How to start a Diversity Equity Inclusion program

Organizations that employ people from different cultures, races, religions, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and backgrounds perform better. If you lead a diverse team, you know that your team’s day-to-day work may feel uncomfortable at times, but it's worth it.

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This week, we are looking at ways to run programs that attract diverse team members. Mija Lieberman, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leader, shares her experience starting programs that address often-underrepresented employee needs.

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About Mija Lieberman

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At Niantic, Mija was a founding leader of the LGBTQ+ ERG and a founding member of the Diversity & Inclusion Council. She also supported Niantic’s Head of DEI on DEI training, mentorship, and other initiatives.

In her most recent role at Unity, Mija worked full-time in DEI as an ERG Program Manager. She managed nine employee resource groups and empowered ERG leaders to be DEI champions. She organized annual summits and Heritage Months. She also launched a website and social media campaigns to spread the word about their DEI programs.

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Read on for our full interview with Mija!

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If you are interested in employee experience topics, also check out:

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What made you decide to work in DEI?

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I started my career in recruiting. I learned a great deal about diversity recruiting strategies and equitable hiring practices. I also learned that organizations need inclusive cultures to retain the diverse talent they recruit. I wanted to influence both my workplace environment and the broader communities we served.

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As a queer woman of color, I wanted to help others from marginalized backgrounds bring their full authentic selves to work. Working in DEI means that there will always be more work to do. I love it because it challenges me to learn and grow.

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What is the most rewarding part about working in DEI?

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I enjoy seeing the ERGs make a cultural impact that will outlive my time at any company. Let me give you a couple of examples from the nine ERGs I managed.

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After working remotely for several years, Unity announced a hybrid return-to-office mandate that worried people with families, who relied on more flexible work arrangement to fulfill their responsibilities. Our Caregivers ERG partnered to set up a global back-up caregiver benefit to assist employees with children, aging parents, and dependents with disabilities.

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After some budget cuts affected a wellness stipend, we discovered that some people had been using the funds for trans healthcare that was not covered by insurance. Our LGBTQ+ ERG advocated to create a gender-affirming care benefit so that all employees, regardless of location, could access the care they needed.

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What is the most stressful part about working in DEI?

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Responding to existential crises, like wars and other tragedies that make international news, stresses me the most. Crisis communications is an increasingly important part of DEI work, and it must be done in a timely, sensitive manner.

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Last year, when the Israel-Hamas war started, discussions on our company Slack became so divisive that our internal comms team had to lock them down. People were angry, and we had many employees on both sides, with family and friends dying. We partnered with our social impact team to make sure there were donation-matching opportunities available to help both the Israeli and Palestinian civilians.

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How do you start a successful DEI program?

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Listen to understand what’s going on

Any DEI program should be tailored to your organization. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. To determine priorities, start with a listening tour. You need to understand the problem before devising a solution.

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Measuring your baseline is another good first step. With a baseline, you can assess progress over time. For example, you need to understand the current demographic makeup of your employee base to set realistic goals for increasing representation.

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Have a strategy that includes multiple ways to approach DEI

One framework that helps capture this is the 4 C’s of ERGs: Career, Culture, Commerce, and Community.

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Career involves recruiting and retaining talent across business functions and seniority levels.
Culture focuses on creating an inclusive workplace where employees are culturally competent.
Commerce is about developing inclusive products and services that affect business outcomes.
Community centers on building community and giving back in meaningful ways.

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Unity's DEI strategy pillars were loosely based on these and drove the direction of our OKRs. For example, one objective under culture was investing in ERGs as a pipeline for Unity leaders and DEI champions.

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Recruit DEI champions across the business

ERG leaders are often strong DEI champions who help advocate for their ERG and other DEI programs at the company. Another important champion includes the executive leadership team, some of whom would be ideal executive sponsors of an ERG. These champions need to be able to view company decisions through an inclusive lens, even when a DEI leader is not present. Having stakeholder buy-in can determine if a DEI program will be approved in the first place.

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How did you set up your DEI programs?

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I joined Unity shortly before the current Global Head of DEI, who took time to understand the business before developing a long-term strategy and multi-year roadmap. I started managing our ERG program before this strategy was in place, and I evolved it as the company’s priorities changed.

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What went well

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We had a small DEI team of three in a company of over 5000 employees, so engaging DEI champions across the business was critical to reaching our audacious goals. A few people working on DEI projects in related functions became our extended team. We recruited executive sponsors to champion our ERGs and support individuals. I developed and grew our ERG program to 50+ ERG leaders and doubled the percentage of employees who were ERG members from 12% to 24%.

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What didn’t go well

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Despite having a well-rounded strategy, our resources were severely limited. Unity went through layoffs, losing amazing people from underrepresented backgrounds and DEI champions. Due to associated budget cuts, we had to suspend our partnerships that provided DEI training, diversity recruiting opportunities, and ad-hoc consulting. Had these not been the circumstances, I believe we could have made a greater impact.

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What do you think of the recent DEI controversy?

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Following the racial reckoning in the US in 2020, several companies made large investments and strong commitments to DEI. Recently, however, the momentum has shifted in the opposite direction with several attempts to disband programs labeled as diversity initiatives.

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This is especially true in higher education following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn affirmative action. Laws banning funding for public university DEI programs have been passed in several US states, including Texas, Florida, Utah, and Alabama.

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Unsurprisingly, there is resistance. This country has a long history of discrimination that continues to this day. But the backlash has become increasingly politicized, and those who believe DEI is some kind of reverse racism have a lot to learn. At its core, DEI is meant to be inclusive, not exclusive, and is necessary to bridge the opportunity gap between different demographic groups.

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Is a DEI program worth it?

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DEI programs are worth it, not only as a moral imperative but as a business decision. Several studies, including an annual report by McKinsey & Company, demonstrate that DEI is good for the bottom line through increased profitability and innovation. Company employees representing a diverse market are better positioned to attract diverse talent and reach untapped markets. In addition, the workforce makeup is shifting toward Millennials and Gen Z, who increasingly value working for companies that care about DEI and social causes.

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What’s your advice to people just starting a DEI program?

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Take the time to set up a DEI program and strategy that makes sense for the organization. How can you connect the DEI mission and vision to the company’s overall goals? What are employees' current perceptions and understanding of DEI? Where is DEI missing in existing processes or programs? Who are the DEI champions who will keep the company accountable to its DEI commitments? These are examples of important questions to ask when setting the foundation.

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Mija Lieberman is a DEI leader and HR professional. She is passionate about creating equity and cultures of belonging. If you are just embarking on your DEI journey and would like Mija’s advice, connect with her.

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How to start a Diversity Equity Inclusion program

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