Data-Driven Diversity

by Joan C. Williams and Jamie Dolkas 
From the Harvard Business Review Magazine (March–April 2022)

In the recent "Data-Driven Diversity,"  the Harvard Business Review covers covers achieving your inclusion goals, with a metrics-based approach and explores the importance of using both outcome and process metrics for companies to realize their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals. Process metrics provide valuable insights into the systemic issues within employee-management processes, such as hiring, evaluation, promotion, and executive sponsorship. These metrics can help identify biases in the workplace, highlighting areas that need attention for meaningful change. The blog further outlines a strategy for employing a metrics-based approach, including assessing risk tolerance, creating an action plan, readiness to act on findings, starting small with pilot projects, building a strong business case for DEI, controlling expectations through careful messaging, and considering limited access to DEI metrics. It emphasizes that the commitment to diversity should be seen as a core value and an essential business goal, leading to a series of incremental improvements towards a more inclusive workplace​.