I was recently interviewed by Authority Magazine about what I believe are the 5 critical steps required to create a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive work environment. While the concept that the workplace should be an equitable and inclusive environment, the execution is where most companies get it wrong.

First, let’s recognize that we’ve come a long way. Early DE&I efforts raised awareness of the inequality that exists in the workforce. Laws were created to prevent unlawful discrimination and practices in the workplace. As a result, significant progress has been made to minimize the gap on gender pay, as well as pay for people of color. Leadership and other career opportunities are widening for women and people of color. Despite this progress, however, women and people of color are still underrepresented in certain roles within the organization, especially in industries that were traditionally male dominated.

While regulations and other DE&I efforts have helped to address blatant demonstrations of discrimination in the workplace, little has been done to speak to the unconscious biases that exist within the workforce. Traditional DE&I efforts in the workplace are no longer sophisticated enough to address the biases that employees may hold within their subconscious. Quite frankly, the workplace has become much more sophisticated. Gone are the days where investment bankers will hire strippers for their company holiday parties. Instead, microaggressions towards female employees may be in the form of exclusion of female employees from social activities outside of work. Or it can also be male colleagues telling a female coworker a dirty joke at an after-work event but then guilting the female coworker not to break the “bro code” by breaking their circle of trust.

In these situations, the evidence of discrimination become much less obvious and much more subjective. Therefore, despite all of the good achieved so far, companies have a long way to go. Most Fortune 500 companies today have amped up their DE&I efforts, in response to the demands of their employees and their customers. Up until recently, however, most corporations have treated their DE&I programs like an extracurricular program that only scratches the surface of what is really required to achieve a truly diverse and inclusive workplace.

It’s time to step up efforts in the workplace to create an equitable and inclusive environment where all forms of diversity are appreciated. Diversity isn’t just skin-deep. There is also diversity of background, beliefs, and ideas. Companies who recognize that the differences within their organization is the key to their success hold the power to achieve sustainable success. Through conflict and diversity, we achieve innovation.

What does it take then to achieve this level of inclusive and equitable work environment? Forget standard corporate training that only touches on theories. Companies have to start investing in programs that touch on skillset and mindset. You can’t eradicate unconscious biases without first addressing personal mindset. This is why my corporate training programs emphasize the personal mindset of the trainees. Unconscious biases cannot be skill trained. Employees require support to work through the stories and beliefs that led them to foster these biases.

For more information about my corporate development programs, please reach out to me at info@jeantien.com.