Why you need to embrace EDI as part of your workplace culture

EDI stands for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and it has a huge impact on workplace culture.  I guess I would say that, part of my consultancy is delivering EDI workshops!  But don’t just take my word for it, there is lots of research out there and loads of statistics that back this up (see below).
​
Raising awareness of EDI is important on so many levels:

1. The moral case: it’s the fair and right thing to do
2. The legal case: understanding the Equality Act 2010 is key to reducing the risk of falling foul of the legislation
3. The business case: it helps you to attract and retain good people, and it’s critical to your reputation.

Reputation matters and is linked closely to workplace culture.  It seems every week we hear another news story where someone (usually a celebrity or politician) has come a cropper due to alleged discrimination.  When that happens, it’s not just the individual’s reputation that is affected, it’s also the standing of the organisation.  For example, last year when the allegations surfaced about Russell Brand, questions were also asked of the BBC and Channel 4 as to how they allowed employment of an alleged misogynist and sexual predator to continue.
Turning back to the workplace, it’s clear that addressing EDI matters can be part of the answer to ensuring equality and diversity of thinking as well as encouraging greater innovation and creativity.  There is lots of evidence to suggest EDI awareness, training and fairer representation in the workplace has a positive impact.  For example:

• Diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time, compared to individual decision-makers. (Harvard Business Review)
• Inclusive workplaces have a 50% reduction in conflicts among employees. (Josh Bersin)
• Diverse teams solve problems faster and more accurately, improving decision-making by up to 87%. (Forbes)
• Organisations that actively promote diversity and inclusion have 57% fewer instances of conflict.  (Culture Amp)

Getting EDI right is a journey, not a destination.  It takes thought, work and effort.  The reward for getting it right is a fair and respectful workplace for all.  Surely that’s something we all want?
“Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance” - Verna Myers
​