5 Ways for Leaders To Prioritize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Efforts Amid Economic Uncertainty - Seite 2

3. Run pilots to test what resources work best.

For larger efforts that require a lot of budget, time and resources, consider running a smaller-scale experiment to test out approaches and design. That way, when you're ready to broaden the program, you're already ahead of the game. It also shows employees that your commitment to DEIB doesn't go away when times are lean.

Do the initial work that takes minimal investment, including researching, drafting processes, gathering feedback and deciding on metrics. This is also a great way to engage underrepresented groups to stress-test that your program is inclusive, equitable and valuable to people who often need it the most-and it can help them in the meantime. Thinking about developing an enterprise-wide mentorship program? Pilot it with an employee resource group (ERG) while you wait for future resources.

4. Leverage free resources and existing partnerships.

In our age of information, there is no shortage of free or inexpensive resources available. Better yet, many of these resources are authored by diverse, underrepresented talent from across the world who might not have otherwise been able to formally publish their work. Consider varied ways to share free articles, research and webinars - for example, via newsletters or Slack channels. Consider starting a conversation series or book club to make space for learning, sharing, brainstorming and practicing. And instead of using budget to bring in external speakers, try to tap leaders, employees and customers to tell their personal and career stories, particularly those that illustrate why DEIB is such an important focus for your business.

Find ways to amplify and leverage other programming more broadly, too, like using ERG events as part of your learning and development plan. Finally, explore whether existing business partnerships could provide opportunities to bring in external professionals-many Employee Assistance Programs, for example, employ a variety of experts who could offer valuable resources to your teams.

5. Stay strong while advocating for the most important needs.

It's important to remind ourselves that prioritizing DEIB can sometimes require courage and determination because there are times when we simply cannot compromise on key internal needs. No one should have to feel excluded, unvalued or discriminated against because of a budget cut. Consider your organization's biggest needs for employees and communicate those as requirements. Remind your leaders that unhappy employees do not serve your customers well-and that those people's feelings, experiences and humanity matter. As we say at GoDaddy, stay "human first."