In 2024, the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) will continue to grow as organisations recognize the value of fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. DEI is not just a buzzword; it is a strategic imperative that contributes to organisational success, innovation, and employee well-being.
The conventional one-size-fits-all approach to DEI training is no longer adequate, given the dynamic socio-political landscape that requires a more nuanced perspective. The question is no longer about ‘why’ DEI is essential – the extensive research and discourse done in 2023 have made that abundantly clear. The focus now shifts to ‘how’- how we might consider DEI in every of our approaches as an organisation.
It’s no news that the covid 19 pandemic had a drastic effect on businesses and helped us rethink how we work and what productivity means. Off of that pivotal period businesses had to make decisions putting key factors like safety, productivity, work-life-balance and business continuity into play. The results of these decisions led to the lay off of a lot of people and the hiring of a lot more, work shifted from onsite to remote, from physical to virtual, from regulated hours to long unregulated hours. Businesses profited and businesses lost. Ones who couldn’t pivot to accommodate these changes fell in through the cracks.
After 2021’s Great Resignation and 2022’s wave of “quiet quitting,” 2023 has continued to keep employers on their toes. We saw the lay-off of so many employees across the world who apparently weren’t useful anymore post pandemic, the push for onsite work and the scarcity of remote openings.
With the year coming to an end, you may be wondering what 2024 has in store. Industry experts have projected that they’d be a stronger force from companies to return the workplace to how it looked pre-pandemic. How will this affect productivity and more importantly how will this impact the DEI initiatives that have evolved steadily over the years?
The responsibility to keep the DEI landscape steady in the coming year rests on the shoulders of leadership and HR professionals. From how they hire, how to retain talent, how to ensure productivity and create an inclusive environment. It’s a tough job requiring a lot of commitment to DEI initiatives as well as prioritising company goals.
As we navigate the evolving landscape of work and society, here are key tips and pointers on how leadership and HR professionals can help DEI evolve in 2024.
- Data-Driven Approach:
Organisations must leverage data to identify gaps and measure progress in their DEI initiatives. Regularly collecting and analysing demographic data, employee feedback, and representation metrics can provide valuable insights to guide decision-making.
- Intersectionality Matters:
Recognizing the intersectionality of individuals is crucial. DEI efforts should consider the unique experiences and challenges faced by employees who belong to multiple marginalized groups. Acknowledging and addressing these intersections fosters a more inclusive environment.
- Inclusive Leadership Training:
Leadership plays a pivotal role in driving DEI. Providing training that emphasizes inclusive leadership skills, empathy, and cultural competence can empower leaders to create a workplace culture where everyone feels valued and heard.
- Flexible Work Policies:
The events of recent years have accelerated the adoption of flexible work arrangements. In 2024, organisations should continue to embrace and expand flexible work policies to accommodate diverse needs and promote work-life balance, recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be effective.
- Technology for Inclusive Hiring:
In 2024, advancements in technology can be harnessed to enhance inclusive hiring practices. Utilizing AI-driven tools to remove bias from the recruitment process and ensuring diverse candidate pools can lead to more equitable hiring outcomes.
- Employee Resource Groups (ERGs):
ERGs provide a platform for employees with shared identities or experiences to connect and support each other. In 2024, organisations should invest in and expand ERGs to create a sense of belonging and amplify the voices of underrepresented groups.
What is next for Africa?
DEI policies, while still trying to find its roots in Africa, have made some relatively impressive strides. Example of the 61% tech workforce in sub-saharan africa women make up to 30% of that number. We acknowledge that there’s a massive room for improvement, we also need to ensure that the steps are there to help women climb through.
Steps like;
- Constant training
- Keeping the wage gap level
- Providing more opportunities for growth and advancement
Within the period of 2021 and 2023 the Nigerian tech, banking and health workforce lost senior managers and more experienced leaders to the relocation wave. According to a recent survey by Phillips Consulting, over half (52%) of Nigerian professionals are considering leaving their current jobs and moving abroad within a year. The year 2024 holds a very complex problem for leadership and HR teams.
Senior managers across board, the experience levels of 5-12+ years are planning to relocate or have relocated to another country. What we have left is a pool of intermediate level professionals and juniors with 1-3 years experience in their field. This poses a very huge challenge as companies have to spend time and resources training resources whose short-term goal isn’t career advancement but total relocation. Working alongside that is the harsh economic reality which forces companies to pay higher wages to talents with less experience.
These challenges, so far, do not look like they’d ease up. 2024 will be a very difficult ride for leadership and HR teams in the talent pool. Navigating it will require accepting this reality and engaging in talent scouting policies; leadership may need to work with tertiary institutions across the country to get the best and brightest, regardless their gender, culture and physical outlook, to help them build their careers early on before they engage in the rigors of life outside school. By accepting that relocation forms a strong part of the average Nigerian’s advancement plan, there should be a commitment to support their exit out of the country and put them in a position where they can still provide value even outside the physical vicinity of the company.
The projections for 2024 look bleak, but there’s always an upside. Africa and Nigeria have a ripe and youthful population eager to grow and be useful. Leadership and HR professionals must find ways to find utility amongst the available talent to help companies grow. DEI should be the bedrock of all growth policies as a company cannot evolve if it still puts a requirement on how talent should look like.