Photo by Yan Krukov

Creating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) accountability in the workplace has become increasingly essential in recent years. Today, employees almost expect their employers to build DEI goals to create more accommodating and accessible offices.

However, implementing and achieving DEI-related plans requires the correct processes, including using people analytics. Here’s more about how DEI uses this data and why it’s worth the outcome.

Why Data Is Crucial for DEI Initiatives

The reality is that employers cannot understand their employees’ issues unless they use data, specifically people analytics. Too many organizations invest resources into DEI without tangible goals to support their workers, which is where DEI is the most impactful for businesses that wish to make a change.

That is where people analytics can help. Businesses can build more intentional and meaningful plans to work toward DEI goals by tracking metrics such as hiring, complaints, promotions, and other human resources measurements. For example, looking into hiring practices can reveal biases that inform relevant teams about why departments might not be as diverse.

Without such data, organizational leaders will not understand where concerning trends lie, so they cannot discover and apply the correct solutions.

Using People Analytics for DEI

Unfortunately, although 70% of business higher-ups note that people analytics is paramount in the modern business world, some research shows that only 7% of company leaders keep track of team problems. The reason behind such a difference in numbers could be that using people analytics requires a continuous effort, and the implementation process can face obstacles that lead to delays.

Even the most technologically advanced organizations can struggle to properly implement data management and other crucial steps that make using people analytics worthwhile. Additionally, teams can resist change, making it difficult for executives to fully realize their programs.

On a basic level, many organizations are unaware that people analytics can help them work toward goals, especially concerning DEI. Understanding the benefits of people analytics for DEI is the first step. From there, companies must begin tracking all kinds of data on their employees, which is a complicated task.

People Analytics Support DEI When Used Correctly

In short, organizations can build up diverse, equitable, and inclusive workspaces by using people analytics to lay the foundation for concrete goals. However, data cannot help businesses unless they know how to use it. Putting in the work to measure and analyze people analytics is worthwhile, as long as executives clearly understand its purpose.

These are a few aspects organizational higher-ups should consider as they aim to make people analytics worth it for their DEI goals:

• Data management and resources: Having a dedicated team for data management and the correct resources to support findings is central to the success of people analytics for DEI. The most effective companies have engineers to help their people analytics teams.

• An understanding of the overall goal: When every key person in the organization is on the same page regarding DEI, they can work better alongside data engineering staff to accomplish whatever goals they set. This part extends to communicating with employees about DEI initiatives and the accomplishments the team experiences along the way.

• Data creativity: The organizations that use people analytics most successfully, whether for DEI or not, are creative with how they locate and use their data. Sources may seem limited, but teams should think outside the box to use their information in new ways to support DEI.

Overall, using people analytics for DEI in the workplace is worthwhile, particularly when organizations understand how to use it properly.

People Analytics Can Help Workplaces Integrate DEI

Companies should look internally to make a difference as more employees become concerned about creating welcoming, accommodating workplaces with diverse team members. Using people analytics to measure various aspects of the work environment can help organizations meet DEI goals, but they must first have a plan to appropriately measure employee data. Tracking people analytics is a necessary and worthwhile step toward implementing DEI.
 
 
Devin Partida is a big data and technology writer, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of ReHack.com