3 August 2022
The DEI Relationship To Individual Engagement, Group Flow, and Business Success
by Kate Visconti
Today, DEI is a common term in most companies. Unfortunately, too many overlook the real work to check the box, communicate positive intentions to customers, or report superficial progress to stakeholders. This lack of deep work and meaningful action cost the global economy a trillion dollars in lost productivity - and it’s also undermining our employees’ mental and physical health, as well as their engagement and retention. Mindfully including, engaging, and empowering people from all backgrounds has a significant, measurable impact on productivity, innovation, customer satisfaction, and financial performance by enabling “Group Flow.” Before we get to that, though, let’s take a step back and think through how our own experiences have shaped where we are today and how we can continue to grow and shape the future of our workplaces.
Think about your own career experience from an inclusion and belonging perspective. Most of us probably have some untold stories of times when we felt excluded, devalued, or even discriminated against. As my work took me all over the world, I started to hear more and more of these unsettling stories. I simply could not believe how often we had to stop the recording during a stakeholder interview because the employee broke down in tears recounting their experiences. In many cases, it was the first time someone listened to them and took them seriously. I realized how many companies and leaders were overlooking and undervaluing the most critical resource to their success: their people.
In my career, I have my own untold stories and experiences. They fueled my desire to leave corporate technology consulting to facilitate change at a deeper level. Workplace culture is on the precipice of necessary change, and I felt a calling to bring my years of research, proven business solutions that drive successful outcomes, and a network of talented professionals to help reimagine and redefine organizational wellness so that all people, regardless of industry or expertise, have the ability to thrive.
One of our first projects was developing the Wellness Wave™, a proprietary diagnostic that helps companies identify what is holding them back from peak business performance across our five core elements. When we first launched the Wellness Wave, I was warned that people in statistically marginalized groups might not answer honestly due to fear of lack of anonymity and confidentiality, but our findings seem to prove otherwise. The results we are sharing - while very unfortunate - are what we know for us to learn, move forward, and continue making progress in an engaging and collaborative workplace. We share these results on Wellness Wave™ Wednesday posts across all of our social channels to reinforce our position as active listeners while educating others on new ways of examining the science behind our behaviors and motivations. As DEI has become a corporate “buzzword,” we want to go beyond simply sharing statistics about current diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging challenges surfaced in various culture surveys.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential for many reasons. For employers, permitting exclusive or toxic behaviors stifles your employees and, in turn, the level of innovation, creativity, and resilience. Quite simply, you aren’t getting their full potential or your full ROI.
“Companies with consistent, inclusive workplace cultures—especially as experienced by historically underrepresented groups—also outperformed the S&P 500 in average annual stock returns during the Great Recession.” - Catalyst.org
For colleagues and teammates, a lack of diversity in thought, experience, and perspective negatively impacts the level of trust, collaboration, and overall well-being of your team and business.
According to Catalyst, “Thirty-five percent of an employee’s emotional investment in their work and 20% of their desire to stay at their organization is linked to feelings of inclusion. When companies establish inclusive business cultures and policies, they are more likely to report”
- 59.1% increase in creativity, innovation, and openness.
- 37.9% better assessment of consumer interest and demand.”
Ultimately, our purpose in sharing the insights we gather from the Wellness Wave™ is to help individuals and businesses find flow and reach peak business performance. With the information we are collecting and the insights we share, we want to fundamentally change work experiences for the better and teach individuals and leaders to do the same long after we’re gone. Flow, also known as “being in the zone,” is the mental state in which a person (or group) performing some activity is fully immersed with energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process. The statistics we are seeing tell us not only are individuals unable to get into flow, but teams will never be able to get into group flow, and organizations will never get the value out of the talented people they hire.
“Consumers are more likely to purchase, or consider purchasing, a product after viewing an advertisement perceived to be diverse or inclusive.” - Catalyst.org
Are you getting the support and camaraderie you need to feel fulfilled, or is a non-inclusive workplace crushing your (or your teammates’) self-worth, creativity, and psychological safety? If it is the latter, there are things you can do to resolve these issues:
- Start by looking at your own culture and take the Wellness Wave (a free resource) to establish a baseline and determine action steps for your company.
- Ensure that your leadership team understands what needs to be in place first – an environment where people want to work by creating a culture of accountability and excellence, matched with caring and compassion.
Organizations that allow freedom for all employees to express thoughts, promote blending of egos, practice active listening, build trust, and promote a sense of belonging reap the benefits of group flow. When we have created a space where people feel like they can show up as their authentic selves and recognize the value they bring to the organization, they feel a sense of belonging and commitment.
To learn more about Group Flow, please read our blog by Jason Haller, Five Ways You Can Improve Group Flow. For more information on Five to Flow and our DEI perspectives, please visit our website, book a consultation, and look at our other blogs for more insights.