Objectively evaluate your environment
Many organizations talk about the importance of recruiting to increase diverse representation and to add more diverse perspectives to create more innovative solutions. However, they don’t always consider the environment they’re inviting people of historically excluded backgrounds into.
Would you want to be a member of a marginalized background in your organization?
Do you have any idea what that experience is like?
Would people of diverse backgrounds see people like themselves thriving in your organization?
Have you created a space for the perspectives of the individuals of diverse backgrounds who are already there to be honored, valued, and incorporated?
I often share that when I explore getting involved with a group or joining an organization, I ask 2 questions:
What’s it like to work there?
What’s it like for people like me to work there?
You should be prepared to answer both questions if you are inviting people who are significantly underrepresented to take a chance with you.
Consider surveying your organization to find out what the culture is like around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The insights will give you a sense of the ways people are experiencing the environment and whether or how identity is a factor in that experience. That will help you determine what, if anything, to improve to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to thrive there.