Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Audit Checklist

This blog gives an overview of DEI, how to conduct your first DEI Audit and how you can continue to improve your business's DEI compliance over time. We also provide a free checklist to assist in your DEI audit!

What is Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)?

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is the idea that everyone deserves to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect. It's about recognizing the inherent value of each person and ensuring that everyone's unique background, perspective and experiences are understood, valued and leveraged. It's also about creating an inclusive environment where different perspectives can be heard, where people feel safe sharing their opinions, and where everyone has an opportunity to succeed. DEI is a mindset change with practical applications that provide real benefits. It requires us to challenge our assumptions about how things should be done in order for us to create a better future for all of us.

Diversity describes the presence of different cultures and social backgrounds in the workplace. This includes race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, religion, and age. A diverse environment is one where people from all groups are represented.

Equity in the workplace means creating a level environment for all employees. An equitable company treats everybody equally, regardless of race, gender, social background, or physical attributes. Underrepresented groups face barriers to success. Businesses must work to remove these challenges.

Finally, inclusion means ensuring that everybody feels accepted and heard. Understanding and embracing the unique strengths of individuals in your workforce is central to inclusion.

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Why is Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Important?

The world is changing. People are changing, communities are changing, and the way we interact with each other is changing. It's important that we don't just sit back and watch our culture shift—we need to be active participants in the process of making sure our society continues to thrive. In our increasingly global economy, DEI can help an organization attract the best talent from around the world. In fact, 77% of millennials say they will choose a workplace based on its diversity efforts.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is a way for businesses to ensure that their staff is representative of their customers' cultures and backgrounds. This creates a more welcoming environment that fosters collaboration and innovation. Companies who implement DEI practices have been shown to have higher productivity rates, higher employee retention rates, and fewer lawsuits brought against them by members of underrepresented groups.

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🎨 Increase creativity and innovation

A diverse workforce brings new viewpoints to the table. People from different backgrounds view and interact with the world in different ways. When solving problems, a diverse group of people will develop a wide range of creative ideas. But if everybody has the same experiences and thinks in the same way, there is a danger of groupthink. This leads to blinkered decision-making and a lack of innovation. You build the most creative team possible by fostering diversity in your business.

Inclusion is also vital for boosting creativity and innovation. In environments where people do not feel equal, they will assume that their opinion is not valued. Team members with excellent creative ideas will not share them, and opportunities for innovation are missed. Ideas flow unimpeded when every voice is equal, and you get the best out of your team.

👔 Develop better business strategies

Listening to a wide range of opinions is the best way to make effective decisions. Many businesses repeat the same strategies, and the company stagnates. By opening yourself up to a range of viewpoints from a diverse group, you can think about business strategy in a whole new way.

✋🏽 Improve employee retention

High employee turnover is a serious problem for businesses. Hiring and onboarding new team members is costly, and you will see a drop in productivity when you lose an experienced employee. There are several reasons for high employee turnover, but poor DEI is one of the main ones.

Employees don't want to work in a climate where they feel undervalued or discriminated against. There are plenty of other businesses that value DEI, so people will find new positions elsewhere.

Prioritizing diversity and inclusion shows current employees that you value them. It also makes you more attractive to potential employees and helps you build the best possible pool of talent.

💕 Establish a strong brand

Social responsibility is a priority for consumers. Although the benefits of DEI are mainly internal, being more diverse and inclusive also improves your brand. Consumers from diverse groups are more likely to deal with a business if they see themselves represented in the workforce. A company lacking diversity is seen as outdated, which can influence consumer behavior. 

What is a Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Audit?

A Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) audit is a structured process for measuring the current state of diversity, equity, and inclusion at an organization, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

A DEI audit creates a detailed picture of the different demographics in your business and the culture in your workplace. It also examines the potential challenges specific individuals face and highlights diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in your business. The audit will give you an overview of the diversity and inclusivity in your business and show you where you are falling short.

DEI audits use many tools, including diversity research and diagnostics, gender pay gap analysis, and equality impact assessments. The end goal of any DEI audit is to make improvements that create a fairer, more inclusive working environment for everybody. Businesses can also gain diversity accreditations to demonstrate their dedication to creating an inclusive culture.

Areas to Assess in Your Business For DEI Compliance

There are certain key areas you must assess for DEI compliance:

📝 Policy and procedures

The policies and procedures in your business are created to establish consistency and streamline operations. However, they may not apply to all groups within the company, meaning that some employees gain more advantages than others. You must review all policies and procedures to ensure equitable outcomes.

Dress codes are a key example of this. Certain religions have specific rules about how a person should dress. If your dress code is at odds with this, you create a policy that singles out people based on their religious beliefs. Having separate dress codes for men and women can also cause problems. Are those dress codes inclusive of transgender people?

All policies must be cross-cultural and non-discriminatory, so old policies will likely need review.

Any procedures must also be suitable for those that are differently abled. If you require things to be done in a way that is more challenging for people with disabilities, that policy is not equitable. Accommodations must be made so that differently-abled people are not put at a disadvantage because of company procedures.

👩 Staff and representation

It is equally important to assess the representation of different groups amongst your staff and the relationships between them. Consider entry-level, management, and leadership tiers and which racial, gender, and social groups are represented. A leadership team of entirely middle-aged white males, for example, lacks representation and needs to be rectified.

The power dynamics between employees have a role to play too. Where does the power lie in your organization? Is it only with management or limited to a particular social group? What can you do to change the balance of power and give a platform to those that typically don't feel represented or heard?

Finally, you must review your payment structures. Is pay equitable, especially between men and women? Is there transparency in payment structures so all employees are comfortable with their salary? The gender pay gap is one of the most common equality issues in the workplace, so it deserves extra attention during a DEI audit. 

❣️ Access to support

Providing the proper support to employees is an effective way to improve diversity and equity. Communication is the foundation of this, and your team must feel comfortable discussing diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. Open up these communication channels by implementing HR reporting processes and fostering a supportive company culture.

Work to eliminate the stigma around mental health, disabilities, race, and gender in the workplace too. This makes staff members feel more comfortable seeking support when needed.

Avoid focusing on short-term costs when creating support networks for employees. Long-term health outcomes like improved mental health, reduced stress levels, and better physical health should always be a priority. Your initial investment is worthwhile if it creates a happier, healthier team that enjoys an equitable workplace. 

DEI Metrics and Assessment Areas

Improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in a business is a big task. There are many areas where changes must be made, and it is often a lengthy process. In order to measure progress and create a detailed plan, you must focus on key metrics and assessment areas:

🧑🏿 Staffing demographics

Understanding how your staff is divided between demographics gives good insight into diversity in the business. Consider diversity based on race, gender, and disabilities.

You should also look at the demographics of new hires. Are you focusing on one particular group while others are underrepresented?

Retention rates can tell you a lot about the company culture and how different groups are treated. For example, if a disproportionate number of black women are leaving the business, there are clearly issues that make them feel excluded. 

👵🏻 Promotional opportunity demographics

When a business consistently promotes one demographic over everybody else, severe issues with equity arise. Review all recent promotions and see what the demographic breakdown looks like. Men being more likely to get promotions than women is a common problem, but discrimination can also be based on race, religion, and disability. This indicates that decisions are not being made based on merit, and preconceptions about certain demographics are taking over.

📩 Complaint quantity

Complaints are an excellent source of data for a DEI audit. You can see which demographics are making the most complaints. Ideally, it will be an equal split, but if there is a clear divide, certain groups obviously feel disadvantaged in the workplace.

👍🏻 Job satisfaction scores

Comparing job satisfaction scores between demographics shows you exactly how employees feel about DEI in the workplace. You can also use them to focus on certain groups you are concerned about. For example, you may look at the percentage of female employees that report feeling supported in their roles.

💸 Pay gap analysis

Identifying discrepancies in pay between different groups is vital. Compare employees at the same level of seniority to ensure they are compensated fairly. Be particularly mindful of any particular group that is consistently paid less.

Use Tools to Complete Your DEI Audit

Using a range of methods to complete your DEI audit gives you better data and more actionable results. These are some of the best tools you have at your disposal:

📋 Checklists

Checklists help you create a detailed plan for your audit. They are effective for assessing your current DEI compliance levels and identifying the areas that need to be focused on most. You can then inspect the premises for issues and start putting measures in place to correct problems.

DEI checklists are also useful for planning, executing, and managing other tools used during the audit. Our free DEI audit checklist is an excellent resource for any business that wants to improve diversity and inclusivity. You can also use the Xenia platform to generate your own task checklists. 

📬 Surveys

Surveys are an excellent tool because they can be anonymous. Employees feel more comfortable broaching sensitive subjects when they have their privacy. You can also adapt the focus of the survey and hone in on specific assessment areas. The results you get are highly quantifiable because you ask people to select from a limited range of answers. This is ideal for making direct comparisons. 

👂 Focus groups and interviews

The quantifiable feedback from surveys is useful, but qualitative responses are equally important. Anecdotal responses from employees give more insight into the work environment and the challenges people face. Much of the actionable response from a DEI audit is based on this anecdotal feedback.

Focus groups and interviews are great tools here. They have a broader focus, allowing employees to direct the conversation and raise the points they are most concerned about. You can also arrange them by demographic to get the unique perspective of each group. Examples include: 

• Manager/Non-manager
• Male/Female/Non-binary
• Majority/Minority (race, gender, etc.)
• Disabled/Non-disabled

Focus groups are only successful when everybody feels that they can speak openly. So, ensure that it is a safe space for all.

How to Make Recommendations, Take Action, and Measure Impact

Once the audit is complete, how do you use that information to improve DEI in your business?

🎬 Develop a framework for action

A detailed framework helps you stay on track. Take insights from the audit and use these to develop a series of goals. These must be SMART goals - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Avoid general goals like 'improve gender equality.' Instead, choose specific aims like 'improve retention rates for disabled employees,' for example. There are clear routes to achieving these goals, which should be outlined in the framework.

📈 Take action and quantify progress

Follow the steps in your framework and make changes to your business. Create DEI champions within the company who will oversee this. They can also encourage other employees and explain the importance of the process to them. 

Create systems to measure progress towards your goals. Regular DEI audits will show you where improvements have been made. Keep tracking the same metrics to determine whether the action you have taken is working.

🎙Communicate checkpoints

Transparency and accountability to your team are crucial during this process. Communicating checkpoints demonstrates that you are making tangible changes to improve diversity and inclusion. For example, if you aim to increase the percentage of minority employees by 30%, celebrate milestones for every 10% increase.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are priorities for all businesses. Performing regular audits and implementing tangible changes will improve diversity and bring numerous benefits to your business.

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Hiring an maintaining a satisfied diverse workforce can be difficult. Equipping your front line with the right tools and information can help decrease turnover and improve employee happiness.

Xenia is a flexible and user-friendly operations management solution for every team, every use case, everywhere. Xenia provides your team instant work support through checklists, digital logs, assigned tasks, work orders, inspections, messaging and more, all from their individual mobile devices. 

No matter where you are, you’ll be able to see who’s available to work, who’s assigned to specific tasks, and how work is being completed, empowering your team to work more autonomously while keeping everyone connected and accountable across locations. 

To top it all off, Xenia is super easy to adopt; our dedicated onboarding team and customer support specialists will ensure you and your team hit the ground running quickly, so you don’t spend months onboarding everyone to a new system. 

Ready to learn more about what Xenia can do to help improve your operations? Take a look at our website or schedule a free product demo at any time. We’re here to help you streamline your work so your team can focus on exactly what they need to to crush their goals.