Diversity Audits in the Workplace

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Diversity Audits in the Workplace

• Fiona Gavin
• Chartered Occupational Psychologist

gavin.fiona_at_virgin.net
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Introduction

• What is a Diversity Audit?
• Why/when would you do a Diversity Audit?
• Barriers to doing a Diversity Audit
• How do you do a Diversity Audit?
• Next steps (i.e. life after the audit!)

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What is a Diversity Audit?

• An independent assessment of the effectiveness of
  diversity management within an organisation.
• It is a process that explores
• Numerical equity
• Quality of experience

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Why do a Diversity Audit?

• External catalyst
• e.g. legal changes or concerns
• Internal catalyst
• e.g. Recognition of problem areas
• Intervention as catalyst
• e.g. implementation of new policies

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Barriers to doing a Diversity Audit

• Negative attitudes
• Complacency
• Ignorance
• Resistance
• Fear of alienating the majority
• Term diversity indicates a minority agenda
• Fear of raising expectations
• Doing an audit indicates a willingness to make
  changes, so if workforce doesnt then perceive
  changes, morale will suffer.

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How to do a Diversity Audit

• Step-by-step process
• Prepare
• Investigate
• Analyse
• Recommend
• Implement
• Review

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Preparing for a Diversity Audit
Prepare Investigate Analyse Recommend Implement Re
view

• Discuss
• Identify address your organisational barriers
  to the audit process
• Consider the readiness of managers, staff and
  resources.
• Determine the focus of the audit (refer back to
  catalyst)
• Design
• Use mixed methods design
• Decide on participants
• Determine order timing
• Disseminate
• Inform staff in advance
• Give reassurance about confidentiality

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Investigate
Prepare Investigate Analyse Recommend Implement Re
view

• In order to capture both numerical and
  experiential data, need to use mixed methods
  consider
• Interviews
• focus groups
• questionnaires
• Need to ensure that each of the methods are
  linked
• A sequential approach is recommended, in which
  the results of each phase are used to form the
  basis of the questions in the next phase.
• This ensures that any recommendations made are
  fully grounded within the needs experiences of
  the staff in your own organisation

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Investigation analysis
Prepare Investigate Analyse Recommend Implement Re
view
PRELIMINARY INTERVIEWS with key (HR) staff
determine focus perceived issues
Qualitative analysis
FOCUS GROUPS ensure both minority/majority are
represented ask about barriers desired
solutions
Qualitative analysis

• BESPOKE QUESTIONNAIRE use the findings from
  previous stage to formulate questions

Quantitative analysis
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Analysis
Prepare Investigate Analyse Recommend Implement Re
view
Preliminary interviews
Qualitative analysis look for key themes
formulate focus group questions based on these
Focus groups
Qualitative analysis look for common
experiences but dont neglect one-offs

• Bespoke Questionnaire

Quantitative analysis - of people with each
experience or view expressing desire for
each solution
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Making Recommendations
Prepare Investigate Analyse Recommend Implement Re
view

• Relatively straightforward if previous process
  has been followed
• Return to focus of audit to ensure
  recommendations remain relevant
• Designate desired solutions as immediate,
  medium-term or long- term changes
• Might want to consider resource implications and
  designate each solution as essential or
  desirable
• Ensure that recommendations include some form of
  embedded diversity management processes

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Next Steps
Prepare Investigate Analyse Recommend Implement Re
view

• Implementation of recommendations
• Structured approach
• Communicate clearly
• Provide forum for feedback on changes
• Review (re-audit on smaller scale?)
• Plan for review at the start of process
• Set time scale
• Again include qualitative and quantitative
  methods
• Revisit original focus of audit original
  questions asked re-ask these questions to
  determine if progress made as intended.

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Any questions?
gavin.fiona_at_virgin.net