Building Trust When Collecting DEI Data
It can be challenging to collect diversity, equity and inclusion data when employees feel uncomfortable or fearful. It’s crucial to build a trusting relationship with employees prior to, during and after the collection of DEI data.
This will increase the likelihood that employees complete the survey and provide the most accurate answers. Before delving into the importance of DEI data collection and helpful strategies, let’s dissect the meaning of the words diversity, equity and inclusion.
Diverse data sets allow for stronger and more accurate conclusions.
Learn more about implementing DEI surveys and how to interpret the data, here.
What is DEI Data?
DEI data refers to information collected to assess the composition of a workforce in terms of demographic characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability status, and more.
This data helps organizations gain insights into the representation and inclusion of different groups within their workforce, enabling them to make informed decisions and take actions to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplace.
Common DEI Data Points Collected
Demographic Information:
Gender
Ethnicity
Disability Status
Employee Positions:
Entry-level
Middle management
Executive leadership
Hiring and Promotion Data:
Number of hires by demographic group over the last year
Number of promotions by demographic group over the last year
Pay Equity Data:
Average salaries by demographic group
Gender or ethnicity pay gaps
Employee Engagement and Satisfaction:
Survey responses related to DEI, such as feelings of inclusion, fairness, and opportunities for growth
Training and Development:
Participation in diversity and inclusion training programs
Retention Rates:
Employee turnover rates by demographic group
The Importance of DEI Data
DEI data plays a crucial role in measuring and improving diversity and inclusion efforts. The collection of DEI data provides ample opportunity to truly understand the experiences of your employees.
It allows you to transform outdated policies and practices, elevate existing resources and provide new ones, increase productivity and collaboration all while cultivating a sense of belonging in the workplace.
The methods used to collect DEI data are indicative of your company’s values. DEI data collection involves compassion, communication and confidentiality among other attributes.
With the potential to influence equity and inequity in the workplace, the collection and use of DEI data should be taken very seriously.
💡DID YOU KNOW:
67% of job seekers consider workplace diversity a crucial factor when seeking new job opportunities.
Racially and ethnically diverse companies are 33% more likely to excel.
Companies that are more diverse are 70% more likely to capture new markets.
Inclusive corporations have 2.3x more cash flow per employee.
Reasons To Collect DEI Data
Organizations collect DEI data for a variety of reasons. Below are three of the most popular motives:
Combat Discrimination
According to the Center for American Progress, discrimination in the workplace costs businesses $64 billion each year.
Collecting DEI data illuminates issues that marginalized employees face, providing your company with the opportunity to combat discrimination.
Failing to collect this data and improve workplace conditions may lead to resignations, negative reviews and a decline in potential talent.
Promote Growth
Diverse, equitable and inclusive organizations promote growth and development. Boston Consulting Group found that the innovation revenue of diverse leadership teams is 45% higher than those that are not diverse.
When employees are able to bring their authentic selves to work, they are more productive, collaborative, creative, innovative and motivated to do their best.
Attract Superior Talent
Did you know that 67% of potential employees feel that diversity is an important part of the job hunt?
In other words, people are looking for companies that value diversity. It’s difficult to picture yourself working for an organization that does not employ or service individuals that are similar to you.
Companies that are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion are more likely to attract and retain talented individuals.
Trustworthy Collection and Use of DEI Data
There are a number of ways your organization can increase the trust your employees have when they submit their responses to a survey:
Confidentiality and Anonymity
Obtaining informed consent from your employees is a significant part of DEI data collection and use. The informed consent form should identify individuals that will have access to the data and explain how confidentiality and anonymity will be maintained.
It is paramount that surveyed employees are not personally identifiable. While informed consent forms may not be required under certain conditions, they are always appreciated.
Communication
Surveyed employees should have a clear and concise understanding of your intentions.
What is the purpose of collecting data?
How will this data be used in the future?
Marginalized groups may feel particularly uncomfortable as they are easily harmed by data collection and use. Thoroughly explain your commitment to equity, inclusion and the mitigation of bias in order to increase confidence.
Inclusive Questions
There are several ways to create an inclusive experience for surveyed employees. Let’s take a look at the following methods:
Provide Multiselect Questions: To describe yourself with one word or phrase is restricting, particularly for those with intersecting identities. These questions allow respondents to choose more than one answer.
Provide Open-Ended Questions: Respondents are able to accurately describe themselves using comfortable terminology when questions are open-ended. Questions that require a simple “yes” or “no” limit responses.
Include a “Prefer to Describe” Option: Some questions may not include a complete list of answers. For example, questions regarding language often have a handful of choices and the option to choose “other”. An option titled “other” is, well, othering. Instead, include a “prefer to describe” option.
Rearrange Answers: More often than not, answers such as “White”, “American” and “English” appear first on demographic surveys. The order of answers can reinforce implicit bias and create an exclusive experience for respondents. Instead, rearrange answers according to alphabetical order, numerical order or randomize their order.
Option to Opt Out
While it is important to have respondents answer all or most questions, there should be an option to opt out of demographic questions. Asking employees to share sensitive or private information may cause hesitancy.
Including a “prefer not to answer” option provides employees with the ability to choose, and may result in more complete surveys.
Moreover, the option to opt out may help indicate that there is an issue with the survey’s design that should be explored.
Sample Size
Employees should be aware of a survey’s sample size. For example, will the organization be looking at a sample of 10 people, less than 100 people or more than 1,000 people?
This is not to be confused with population size, or the total number of employees being surveyed.
Build Trusting Relationships That Last
It’s important that your intentions for building trustworthy relationships with your employees are not solely based on the necessity of DEI data collection.
Trust between leaders and employees should be ongoing as it results in increased communication, confidence, productivity and more! From the moment employees are onboarded, a healthy workplace relationship should be the goal.
