Diversity Through the Employee Lifecycle

Belonging is important.

Many organisations have targeted recruitment programs aimed at increasing the number of employees from under-represented groups in their workforce. However, too often these initiatives are only focused on recruitment, and not on how to engage and keep people in the workforce.

Below are some suggested points in the employee lifecycle where support may be required. This is not an exhaustive list and, ideally, organisations will work toward a tailored list with a variety of under-represented groups of employees to determine what strategies they feel could be useful, and when these would best be implemented.

• Recruitment – consider your essential criteria, what is really essential?
• Pre-employment – leaders should reach out to new employees ahead of their first day
• Starting a new role – first days/weeks/quarter – all leaders to welcome the new employee
• On promotion – ensure they have a mentor
• Times of major change – consider the impacts of change
• Performance Management – improving communication
• Exit – an impartial person to conduct the exit interview

Implementation Ideas:

• Diversity Audit
• Unconscious bias
• Examine your DEI initiatives
• Recognise significant cultural days
• Identify underrepresented groups across all roles and levels
• Develop and implement targeted initiatives to increase representation, dismantle any structural and social barriers which have prevented representation, and ensure that appropriate support is provided through onboarding, coaching and resourcing of individuals to support their development

This is an excerpt from The Ecosystem of Work by Tasha Broomhall. For a more comprehensive overview, you can purchase it here.