A great many agencies and organizations are now taking concrete steps to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. As an agency owner, you need to make sure that you work with a diverse group of individuals, and stamp out implicit biases from your organization.
You might not realize it at first, but many agency owners fail to take diversity and inclusion seriously, simply because they work in remote teams and don’t make this a priority. As the world moves towards a more diverse and inclusive work environment, it’s important that agency owners play their role and introduce a DEI policy.
What Is a DEI Policy?
It’s important to understand a DEI policy first before you think about introducing it in your workplace. DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Diversity simply means that you give everyone a fair chance to work in your organization.
Equity, on the other hand, means that everyone gets to contribute and play their role as your organization grows. Finally, inclusion means that every individual gets the chance to state their point or feel heard.
With a DEI policy in place, you effectively commit to making sure that you hire without any prejudices, and commit to a more creative, diverse, and inclusive workplace for your employees.
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Why Is a DEI Policy So Important for Agencies?
There are several reasons why it’s important for you to introduce a DEI policy in your agency. Apart from the practical benefits that you get, there are also compliance requirements in some areas that you must meet. Here are just a few of the many reasons why you should consider introducing a DEI policy in your agency.
1. A Shared Experience
A company is simply the sum of its parts, or more specifically, the sum of the experiences of its employees. From a moral point of view, bringing people into the business from different walks of life allows you to expose others to a shared humanity. By bringing in people with situational fairness, you can reduce significant costs associated with mental health.
2. Improved Goodwill
Agencies or organizations that have a DEI policy are automatically perceived better than others. It shows that you’re taking a forward-thinking approach to growth and are focusing on a broader perspective. It also shows that your agency is focused towards fostering an open learning environment without regards to the creed, color or the sexual orientation of your employees.
It’ll also help you get more clients, as many businesses now prefer working with agencies or organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion. Some of the best SEO agencies already have DEI policies in place.
3. Fosters a Positive Work Environment
Whether you work in-person or have a fully remote agency, one of the biggest benefits of introducing a DEI policy is that it fosters a more positive work environment. It lets employees know that they won’t face a hard time based on the religion they follow or the color of their skin, and ultimately, this leads to more profitability!
4. Attract More Talent
Talented employees are generally more interested in working with organizations or agencies that are fair about their hiring processes. It shows that you’re willing to hire on merit instead of letting deeply embedded biases in the way. It also shows that you’re committed to the cause, and are willing to give opportunities to everyone who has the skills and the talent required.
With more talent comes more growth. It’s a simple thing, but will help you grow your digital agency as you’ll be able to attract top talent, build effective teams, and deliver a better service.
5. Improved Employee Retention
If you want to reduce turnover in your agency, introducing a DEI policy is an excellent idea. It’s only a logical conclusion when you think about it; your staff will feel that they’re heard and valued, and as a result, will want to stay. Even if they get a better offer, the positive work environment may sway their decision to work with you.
Improved employee retention, as you know, eventually results in a myriad of other positives for your company! This is all the more important if you work and collaborate with a remote team.
Free Template: DEI Policy
You can use this free DEI policy template for your agency to reaffirm your commitment to promoting a diverse and inclusive culture.
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How To Write a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy
While we have included a DEI policy template that you can use in your agency or company, it’s important that you write a workplace diversity policy yourself. Here are a few tips to help you write a diversity and inclusion policy for your company:
- Define the purpose of your policy. Apart from the fiscal benefits that you get for introducing a DEI policy, it’s important that you underline the intrinsic benefits that your team will attain by introducing a DEI policy.
- Illustrate your agency’s long-term vision for diversity and inclusion. Make sure you underline your agency’s long-term vision so that employees know exactly what you’re doing to make the workplace more diverse, and what you intend to achieve from this policy.
- Be clear. It’s imperative that you make the policy as clear as day. Instead of using fancy buzzwords, make sure you highlight why it’s needed, and the steps your agency is taking to promote diversity in the workplace. And, mention the repercussions if employees do not adhere to the policy. If you’re having trouble in the legal aspect of forming a DEI document then get the help of a Professional Employer Organization which will assist in not only drafting this document but also putting it into action immediately.
- Get feedback. You need to look beyond the conventional quotas to preserve your agency’s image. Instead, get feedback from your employees about what you can do to improve diversity and inclusion in your workplace.
Have You Already Introduced a DEI Policy In Your Company?
If you already have a DEI policy in place with your agency, it’s important that you continue to revise it and make amendments as you see fit. It’s also important to hold routine sessions with your employees so that you enforce this culture and your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Najam Ahmed
I work as a digital content producer at Cloudways. Besides that, I love to read, and i love to play the guitar. Fan of all things Arsenal and the Patriots. Occasional gamer. I like to fly drones too. Jack of all trades.
