With all probability, the inventors
of flat organizations, Agile Talent, Agile Leadership, marketing and wellbeing. At that time,
everyone wanted to be a Pirate, nobody wanted to work for the English Navy. Piracy was the
Google and Apple of our age.

I cannot prevent thinking about the ancient Alexandria Museum (c. 367 BC - c. 283 BC).
Financed by the emperor, it was the Silicon Valley of our time, and attracted scholars and
literates from all the known world. A research center that brought to life amazing innovations,
such as jet propulsion, even if Heron at that age called it aeolipile, “wind ball”. Attached to the
museum, there was the majestic Alexandria library: thousands of books from all around the
world, no matter the language or the subject or the author.

In 1940, the OSRD was… I believe you already got me. Diversity is the only way to achieve
innovation and disruption. Equity is the only way to focus on collective intelligence and
improvement, and not on envy and distrust. Inclusion is the only way to bring value. For
ourselves, the community, the future.

I have no doubts that in 2022, the companies’ departments will start to see the light and they
will raise their pirate flags and they will put the first brick of their Alexandria museum and
library.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 33
I have no doubts that, during the next three years, we won’t talk any more about race, sex,
culture, because talent has no race, sex or culture. I have no doubts that, during the next five
years, we are going to talk more and more about cooperation, co-creation and partnership
instead of competition. And in cooperation there is no space for sameness, inequality and
exclusion.

Julio Braceli
CEO and Founder at Growara

We see it all the time: a company wants to get started with DEI, and immediately places the
work on the shoulders of its human resources department. However, there are a few problems
with this approach.

1. It signals to your non-HR people that DEI isn’t their job: It is the responsibility of
everyone at the company to promote inclusion. Your leadership needs to be aware of
how the experiences of the people they are managing may differ from that of others.
Your hiring managers must make sure that they create inclusive job postings that don’t
discriminate against diverse talent. If DEI is placed under HR, employees that don’t
work in that department may get the idea that they either can’t do anything to foster
inclusion, or that they don’t need to. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is everyone’s job.

2. DEI metrics are Key: When a company’s leadership team asks for updates from each
business unit, they’ll learn about new product features, recruiting numbers, sales
targets, etc. If DEI is tucked away as part of HR, it doesn’t get the same attention as it
would if it was its own function. DEI shouldn’t be a 2-minute update for leadership. It
should be measured, tracked, and reported in the same way that every other business
function is brand sentiment.

Quick win: Focus on recognition. Some companies reward employees for inclusive behaviors
and efforts to increase equity and inclusion. We suggest leaders and managers recognize
employees when they:

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 34
- Demonstrate corporate values such as teamwork and collegiality.
- Work toward shared —not just personal— goals.
- Practice welcoming and inclusive behaviors such as mentoring new employees and seeking
their insight.
- Help others feel like they Recognize and learn about colleague’s diverse backgrounds
belong.
- Recognize and support colleagues who support DEI efforts.

Maddy Woodman
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lead at People & Transformation HR

Diversity and inclusion in 2022 requires deep thought, understanding and facing our own
privileges – with particular focus on internal activism.

It is absolutely imperative for organisations to look at and tackle societal issues head on. Not
only is there the moral and ethical case to do the right thing by society, but the business case –
diverse teams produce 19% more revenue (Boston Consulting Group, 2018) and make better
business decisions up to 87% of the time (Cloverpop, 2017). When we look specifically at
businesses that actively confront racial inequity – the results show that employee job
satisfaction, loyalty, creativity, and value increases, and these organisations record an average
revenue 58% higher than those who did not (Henley Business School, 2021).

It’s just as important for organisations to support and empower their workforce to be able to
practice allyship. Allyship is an active practice of unlearning and re-evaluation, where the
person holding systemic power seeks to end oppressions in solidarity with a group of people
who are systemically disempowered. Sounds complicated – but essentially, it’s understanding
your own place in society, where you may hold power, and where you might be able to use
this power for good.

By understanding our own place in society, we need to unpack privilege. Privilege provides
unearned advantages because of identity, and privilege is invisible to those who have it. It’s
really important to understand our own privileges in our quests to become allies.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 35
Understanding our personal power and privileges is an opportunity, and nothing to feel guilty
for. Guilt isn’t helpful. We can’t help who we are and what world we were born into. It’s a
powerful tool to foster empathy with others, increase our understanding and play a part in
correcting some of the injustices in society.

Organisations have the power to start the change, empower their employees to take action,
and educate their workforce and make real impact. Leaders need to be aware of what is
happening within society, and also within their colleagues’ lives – that might change how they
feel about work and belonging, and ultimately affect their productivity and feelings of
inclusion.

Equipping colleagues both to feel empowered enough to stand up for others, and actively
make positive progress is crucial. So how can organisations enable colleagues to become
internal activists?

There are so many ways to take action – these are just a few;

1. Educate ourselves and others about the struggles of marginalised people. We cannot
expect marginalised groups to educate us, that’s not what they’re here for.
Organisations need to provide colleagues with time and space to learn.
2. Personal reflection is key – allowing colleagues to understand their own place in
society and how they may benefit from certain societal structures – and then how you
can help or support others, and how the organisation enables this.
3. Provide employees with time to be part of workplace initiatives – working with
colleagues, not at them.
4. Above all, active listening to people – and checking in with them when incidents
occur, and acting fast as a result.

The more your organisation explores inequalities and empowers people to become internal
activists for inclusion, the more your organisation will become a better, more inclusive – and
in turn, happier - place to work.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 36
Elena Yepes
Chief People Officer at Zubi Labs

According to many studies, diversity is strongly related to business success. Yet the truth is,
although more companies are joining the discussion of diversity and inclusion, this trend
doesn’t seem to stick in business reality. As it appears, teams feel more comfortable in
homogeneity (people understand each other, there’s no friction), however this comfortability
goes against getting better results.

Creating a diverse and inclusive work environment can increase the level of internal debates or
conflicts, but that is precisely why it can also improve company intellect, creativity and
innovation. A diverse workplace promotes a constructive nonconformist spirit that improves
results and consequently helps to create a better future. With this concept of “diversity”, we’re
not trying to seek justice or fix anything that could’ve been done to other communities in the
past, we’re just trying to make a better society. Hence, companies should be an example to
societies and encourage diverse talent that will be the key to change and lead the future.

Joan Manel Alvarez


Chief People Officer at Voxel

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has been essential for companies for a long time. Initially, DEI
just consisted of CSR initiatives with the objective to give back to society, but it did not mix
with the businesses daily activities.
Currently, we are experiencing an increasing trend where this responsibility has been moved to
Human Resources departments, or People, as we call it at Voxel.
Inclusive and diverse teams translate into creativity, different skills, diverse ways of thinking…
which only benefit the final product or service, they make it richer. Hence, having diverse
teams, be it from an ethics, gender or skill perspective, has become an essential requirement
for all companies.

Regarding trends for 2022, the pandemic has shown us that a different way of working is
possible and very beneficial. To achieve that, we need diverse skills. Therefore, I believe 2022

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 37
will be an important year for diversity and inclusion in the corporate world.

We have a lot left to do, both the companies that are just starting out in concepts of Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion, and those that carry these values in our DNA.

At Voxel, we have been working for years in order to be a diverse, inclusive and equal company.
We continue to promote these values through awareness actions, activities, talks, etc. so that
everyone is aware of the importance and benefits of diverse, equal and inclusive teams.

Natal Dank
Culture and People Development Expert

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is no longer about doing the 'right thing' in the workplace,
it simply makes good business sense. Recent McKinsey research declared that diversity wins,
and there is now data to show that more diverse companies outperform less diverse
companies. We also know from our own personal experiences that working in diverse teams is
better for innovation and creativity. I personally think it makes work life more enjoyable.

The workplace has changed forever partly thanks to social movements like Black Lives
Matter, Me Too and Stop Asian Hate. We are now more aware of differences and inequality in
the workplace than ever before and, most importantly, many organisations are doing
something about it. It's time for DEI to no longer be a goal in itself. We need to focus on the
benefits it brings to an organisation and how to make it logically happen at the day to day
level.

The topic all HR leaders seem to be talking about is how to maintain their DEI strategy and
gains in the face of hybrid working. But to be honest, I feel this misses the point. Of course, any
hybrid or virtual working arrangements need to be based on quality DEI data. If organisations
are creating hybrid solutions without testing and validating across different groups then it will
be fundamentally flawed. In 2022 I personally hope DEI is no longer an HR-only issue and see
it owned by teams and leaders as part of the ways of working.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 38
The other key action that will be essential in 2022 is senior leadership, indeed anyone who is
an ally, calls out unwanted behaviour. Only once the people who aren't the victims speak up,
will be see true change. Also I think it’s important that anyone working in HR gets comfortable
with what the different words of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mean. A handy way to think
about it is... “Diversity is being invited to the party, Inclusion is being asked to dance and
Equity is getting the same access to the buffet as everyone else”.

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 39
9. References

1. Gartner. How to measure Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

[https://emtemp.gcom.cloud/ngw/globalassets/en/human-resources/documents/how-to-m

easure-dei.pdf].

2. Gartner. How HCM technologies can scale inclusion in the workplace.

[https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3979855/how-hcm-technologies-can-scale-incl

usion-in-the-workplac].

3. Deloitte. 2021 Global human capital trends: special report.

[https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends.html].

4. Glassdoor. What job seekers really think about your diversity and inclusion stats.

[https://www.glassdoor.com/employers/blog/diversity/].

5. Harvard Business Review. How and where diversity drives financial performance.

[https://hbr.org/2018/01/how-and-where-diversity-drives-financial-performance].

6. Cloverpop. Learn how inclusion + diversity = better decision making at work.

[cloverpop.com/hacking-diversity-with-inclusive-decision-making-white-paper].

7. Nature. Energy consumption in buildings and female thermal demand.

[https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate2741].

8. Harvard Business Review. Why women don’t negotiate their job offers

[https://hbr.org/2014/06/why-women-dont-negotiate-their-job-offers].

The step-by-step guide to DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion for Start-ups and Scale-ups in 2022 40

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