Learn How to Measure Your Authentic Representation

Throughout the month of February, we have been celebrating the LGBT community and Black History in the US, raising awareness for them both. Even though we reach the end of scheduled events, it’s crucial the learning continues beyond the month.  Previously, we touched on the importance of representing marginalised groups and what it means to have authentic representation, today, we’re going to take it to the next stage and focus on how to begin measuring that progression.

We understand that adding a measurement index into a matter that is very human can create confusion and even promote the one thing we urge companies not to do, which is ‘tick boxing’, which can easily be classed as tokenism, and if intentions are truly genuine, no one would want to be caught at the end of that short stick. That is why in Evolution of Representation we stress the importance of companies truly seeing the value of having a diverse team, wanting to broaden the companies outlook rather than feeling like they need to. We encourage you to set realistic milestones based on your ‘as is’ state; being able to clearly identify that ‘as is’ state will make measuring that progression so much easier.

Now the whole process may seem daunting, and you may not know where to start, but, the good thing is almost everyone, from our governments to small businesses are trying to diversify their workforce and make their services accessible to as many people as possible. Companies like us, Flock Associates, are passionate about making industries more diverse and are creating a plethora of resources to help everyone on their journey, whether you are just starting out or trying to factor in more secondary characteristics like age, or socioeconomic background. 

Our ACT Framework allows you to select the metrics that best suit you and your business. You can identify risk areas in your governance and operational processes by completing regular audits. Regularly measuring the progress of your efforts enables you to assess whether it is headed in the right direction towards the achievement of your goals.

A great example of this can be found at Verizon, who have created a 4-step blueprint.

Step One: Call for Diversity

Step Two: Organize for Success

Step Three: Create an Action Plan for Impact

Step Four: Share Your Results

This will give help you to put together a plan that works for the business model and strategy, which and be referenced to and shared with your stakeholders. For now, take the first step.

If you would like to talk with us to help you get started, please contact us.