A Systematic Review Study on DEI Strategies Within Workplaces

A Systematic Review Study on Different Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategies Within Workplaces

Achieving a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is an utmost goal for many organizations. A diverse workforce is associated with benefits such as enhanced problem-solving skills, employee satisfaction, and improved organizational performance. Past literature shows that research on diversity, equity, and inclusion within various workplaces, such as healthcare settings, has been ongoing for a while since the 1960s. However, despite the benefits attributed to diverse and inclusive workplaces, many organizations lack essential information about practices and actions to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in their respective workplaces. Through an integrative and systematic literature review, this study confirms that diverse recruitment practices, managerial involvement, diverse training and development, monitoring, allyship, and sponsorship programs are the leading evidence-based programs toward a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Equity within workplaces involves offering fair opportunities among employees to trigger their engagement and motivation. According to Creary et al. (2021), equity entails promoting equal opportunities to all employees regardless of their race, gender, and sexual orientation. Diversity, on the other hand, involves increasing the demographic mix of employees within an organization. Many organizations have formulated their recruitment, promotion, and retention programs such that they maximize the hiring of historically underrepresented community members. Lastly, inclusion is an essential human resource management system that proposes an integration of different perspectives and viewpoints in the workplace. According to Creary et al. (2021), inclusion became a critical topic of focus after diversity experts witnessed high levels of employee turnover among women and racial minorities. It became evident that hiring diverse people into an organization’s workplace without setting policies and practices that incorporate their diverse viewpoints is inadequate. Therefore, diversity, equity, and inclusion work together in workplaces to prompt employee engagement and motivation, enhance job satisfaction and employee wellness, and reduce instances of high turnover rates. 

Research on diversity, equity, and inclusion is a phenomenon that has been around for a while in the US. Many organizations started diversity training programs in the 1960s to address concerns raised by civil rights and labor union movements (Russen & Dawson, 2023). Diversity-based recruitment was aimed at creating opportunities for employees from historically underrepresented communities. Fortunately, due to the positive effects of diversity, equity, and inclusion within different organizational workforces, employees in the contemporary corporate world are more willing to engage in discussions exposing discriminatory hiring and promotion experiences (Russen & Dawson, 2023). The bottom line of many past studies is that diversity and equity policies and programs are designed to reduce discriminatory actions against individuals from historically underrepresented communities. According to Russen & Dawson (2023), diversity, equity, and inclusion within the hospitality industry have led to a positive impact on employees’ quality of life and organizational performance under the lens of turnover rates and profitability. 

Statement of the Problem

Despite the benefits attributed to diversity, equity, and inclusion within workplaces, many organizations still need to work on understanding different strategies to improve diversity, equity, and inclusivity within their workplaces. Therefore, this research paper, through a qualitative systematic review, seeks to highlight and recommend various strategies or initiatives that can lead to improved diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces and organizations.  

Methodology

This study undertook a qualitative systematic study design. Study methods involved selecting five articles for systematic review and synthesis of practices essential to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Major keywords used in selecting the five articles include diversity, inclusion, equity, workplace, employee satisfaction, recruitment, and diversity training. All five articles selected for this study were published in the last five years and can be accessed from the Google Scholar database. This study’s major data collection and synthesis method is a systematic literature review.

Literature Review

According to Creary et al. (2021), diversity, equity, and inclusivity are essential in any workplace. However, to acquire the benefits of DEI, organizations need to understand different practices that foster a diverse and inclusive workplace. Such methods are discussed below. First, effective diversity recruitment initiatives help increase the representation of historically underrepresented groups such as racial minorities (Creary et al., 2021; Rosenkranz et al., 2021). A significant advantage of diversified teams is that they have improved abilities to solve problems within their workplaces than homogeneous workforces. A similar study by Ayyala et al. (2021) also showed that more diverse teams containing different opinions, perspectives, viewpoints, and backgrounds perform optimally compared to homogenous teams when undertaking problem-solving tasks. Moreover, companies that have prioritized diversity and inclusion within their teams enjoy improved employee engagement, motivation, and retention. Moreover, according to Rosenkranz et al. (2021), more diverse executive leadership boards produce improved profitability, contributing positively to overall business success.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion within workplaces are associated with significantly higher levels of employee wellness. According to Ayyalla et al. (2021), diversity can be defined as having a seat at the table, inclusion as having a voice, and belonging as having one’s voice heard. From the above presentation of diversity, it is clear that the concept of diversity alone is ineffective. In detail, diversity entails aspects such as human demographic factors, such as ethnicity, race, gender, age, and sexual orientation (Ayyalla et al., 2021). Therefore, focusing on improving diversity within a workplace entail having different members of society within an organization’s workforce regardless of their demographic factors. However, the feeling of being excluded from members of a specific underrepresented group within workplaces induces and heightens the dull feeling of inherent biases (Ayyalla et al., 2021). In such workplaces, employees, especially from underrepresented communities, feel lonelier, discriminated against, and subjected to compromised access to resources such as meetings and networking to ignite career growth. Consequently, such adverse feelings while working in a workplace that does not value diversity and inclusion lead to limited individual engagement and success, hindered advancement, delayed job promotion, and, subsequently, low-level personal wellness (Ayyalla et al., 2021). In the end, such dissatisfied employees tend to have higher levels of burnout and eventually exit their jobs.

Creary et al. (2021) posit that mentoring and sponsorship programs also offer employees a variety of career and professional development opportunities among members of historically underrepresented communities. Alongside training and development, mentoring, and sponsorship, organizations can achieve DEI in the workplace through managerial involvement, internal diversity partners, and workplace policies (Creary et al., 2021). On the other hand, a poor organizational climate compromises diversity and inclusion efforts. For instance, the failure to establish proactive efforts to create an environment for training, mentorship, and retention leads to increased employee dissatisfaction and higher turnover rates. Turnover rates among employees from historically underrepresented minorities, such as Blacks and Hispanics, are usually higher (Chantarat et al., 2023). Notable diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies within healthcare settings include starting mentorship programs for healthcare workers from historically underrepresented communities.

In detail, workplace policies such as anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation policies also enhance related diversity practices (Creary et al., 2021). Furthermore, management can also be involved in creating diverse and inclusive workplaces by providing supportive resources such as inclusion networks for minorities and endorsements for employees to volunteer for diversity roles (Creary et al., 2021). Management can also initiate DEI through formulating and implementing policies that enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Workplaces should facilitate a psychologically safe environment to foster inclusivity, which, in the end, contributes to effective recruitment featuring a diverse workforce. Moreover, diversity and inclusivity are associated with an increased sense of accomplishment, leading to enhanced job satisfaction even among workers from historically underrepresented communities. Proportionately, enhanced job satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment positively influence individual wellness, leading to overall workplace wellness. However, a non-inclusive workplace characterized by reduced access to some resources for workers from historically minorities leads to increased absenteeism. In the end, such absenteeism contributes to instances of job dissatisfaction, leading to higher rates of turnover among employees. Some people may leave their jobs or even their entire careers.

Rosenkranz et al. (2021) study introduces equity, diversity, and inclusion in medical and healthcare workplaces. According to Rosenkranz et al. (2021), it is essential to note that the healthcare workforce has a moral duty to improve the quality of life of all patients regardless of their sexual orientation, race, language, ethnicity, and beliefs. Diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts are ideal and critical in helping the healthcare sector accomplish its moral imperative goal. Therefore, diversifying the medical workforce is essential to reducing healthcare disparity within society and improving patient outcomes (Rosenkranz et al., 2021). However, achieving diversity, equity, and inclusivity depends significantly on the recruitment and retention of workers from underrepresented minorities. According to Creary et al. (2021), diverse recruitment initiatives can be achieved through using external recruiting platforms such as online postings to reach and encourage many members of historically underrepresented communities. Secondly, Creary et al. (2021) posit that organizations can achieve diverse and inclusive workplaces through engaging in education and training programs that seek to improve skills, knowledge, and abilities on diversity, equity, and inclusion and their associated benefits. 

Notably, the value of diversity in the healthcare sphere is a more nascent and more prioritized concept in the contemporary medical world (Rosenkranz et al., 2021). Logically, what the three concepts have induced in the corporate world can be extrapolated to the healthcare workplace. Examples of such attributes and advantages of diversity in the corporate world include boosted employee engagement and motivation, staff retention, improved problem-solving abilities, and general profitability (Rosenkranz et al., 2021). However, within healthcare workplaces, the value of diversity and inclusivity is measured based on the concepts’ advantages to different stakeholders such as patients, staff, and researchers. According to Rosenkranz (2021), the essential value of diversity in healthcare workplaces is improving staff engagement and retention, enhancing patient outcomes, and reducing existing healthcare disparities.

In essence, within healthcare facilities, challenges such as language and cultural barriers deter patients from diverse backgrounds from acquiring early and preventive care, a state that compromises long-term outcomes (Rosenkranz et al., 2021). However, having a diverse team will ensure that healthcare providers have improved communication with patients from diverse backgrounds, thus facilitating patient-centered care, decision-making, and adherence to medication plans. In detail, according to Rosenkranz et al. (2021), physicians from underrepresented minorities are more competent to provide effective and patient-centered care to patients from underserved communities. Therefore, ensuring diversity, inclusion, and equity within the healthcare setting workforce such that the contracted physicians reflect the diverse patients they serve reduces existing healthcare disparities (Rosenkranz et al., 2021). Additionally, such a workforce enhances access to healthcare services, improves patient outcomes, and reduces the cost of healthcare services and the entire system. According to Rosenkranz et al. (2021), alongside improving healthcare access and services to underrepresented communities, a diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce improves learning outcomes among medical students, as such training environments trigger active learning. 

Moreover, according to Rosenkrantz et al. (2021), a diverse workplace and learning environment enhances intellectual engagement and morale and equips learners with interpersonal skills that make them work effectively and comfortably in diverse workplaces later in their professional path. Furthermore, improving diversity and inclusivity in healthcare research teams and workforce benefits minority groups that have long been excluded from clinical trials for diseases affecting them (Rosenkranz et al., 2021). The underrepresentation in clinical trials and medical research leads to adverse healthcare outcomes that disadvantage the minority population. However, with a diverse research team, members of minority groups who were once reluctant to take part in clinical trials started significantly accepting invitations to participate in clinical research and trials.

Improving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Workplaces

According to Chantarat et al. (2023), changing workplace representation alone to improve diversity is insufficient. Therefore, there is a significant need for the prevailing workplace environment and climate to affirm positive efforts toward creating conditions where personnel from historically underrepresented communities can thrive. Such efforts create an inclusive climate that triggers employee engagement and commitment, reduces turnover, increases job satisfaction, and positive psychological outcomes (Chantarat et al., 2023). First, all organizations and workplaces need to establish and build inclusive work environments. Imparting the culture of empathy and inclusion within workplaces ensures that every individual is respected, recognized, accepted, and offered an adequate space to be included (Ayyala et al., 2021). Notably, a diverse and inclusive workplace needs to account for distinct expectations and perceptions among employees and executive leadership. Therefore, there is a critical need to recognize the intersectionality of different human life aspects that aid in the creation of a transparent and inclusive climate and culture (Ayyala et al., 2021). Such elements include an individual’s educational qualifications and situational or inclusive awareness.

According to Ayalla et al. (2021), inclusive and situational awareness is essential in understanding the grounds for creating a better and positive workplace culture. In detail, situational awareness ensures that an individual is adequately informed and aware of distinct workplace dynamics and how differences between co-workers can lead to one feeling less included. For instance, in various workplaces, Muslim workers need to pray numerous times a day, or a breastfeeding mother who recently returned to work needs to excuse herself and pump breastmilk throughout the day (Ayyala et al., 2021). However, in their workplaces, there may exist colleagues with subtle comments that are thought to be harmless but consequently make some workers uncomfortable. Therefore, there is a dire need and greater significance to pay attention and be informed of different perceptions among employees to establish a culture that values respect for all. Furthermore, creating and supporting high-functioning teams also aids in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in different workplaces. According to Ayalla et al. (2021), a high-functioning team must ensure the executive leadership comprises board members from diverse backgrounds and with different viewpoints. Diversity, in this case, entails various factors and characteristics such as race, gender, ethnicity, age, experience, and skill set (Creary et al., 2021). Alongside demographic factors, diversity, workplaces should ensure cognitive diversity by valuing all individuals with different perspectives and information processing styles.

On the other hand, inclusive awareness facilitates the creation of an open and safe work environment for all workmates. In other words, inclusive understanding entails supporting different gender identities through establishing trans-inclusive workplaces (Creary et al., 2021). Such trans-inclusive work environments can be achieved by avoiding heteronormative assumptions, educating workers on various aspects of gender diversity, and providing gender-neutral washrooms and bathrooms in the workplace (Ayyala et al., 2021). Moreover, organizations should formulate and implement anti-discriminatory policies that produce identity-safe workplaces. Ultimately, inclusive workplaces effectively foster the best performances by helping workers grow in personal and professional aspects (Ayyala et al., 2021). For example, inclusive workplaces ensure that employees are emotionally and psychologically safe, thus improving their wellness and leading to enhanced individual and organizational performance.

Within healthcare workplaces, fostering high-functioning teams improves the quality of patient care and positively impacts employees’ professional and career fulfillment. According to Ayyala et al. (2021), a diverse and high-functioning team provides a collaborative workforce that triggers wellness among employees, enhancing job satisfaction and effectively reducing chances for higher turnover or exit rates. However, fostering high-functioning teams depends on inclusive work environments where diverse employees and their diverse views can be heard and contribute to different subject matters, resulting in improved performance. Ayalla et al. (2021) posit that another mechanism to create and develop a high-functioning team within a workplace entails offering clarity about procedures, policies, schedules, and decision-making. Alongside transparency concerning workplace policies, organizations can foster high-functioning teams through having periodic formal performance assessments, formal surveys, and informal check-ins that aid in identifying issues of diversity within the workplace and finding practical solutions.   

Lastly, organizations can establish diverse and inclusive workplaces by establishing a culture of personal support and career development. Interpersonal and professional development is effectively achieved through programs such as mentorship, allyship, and sponsorship (Ayyala et al., 2021). In detail, mentorship involves offering guidance on different aspects of the job, such as transitions and onboarding. According to Creary et al. (2021), mentorship may involve senior employees guiding young and inexperienced workers on how to create career development plans and tackle professional challenges. Similarly, allyship programs help enhance representation and equity. An example of an allyship program is where a female employee is considered for an executive leadership position within an organization. In addition, allyship programs may involve being vocal and raising against discriminatory and subtle comments among colleagues to create an emotionally and psychologically safe workspace (Ayyala et al., 2021). Thirdly, sponsorship programs are effective in promoting career and professional development (Creary et al., 2021). Sponsorship involves investing one’s influence and network to drive another person’s career toward success. Practical examples of support in workplaces include nominating a workmate for leadership positions, career development seminars, and workshops.

Results/Findings

Diversity, equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work hand in hand to create a positive climate within workplaces that improves employee engagement and motivation and reduces risks for higher turnover rates. This qualitative study has established that diverse and inclusive actions and practices within our organizational workplace are the starting point for achieving a more equitable and diverse workforce. Implementing fair recruitment practices that focus on improving the representation of historically underrepresented communities is the starting point for achieving a diverse workforce. Essentially, people from all backgrounds must be included in the decision-making processes, a culture that promotes and values individual differences and their distinct viewpoints. Embracing diversity and inclusion is a source of competitive advantage.

Additionally, after recruitment, organizations must engage in diverse training and development programs to improve the workforce’s knowledge and skills on diversity, inclusion, and equity and their associated benefits. Alongside training and development programs, organizational workplaces should initiate mentorship, allyship, and sponsorship plans to promote inclusivity and career development of historically underrepresented communities. Senior employees are more likely to invest their networks and skills to help junior employees advance their careers and professions. Furthermore, allyship enables the recommendation of members of minority communities to join executive leadership roles for diverse leadership.

Discussion

Ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion within workplaces is ideal for ensuring enhanced employee engagement, motivation, and organizational profitability. However, many organizations need more sustainable and viable strategies to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion. Based on the above systematic literature review, organizations can invest in the following initiatives to acquire a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

Creating an inclusive climate can be achieved through the following initiatives. An inclusive climate creates the feeling that everyone’s input is considered and promotes fair practices that appreciate employees’ differences. First, the management can trigger inclusion by highlighting workers’ accomplishments and recognizing such contributions through rewards (Creary et al., 2021). Similarly, the management can solicit employee input during big decisions to make employees from historically underrepresented communities feel ownership of organizational activities. Secondly, according to Creary et al. (2021), workplace policies geared towards transparent hiring and effective employee feedback also make employees from historically underrepresented communities feel included in their workplaces. Russel & Dawson (2023) articulate that an inclusive climate upholds those employees of all backgrounds are valued due to their uniqueness and fosters a sense of belonging and equal chances towards accessing valued resources.

Improving diversity within an organization is dependent on high-functioning teams, inclusive environments, and mentorship, sponsorship, and allyship programs. High-functioning teams are a product of diverse leadership boards and committees that value diverse perspectives and viewpoints (Ayyala et al., 2021). Moreover, clarity on formulated and implemented policies, schedules, and procedures ensures that all diversity-based policies are transparent and that minorities have their say during the formulation of such policies. An inclusive workplace climate is critical in improving diversity and equity (Russen & Dawson, 2023). For example, undertaking diversity training programs helps employees understand the value of diversity and advocate for situational awareness that leads to the accommodation of employees from diverse backgrounds and with diverse needs. Third, mentorship programs guide newly hired employees on career and professional aspects, such as creating career development plans (Ayyala et al., 2021). Allyship, on the other hand, ensures speaking up against any discriminatory actions against colleagues. At the same time, sponsorship promotes a culture of employees and leaders investing their influence and professional networks to boost a colleague’s career.

Other practices include prioritizing diversity during recruitment, training, development, and retention programs (Rosenkranz et al., 2021). According to Chantarat et al. (2023), an organization should create a diversity and inclusion plan and communicate it publicly to stakeholders through graphic images, events, goal statements, and programmatic language.

Conclusion

The results and discussion in this paper might not be exhaustive. However, the paper offers evidence-based insights on improving workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion. Based on the systematic and integrative literature review, diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical concepts within any organizational workplace. For instance, a diversified workplace improves patient outcomes and reduces healthcare disparities within healthcare settings. However, what is more important is understanding how to improve diversity, inclusivity, and equity in the workplace.

In summary, managerial involvement, workplace policies, mentoring and sponsorship programs, and high-functioning teams help organizations create a more diverse and inclusive environment. Declaring the benefits of DEI within workplaces alone is inadequate. There is a massive need for organizations to invest in different programs, as discussed in this paper, to create diverse and inclusive environments within workplaces. Revolutionizing the recruitment process, management activities, training, and development programs to prioritize diversity and inclusion is a worthwhile investment for all organizations. Ultimately, a diverse workforce will be better placed to solve problems and contribute to enhanced performance and profitability than homogeneous teams.