Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: 7 Ways to Take Action

Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, once considered a worthy goal, has become essential to employee experience and organizational success. In 2021, more than half of employers said DEI was a high priority for them. The following is a guest blog post from CloudAdvisors, Canada's Employee Benefits Marketplace, with comments from Pillcheck. You can find Pillcheck pharmacogenetic testing employee benefits solutions in CloudAdvisors' Solution Marketplace.

What does diversity, equity and inclusion look like?

When we think of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), most people attribute diversity to gender, age, and ethnicity (inherent diversity traits) that people are born with. Acquired diversity comes from the traits you gain through your own personal experiences. These two dimensions of diversity are critical to incorporate and prioritize in your business. Inclusion in the workplace means creating an environment that is collaborative, supportive, and one which embraces individual differences.

Why doesn't one-time DEI training work well?

Corporate training on diversity and sensitivity has long been a staple within the onboarding process at both large and small organizations. So it may come as a surprise that, on its own, it often has little effect. Research suggests that one-time diversity training rarely changes behaviour in the workplace, especially for underrepresented groups. Personal and implicit biases are very difficult to change, and a short one-time training program has little effect on these biases. While many companies have announced efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, progress has often been slow. For example, at Facebook (now Meta), the share of Black and Latinx workers rose by only about 2 percentage points per group between 2014 and 2020.

When it comes to DEI, companies cannot release statements about rectifying internal bias without truly prioritizing it internally. Rather, this should be a continuous and intentional effort on the part of the organization.

Why is DEI crucial for success?

A diverse and inclusive workforce contributes to a sense of trust and belonging in the work environment. This extends to create many other advantages such as higher employee engagement, productivity, and reduced conflict, to name a few. Employees also feel happier, more productive, and more committed as a result of this social support. This, in turn, helps retain employees and top talent.

As mentioned before, there are two types of diversity: inherent diversity and acquired diversity. This "2-D" diversity is associated with positive outcomes such as improved innovation and performance. In a 2013 survey, companies that demonstrated 2-D diversity were 45% likelier to report a growth in market share over the previous year, and 70% likelier to report that the firm captured a new market. Researchers linked this to environments where all ideas are heard, leaders value individual differences, and diverse mindsets bring variety to the drawing board.

What are 7 ways to take action?

1. Walk the talk: make DEI part of your business strategy

DEI isn't just about hiring and retaining a diverse range of people. Diversity requires the continued support of employees. One practical step to consider: adding personalized medicine to the employee benefits program. An optimal benefits strategy supports members by doing the right thing at the right time at the right price. Wouldn't it be great if your health benefits also respected the diversity of plan members and their individual health needs? Read more about the science behind pharmacogenetic testing, and see below how Pillcheck makes benefit plans more inclusive in a meaningful way.

2. Read up on the REAL approach

The REAL approach is based on a four-step process: Reveal Relevant Opportunities (1), Elevate Equity (2), Activate Diversity (3) and Lead Inclusively (4). This means that leaders at all levels across an organization need to grow their toolkit to both identify bias and help foster relationships and allyship with their teams. This is a great article on the four-step approach.

3. Language training

Language used within an organization is a critical component of inclusivity. When inclusive, language can make your employees feel valued and respected. Inclusive language should always be respectful, accurate, and relevant; it requires showing respect for all members of the workplace. In addition, care must be taken to reflect social diversity and avoid perpetuating stereotypes and false assumptions.

4. Consistency is key

As we've mentioned before, DEI should not simply be a one-time training session. Diversity and inclusion is a continuous process, so it's important to regularly report on DEI initiatives by making it an agenda item on team meetings.

5. Culture add vs. culture fit

We've all heard it before: hiring for culture fit is where employees match the energy of the organization. Start encouraging the philosophy of "culture add" instead and embrace employees from all walks of life, not just within the hiring process. This includes honouring different cultures and religious practices in order to truly show that your organization values diversity and inclusion.

6. Collect candid feedback

How can you see if your efforts are truly effective? By collecting feedback from your current employees. Your team must be able to witness the results of your actions, so ask for feedback on DEI initiatives consistently.

7. Build your toolkit

When it comes to building a curriculum for your toolkit, there are many different approaches. These may include facilitating discussions and intimate conversations, as well as automated one-on-ones. Try different variations to find the method that may work best for your organization, and be sure to build a DEI roadmap that is measurable.

How does pharmacogenetics support health equity?

People respond differently to the same medication, and part of the reason is in their genes. How common key gene variants are differs between ancestral populations. For example, about 2% of people of European ancestry are CYP2C19 poor metabolizers, compared with about 13% of people of East Asian ancestry. This affects how well they respond to medications such as clopidogrel and many antidepressants. Yet most genetic and genomic research has been done in people of European ancestry, so a "standard" dose may not suit everyone equally. Pharmacogenetic testing helps tailor medication choice and dose to each person, whatever their background. The Pillcheck test panel ensures high accuracy for people of non-European and admixed ancestries, not only for those of European ancestry.

Access matters too. The Pillcheck telepharmacy service ensures equitable access to personalized medication management programs for people in underserved rural and remote communities. Plan members complete a simple cheek swab at home, and a pharmacist trained in pharmacogenetics reviews their results and medications remotely, with no need to travel to a specialist clinic.

Pillcheck testing is performed in CAP- and COLA-accredited clinical genetic laboratories located in Canada. Pillcheck reports on 24 genes, increasing coverage with new guidelines and drug labels (see the genes tab), and covers 355 medications, which account for over 70% of dispensed prescriptions. Results last a lifetime, report updates are free, and members choose which healthcare providers to share them with.

Moving forward

Discriminatory practices and attitudes are embedded into certain corporations and may be difficult to eradicate. One training session isn't going to fix the issue. It is an intentional, mindful, and continuous process. Moving forward, it is important to understand and to listen to your employees about what it means to be inclusive within the workspace. Take these perspectives, apply them, and learn from your experiences to make your organization's DEI practices more than just policies.

Summary

• Diversity includes inherent traits people are born with and acquired traits gained through experience.
• One-time DEI training on its own rarely changes behaviour; DEI needs continuous, measurable effort.
• Seven ways to take action: make DEI part of your strategy, use the REAL approach, train on inclusive language, report consistently, hire for culture add, collect feedback and build a measurable toolkit.
• Pharmacogenetic testing supports health equity by tailoring medications to each person. The Pillcheck test panel ensures high accuracy for people of non-European and admixed ancestries, and Pillcheck telepharmacy extends access to rural and remote communities.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between inherent and acquired diversity?

Inherent diversity covers traits people are born with, such as gender, age and ethnicity. Acquired diversity comes from experience, such as living in another country or working in different fields.

Is one-time diversity training effective?

On its own, rarely. Lasting change usually requires continuous effort, leadership commitment, regular reporting and employee feedback.

How can employee benefits support DEI?

Benefits can recognize that plan members have different health needs. Pharmacogenetic testing such as Pillcheck tailors medication choices to each member's genes, and telepharmacy makes the service available to members wherever they live.

References

Hewlett SA, Marshall M, Sherbin L. How diversity can drive innovation. Harvard Business Review. December 2013.

Lee CR, Luzum JA, Sangkuhl K, et al. Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium Guideline for CYP2C19 Genotype and Clopidogrel Therapy: 2022 Update. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2022;112(5):959-967.

Fatumo S, Chikowore T, Choudhury A, et al. A roadmap to increase diversity in genomic studies. Nat Med. 2022;28(2):243-250.

Adapted from the original article on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by CloudAdvisors here.