Finding Brave 284: What HR Teams Are Not Doing Today That Hurts Their Organizations
Building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is more than just a reflection of societal values; it's a strategic necessity that fuels innovation, enhances talent retention, and ensures long-term business success in a competitive global market. Today's guest, Sable Lomax, is a seasoned global DEI expert, consultant, speaker, and facilitator who joins us to share her experience in helping organizations across a wide range of sectors to supercharge their DEI initiatives.
With a rich background in facilitating DEI sessions for nonprofit, philanthropic, public multinational, and private companies, Sable partners with stakeholders to develop strategic plans, implement new learning and development programming, and design equitable initiatives that make a real impact.
In this episode, you'll find out why DEI isn't just the responsibility of HR professionals (even though many organizations and C-Suite leaders believe so) but a crucial element for building healthy, resilient organizations. Sable also highlights the importance of making DEI a priority, identifies common pitfalls in ineffective (and sometimes harmful) DEI initiatives, and provides actionable advice for fostering truly inclusive workplaces.
Tune in today to discover why prioritizing DEI is not just good ethics but also good business and gain invaluable insights to take your organization's DEI efforts to the next level.
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Key Highlights From This Episode:
- Strategic challenges that HR professionals are struggling with right now. [05:20]
- Common approaches to DEI and reasons DEI is often overlooked or undervalued. [06:59]
- Why successful solutions to DEI require time, resources, and multiple iterations. [16:34]
- The importance of playing to the strengths of internal DEI experts as well as bringing in external support when necessary. [19:50]
- Ways that ineffective DEI initiatives could actually be harming your organization. [23:04]
- Actionable, data-driven advice to help companies make DEI a priority. [25:17]
- The courage and vulnerability needed to build a healthy, thriving, company culture. [30:38]
- How purpose and self-care can keep you grounded as you work to create change. [36:24]
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Quotes:
"[DEI] is seen as separate from overall organizational [and] business goals. You have the organizational strategy – and then, off to the side, we have a three-year strategic plan, if we have [one] at all, for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Oftentimes, they don't come together." — Sable Lomax [0:06:18]
"Marketers are being asked to do more with less. Folks who are responsible for DEI are being asked to do even more with even less." — Sable Lomax [0:15:21]
"You wouldn't hire someone who's never done anything in engineering, doesn't have an engineering degree, never did an internship – to lead your engineering team. It just wouldn't happen, so it shouldn't happen in [the HR space] either." — Sable Lomax [0:21:20]
"These issues are systemic. Let's look at your [internal systems, the way you recruit, your policies, and your processes]. Let's look at all of these things and let's embed into those systems equity and inclusion across the different identity groups." — Sable Lomax [0:30:01]
"For folks in the HR space who have tried to be bold and lean into courage and vulnerability – often, you're met with resistance – because the system doesn't want change. Reboot it, yes. But adjust and tweak how it flows and operates? No." — Sable Lomax [0:35:24]
"Whatever your why is, know it, identity it, breathe it, remember it, so when you [experience] pushback, when you [find yourself] having to defend – equitable policies for recruiting and retention, your why keeps your spirit thumping, thriving, and going." — Sable Lomax [0:37:04]