DEIB Meaning: Bringing Belonging into the Workplace

Leading expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion, Verna Myers once said: “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” DEIB, or diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, aims to take that metaphor one step further.

Metaphors aside, what does a culture of belonging look like in the workplace? According to Gallup, it’s a matter of creating genuine appreciation for everyone’s differences and contributions. In fact, Gallup states “if managers could increase the number of employees who believed their opinions counted, organizations could reduce turnover by as much as 27%, safety incidents by 40%, and increase productivity by 12%.”

So, how can organizations build an inclusive workplace where the entire workforce benefits from a diverse array of thoughts, experiences, and backgrounds?

In this post, we will break down what belonging truly means, why DEIB is so important in the future of work, and four ways to start building a culture that embraces equity, inclusion, and belonging.

What does DEIB mean?

DEIB stands for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; and despite often being referred to as an acronym, these four letters hold a lot of weight on their own.

Diversity

In the workplace diversity refers to the range of similarities and differences each individual brings to the workplace. This includes national origin, race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, and mental and physical ability, among others. A diverse workforce may have:

Equity

Gallup defines equity as fair treatment, access, and advancement for each person in an organization. This may look like:

Inclusion

Inclusion in the workplace means employees feel welcomed and valued by the people and environment around them for who they are. Examples of this include:

Belonging

At work, belonging takes the form of employees actively wanting to bring their true selves to work because they know it will be celebrated and admired. That’s what organizations should be striving for. Belonging at work can look like:

Each aspect of DEIB on its own is important, but business leaders need to be aware of how the four entities work together as one cohesive strategy. If one of these pillars fail, they all do.

DEI vs DEIB

On the surface, this may seem obvious; the difference between DEI and DEIB is the fourth letter, B. DEIB is the same as DEI, but with some extra flare. Is it that simple? Not quite.

The difference between these two terms isn’t the letters, it’s the mindset. We need diversity, equity, and inclusion because those are the things that culminate belonging. And that is essential because without belonging, fewer employees will want to work – or stay – at the company.

DEIB recognizes the continual need to measure the humanity of a workplace, and diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to that.

In the end, a culture of belonging cannot exist without a strong foundation of diversity, equity, and inclusion in place.

Inclusion vs belonging: Know the difference

People often speak of inclusion and belonging interchangeably. Here’s the difference, inclusion is action, while belonging is feeling.

Inclusion efforts are those that intend to create a welcoming employee experience for all employees. These efforts could be things like extensive onboarding or peer mentorship programs. But, whatever the initiative, its goal should be to ensure employees feel safe and valued, and to promote employee wellbeing, growth, and engagement.

When successful, these initiatives lead employees to feel like they belong; that their employers are looking out for them and their colleagues see them for who they truly are. And it takes the strongest inclusion strategy to make that kind of belonging happen.

Why is belonging important?

An equitable workplace and inclusive environment are two essential prerequisites for a true culture of belonging. And why is belonging so important at work?

According to research from Great Place to Work, when employees feel like they belong at work they are:

Delloite’s research found DEIB initiatives are not only beneficial for workers, but they’re also good for business. Belonging at work can lead to:

Today’s world of work is more competitive than ever. Employee quit rates continue to soar and organizations looking to foster innovation, retain employees, and improve their financial performance need not look further than making diversity, equity, and inclusion company priorities in order to create belonging at work.

Creating a culture of belonging through DEIB initiatives

Making your company more diverse, more equitable, and more inclusive will not happen overnight. No employee is going to log off indifferently one day and feel a sense of belonging the next. That process takes time. However, that process can start as soon as you finish reading the next few paragraphs. Here’s what you can do right now:

Employee resource groups

To feel like you belong, you need to feel understood, seen, and celebrated for who you are. And what better way to ensure that than to create spaces for people to connect with those who have shared lived experiences?

An employee resource group (ERG) can do exactly that. ERGs can be instituted for any group of employees and can make especially meaningful change for those workers who have traditionally been underrepresented or discriminated against in the workplace, as it provides a safe space for employees to share their thoughts and feelings without fear of consequences.

Examples of ERGs include working parents; women in technology; LGBTQIA+ employees; and veterans. An employee resource group can also boost belonging by connecting people with shared values, such as an environmental sustainability group or one advocating for mental health.

Learning and development opportunities

A company’s leadership team should always be looking for new ways to coach and develop their employees. That’s especially true for fundamental pillars of a workplace like diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

To make meaningful and sustainable progress, consider implementing a DEIB training program for all employees. This training should cover the scope of DEIB but also be specific to the challenges your company is facing.

On a broad level, this diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging training should include:

There should also be training specific to managers. The future of work calls for managers who can lead a diverse team, embrace different skills and ideas, and promote inclusive environments.

Hiring and recruiting diverse employees

While DEIB practices require everyone in the company to contribute, it’s up to HR teams, senior leaders, and C-suite executives – whether it be a chief people officer, chief human resource officer, or something else – to build and sustain its foundation.

One place to start is the hiring process. Some of the questions you may want to consider asking:

Employee recognition and rewards

Senior leaders should also look internally to see how candidates fare after the interview and onboarding process. They can do that with a comprehensive employee recognition program. It’s possible to gain insights into who is getting recognized for their work and who isn’t, as well as uncover patterns in the data to help mitigate inequity, disengagement, or turnover.

And when done right, a culture of belonging is strengthened when “thank you’s” for good work can be shared up, down, and across the company by peers and managers alike.

According to a recent Workhuman-Gallup report, when employees said they receive monetary recognition, they are:

So, when employees are able to give and receive meaningful recognition, it builds connections between co-workers and the organization, it contributes and opens the avenues to a greater sense of belonging.

FAQs

Conclusion

“Right now” is the time to determine where your organization is on its path to being more diverse, inclusive, and equitable. The answer determines where your organization is on the path to creating a sense of belonging.

Bringing us back to Verna’s metaphor, maybe you’re still working on sending invitations out to the party. Or maybe, you’ve been planning the party for some time, and it’s finally time to pick out music for dancing. But remember, the DEIB journey isn’t over until everyone is dancing their hearts out.