Embracing DEIB: The Competitive Edge in Talent and Recruitment

Nearly 80% of employees now expect their workplaces to implement DEIB initiatives, and businesses recognise its competitive edge in the talent and recruitment market.  

Inclusive companies see higher engagement, particularly among millennials, who are 83% more likely to be engaged at work in environments where belonging and inclusivity are a priority. Indeed, DEIB initiatives go hand in hand with employee well-being and experience.  

2025 will see HR wrestling with the convergence of 5 different generations in the workplace, making it more important to understand each other's values, work styles, and perspectives.

Do you want to make a meaningful difference to your Belonging and Inclusion agenda in 2025?

Consider these two things:    

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1. Benefit flexibility  

Recognising that employees have diverse personal requirements, organisations are creating more flexibility around benefits. This includes flexible benefits menus that allow employees to opt in or out of various benefits, such as buying or selling annual leave, gym memberships, or pension contributions. Flexible working schedules have also become more prevalent, with companies like Zurich seeing a 66% boost in applications for senior roles due to their flexible working initiatives, with 1 in 4 hires choosing to work part-time. Baking flexibility into the workplace helps maintain a better work-life balance and promotes mental health and well-being, enhancing employee retention and productivity.    

The challenges of flexibility:  

Promoting flexibility among frontline workers—particularly those involved with 24/7 service or care- is particularly hard.    

When workers can't perform duties remotely, remote working obviously isn't an option.  

In these cases, it's essential to think more creatively about flexibility. Could bank holiday flexibility be an option for these roles to provide a greater sense of control?  

Flexi time in manufacturing companies: Some allow employees to complete their hours at any time in the week or to take overtime hours off in lieu.    
The NHS operates a bank of nurses, allowing them to choose when they work and allowing retired nurses to return when they wish.

Organisations facing staff shortages on the frontline due to unsociable hours, low holiday allowances, and low pay have responded by providing increased flexibility to encourage more talent and improve retention.  

As a solution for employees, it must be balanced carefully with the needs of clients, customers, and the wider supply chain. Setting realistic expectations and time-based flexibility can enable this.

2. Employee Advocacy/Resource Groups  

Up to 90% of Fortune 500 companies use Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to empower employees. Effective ERGs require dedicated time, resources, and leadership support to drive diversity and inclusion efforts within the company. For instance, JP Morgan's Hispanic/Latino Employee Group, Adelante, launched a program to support the professional development of Latina employees in leadership roles.  

To further maximise the contribution of ERG groups, business leaders can ensure they have clear ownership over particular agendas and mandates for the ERGs to drive change. For organisations transitioning to this structure, ways of working may require a reset or change in approach; however, the business benefit can significantly outweigh the disruption. In some cases, this way of working may already be established, and ERGs will contribute to the strategic direction of the business.  

A good test for any organisation is to ask, "Have our ERGs made any meaningful recommendations or led significant change over the past 12 months?"  
If not, then it's time for a reset!  

‍The focus on belonging and inclusion will continue to shape the future of HR. Organisations can create a more inclusive and engaging workplace by offering flexible benefits and supporting employee advocacy groups.

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