Grace Federal Solutions was a Bronze sponsor of the annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity (DEI) Conference which took place virtually over two days at the beginning of September. Hosted in partnership with the Bank of America, its theme was ‘Speak Up, Take Action,’ and speakers encouraged attendees to take these words to heart in their professional and personal capacities. In truth, the insights and strategies that came through in the speeches and discussions are valuable for recruiters and everyone in the HR field. Additionally, they provide ways for us to understand DEI principles and incorporate them into our work. These insights are applicable regardless of the industry in which you work—that includes healthcare.
Privilege as a responsibility
On the first day, attendees carried out an interactive exercise to help them recognize their individual levels of privilege. The exercise yielded ‘privilege scores’ for each attendee, which prompted a variety of responses ranging from gratitude to guilt. Jackie Ferguson, founder of The Diversity Movement, made it clear that being conscious of one’s privilege should not be a cause of guilt, but rather a deepened ability to empathize, and a recognition of the responsibility we bear to others.
Measuring DEI impact: quality vs. quantity
Day Two kicked off with a very valuable session for recruiters and managers. The session provided tips on aligning qualitative and quantitative diversity, equity, and inclusivity, and enterprise goals. Summarily, DEI principles need to be distilled into measurable objectives. In doing this, companies can see the progress they are making in creating more inclusive, diverse and equitable workplaces. Moreover, quantitative advice revolved around measuring the general representation across the workforce. These specific metrics included the number of people involved in training programs. Additionally, these measurements entailed the extent to which individual staff members are engaged with the business’s work and culture.
Culture was one of the standouts from this session in terms of qualitative tips. One DEI quality recruiting tip was to shift from ‘culture fit’ to ‘culture add.’ Of course, you can try to determine whether candidates can fit into the existing business culture. But, recruiters would do well to ask what individuals can add to the culture.
Other session topics included:
- The Undeniable Benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility
- How to Navigate Your DEI Journey
- Becoming an Ally and Accomplice in the Workplace
- Disability & Neurodiversity Inclusion in the Workplace
- Racial Equity for Black Employees in the Workplace
In conclusion, most important takeaway from the conference is that the key to building an inclusive workplace is clear communication. Simply, if you want to know if your staff feel like they are valued and included, the best thing to do is ask them. And, always take their responses into consideration.
Grace Federal Solutions LLC offers healthcare recruitment services, as well as healthcare financial management and healthcare consulting services. Contact us. Find out how we can help you incorporate principles of diversity, equity and inclusivity into your healthcare practice.
