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in a recently published guide on How to Build an Effective DEI Program. After surveying 300 respondents in the U.S., key insights among the organizations in this study were noted. These included:

• 89 percent of companies have a formal DEI strategy and 11 percent expects to implement one within the next 12 months
• 71 percent of companies say their executives are involved in decisions about endorsing and advancing DEI 
• 65 percent of companies conduct DEI training 

If you’re not part of the majority of companies in this sample size, you may wonder, “How do we get to work?”

Here’s what you need to know about building an effective diversity, equity, and inclusion program. 

Where Do You Start?

If you’re aiming to improve or create a DEI program, then you’ll need to consider two important factors. During their research, Traliant found that effective diversity, equity, and inclusion programs required dedicated leaders and budgets. 

When you look at these statistics, “89 percent of companies have a formal DEI strategy,” it tells you that HR departments and their corresponding organizations take their DEI programs seriously. This is due to the increased awareness of discrimination and bias in the workplace. As a result, executives, managers, supervisors, etc. are engaged in diversity and inclusion programs and the decisions made about them. These programs are viewed as a priority within the workplace. It may be beneficial to start a diversity calendar as a reminder to incorporate diversity. 

However, where the disconnect begins is budget. Only 43 percent of companies say that a DEI program is both a business priority and has a dedicated budget. On the other hand, most companies say that — although companies view diversity and inclusion as a priority — there isn’t a budget to aid its expansion. 

So, if you’re interested in starting a program, know to start there. Check to see if your leaders are invested in the creation or expansion of your DEI program, and ensure that there is a budget to accommodate this initiative. 

Where Companies Struggle

Building an effective DEI program isn’t always a smooth process. In fact, most companies in Traliant’s survey reported struggling in a few areas, including direction, metrics, and results. 

Here are some sample challenges in each of these categories. While your organization will likely experience issues specific to you, knowing the potential issues makes it possible for you to watch for potentially problematic elements. 

Direction: Not all companies have clear objectives when it comes to DEI. They feel they spend enough on DEI, but they can’t find any correlation between that spending and successful outcomes. 

Metrics: Some companies aren’t sure if their efforts are successful because they aren’t sure what metrics to look at. Suggested metrics include percentage changes in leadership demographics, the demographic makeup of employees, feedback from survey results, and HR reports based on diversity. However, these can take months if not years to see results in, which initially makes progress feel discouraging. 

Results: The study found that some companies increased their spending and there were no noticeable results, which can be especially frustrating. 

Final Thoughts

Creating a more meaningful DEI program becomes possible when your organization utilizes a multi-pronged strategy backed by resources that promote both behavioral and structural inclusion. If you’re struggling with meaningful outcomes for your company, use external training solutions to augment your existing DEI goals. This can help you communicate your strategy and goals