Diversity and Equity Consulting

Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace

ELEVATE your organization! Through research and experience, I developed the ELEVATE process for agencies to improve in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The process is a framework for leading real change that can be seen and felt inside and outside the agency. The steps require an agency to Evaluate, Learn, Engage, Vision, Act, Tell, and Evaluate again (it’s a recursive process).

I have also developed an assessment tool – the Internal Diversity and Equity Audit (IDEA) – which helps agencies identify areas for growth and implement best practices to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion. The tool assesses the level of commitment – accountability, infrastructure, incentives, and resources – an agency has to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in five key areas – recruitment, retention, workplace climate, operations, and leadership.

Here is a more detailed description of each step of the ELEVATE process:

Evaluate – Complete the Internal Diversity and Equity Audit (IDEA); assesses the agency’s level of commitment – accountability, infrastructure, incentives, and resources – in five key areas – recruitment, retention, workplace climate, operations, and leadership

Learn – Analyze IDEA results with Diversity and Equity Consultant; identify gaps and areas of growth; clarify agency needs (may require interviews, site visits, or focus groups); gain understanding of weaknesses; discuss best practices

Engage – Identify key leaders; select a core group or groups to address gaps (this develops accountability, these individuals should be compensated, rewarded, and/or recognized for their contributions to the agency)

Vision– Brainstorm; identify creative solutions for addressing gaps; develop initiatives; determine levels of urgency and importance for each action item; create an action plan; determine who is responsible for each action item; develop a time frame for each action item

Act – Implement action plan

Tell – Communicate the action plan; incorporate senior leaders in communications; utilize social media, newsletters, email, and other forms of media to connect diversity and inclusion efforts to agency goals; share successes

Evaluate again!– Assess results and outcomes of action items; revisit IDEA and compare results; make adjustments