Assessment Tool for Developing a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Strategy: Instructions & Worksheet
Updated February 2023
A few notes before getting started using this worksheet:
Purpose of this Worksheet
This Assessment Tool assists a new DEI professional with creating a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. It covers key components such as representation, inclusive culture, bias, and equity, ensuring organizations have a complete understanding of DEI and can develop a strategy that promotes it in all aspects of operations. Use this in conjunction with the First 90 Days in DEI tool to get off to a good start in a new DEI role.
Worksheet Instructions
- For each list item, rate your organization's current focus and efforts in the specific area.
- After completing the assessment, review the results and note any opportunities for your organization to improve or enhance its DEI efforts. Use the results to create an action plan that outlines next steps to your leadership to make meaningful changes.
- Remember: What gets measured gets managed. Build opportunities to measure your progress related to the action plan you’ve implemented, and then frequently share results. This builds credibility and support for these very important initiatives. It also allows you to more clearly see when you need to iterate your strategy.
- Periodically reassess your organization to ensure continued growth and improvement in your DEI strategy.
A few notes before getting started using this worksheet:
- Recruit leaders as champions
Your DEI strategies within an organization can only be as successful as the least invested company leader. Before doing anything else, within your first 90 days, make sure to meet with your CEO and other executive leaders to ensure the goals and strategies you are creating as a part of your overall DEI strategy align with their goals and the company’s mission.
Next, find out what’s important to them. What social justice issues have been on their minds? What ways do they think the company is doing well vs. what opportunities do they see for improvement, from a diversity and inclusion perspective? Encourage them during this meeting (and as an ongoing process) to be top DEI champions for your organization.
Leaders often want to help in an impactful way, but don’t assume that they know how to make that happen. When you have initial conversations, and after hearing the items that are important to those leaders, find ways to tie it into the progressing DEI mission in the organization. Leaders are used to taking action, so don’t often have a lot of time to dedicate to figuring out how to be helpful. Be prepared with easy ways for them to get involved early:
- AVOID being overly general and saying things like, “I’d like your participation,” without being specific about the ways they should participate.
- DO be specific: Present a “menu” of opportunities for executives to participate that allows them to be present and supportive in very actionable ways. Say things like, “please attend DEI meetings 1x per month,” or “please share diversity data during each All-Hands meeting”. This course of action will net much more useful results.
- Prepare to go on a listening tour
During the first few weeks within your role, one of your major goals should be to find out what initiatives are important to the organization, what bandwidth and resources are available to accomplish those goals, and to provide a clear understanding of your role and how it fits within the organization.
Worksheet
Recruitment, Retention, Development, and Advancement | |
The organization’s talent development processes result in equitable and accessible recruitment, retention, and advancement and a pervasive feeling of inclusion |
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The workforce across all levels and functions is generally representative of the organization’s labor markets |
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The organization’s reputation for quality DEI efforts enhance its ability to attract and retain employees who contribute to outstanding organizational results |
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The turnover of members of underrepresented groups in parity with that of the majority group |
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Benefits, Work-Life Integration, and Flexibility | |
Most leaders model work-life integration |
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There are flexible work arrangements available for all appropriate positions |
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Using flexible work arrangements does not negatively impact employee performance or advancement |
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The organization accepts and recognizes diversity in language/ accents, dress, religion, physical appearance, and non-traditional schedules as fully legitimate |
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There is a comprehensive range of flexible and inclusive workplace benefits and services, including professional development, health care and counseling, and leave offerings |
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The benefits and services are regularly adapted to changing conditions, technology, and ideas |
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Job Design, Classification, and Compensation | |
The organization maintains equitable internal and external compensation and job classification practices |
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Job design results in employees being paid for performance rather than “putting in time” |
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Previous inequitable compensation systems have been addressed and individuals indemnified |
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Classification and compensation systems address conscious and unconscious biases and assumptions |
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DEI Education | |
DEI is integrated into all facets of company-offered training and education |
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There are a variety of innovative and accessible DEI tools, including both self-directed and instructor-led learning resources |
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Learnings from DEI best practices support organizational culture and improve employee performance |
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Challenging issues such as racism, sexism, ageism, classism, religious bias, stereotype threat, and unconscious bias are effectively addressed with fairness and compassion |
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Results
This assessment tool uses a Likert scale which allows you to obtain quantitative data that can be easily measured against in future iterations of this assessment. It will allow you to easily identify gaps while at the same time, track progress made along the way.
Resources
- The First 5 Steps to Take as a DEI Leader - Part 1(Make your presence and role known)
- The First 5 Steps to Take as a DEI Leader - Part 2 (Find allies and champions)
Contributors to this Template
- Leilani Dashner, SHRM-CP, DEIB and Recruiting Advisor
