 | | Leadership by Design | | March 2023 | | | | |
| Inclusion Isn't Just Nice. It's Necessary.
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Business leaders invest billions in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives but have minimal insight into what works—and whether the investments lead to results. Most companies struggle to make progress on inclusion or to correct course confidently. Companies fall into a few common traps: making assumptions about the feelings and experiences that matter to employees, failing to use quantifiable and statistical data to identify the drivers of those feelings, and, crucially, overlooking the business impact of inclusion.
This problem can be solved. To do so, BCG built the BLISS Index (BLISS stands for Bias-Free, Leadership, Inclusion, Safety, and Support), a comprehensive, statistically rigorous tool that uses modeling techniques to identify the feelings of inclusion that matter and that influence retention and recruiting. Done right, inclusion positively changes the workplace experience, and not just for minorities and marginalized groups: inclusive cultures benefit all employees.
Here are some ways to do it right. | |
| 01. Ensure that senior leaders commit to DEI | | Building an inclusive environment starts at the top—and employees need to see that leaders make it a clear priority. Inclusion is driven by what leaders do daily: the actions they take, the messages they communicate, the cultures they nurture, and the teams they build. At companies whose senior leaders are committed to DEI, 84% of employees feel valued and respected; in contrast, at companies where leaders are not viewed as committed to DEI, only 44% do. | | Learn more about the value of the senior leadership team → | | |
| 02. Build a workplace that prioritizes respect and authenticity | | Companies that safeguard against discrimination, eliminate experiences of bias, and ensure consequences for disrespectful behavior directly improve employees' feelings of psychological safety, and thereby improve feelings of inclusion. Employees who experience or even just witness discrimination, bias, or disrespect are nearly 1.4 times more likely to quit. Further, the BLISS Index establishes that authenticity at work is highly correlated with feelings of inclusion and retention. Employees who can be their authentic selves are happier, more motivated to give their best, feel like their perspectives matter—and are nearly 2.4 times less likely to quit. | | See the benefits of being authentic at work → | | |
| 03. Put tried-and-true programs in place | | BCG's BLISS Index reveals how business leaders can increase feelings of inclusion. For instance, BLISS inclusion scores for women of color are 11.5 percentage points higher for those who have a mentor or sponsor in the workplace. So, to improve inclusion—and reduce attrition risk—leaders should provide mentorship. Companies that offer a suite of programs (comprising mentorship, 360-degree feedback, and more) to improve the employee experience achieve the biggest uptick in BLISS inclusion outcomes. | | Explore the BLISS Index → | | |
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There's now an undeniable connection between inclusion and retention. If people feel included, they will be happy, they will feel a greater sense of well-being, and they will stick around. This research has clear implications for the value that DEI programs actually deliver in shaping meaningful outcomes for employees. | Gabrielle Novacek
Managing Director and Partner, BCG | | | | |
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