Diversity Metrics & Accountability Model

New Framework Drives Strategies and Actions to Improve Diversity

Identify the key opportunities to improve diversity and measure progress
Improving the acquisition, retention and development of diverse talent was a strategic imperative for a major high technology company. However, the company lacked diversity metrics to help executives identify the most critical areas on which to focus. There was too much data and not enough clarity on what actions are most needed. The company also understood the research that shows the key factor in realizing results from a diversity initiative is to establish line leader accountability to drive change. The CEO, as executive sponsor of the diversity and inclusion initiative, also needed a diversity and inclusion dashboard to monitor progress across the organization.

The initiative leaders wanted to ensure the accountability framework would give credit to leaders who tackle tough long-term challenges like inclusive culture change as well as highlighting short-term successes to increase workforce diversity.

Accountability and analytics framework
To enable company executives to make substantial and sustainable change that would improve diversity, Exponential Talent’s approach included:

Developing an accountability framework that identifies the actionable, high impact changes necessary to achieve business diversity goals
Providing analytic reports for each area of the organization including external benchmarks as well as analysis of hiring, retention and advancement by demographic
Offering easy-to-read “heatmaps” to pinpoint specific actions to take by level and department
Providing an executive dashboard so top leaders can see the progress of their entire organization

Driving results with high caliber analytics
The company was able to utilize the framework to move beyond a "one-size-fits-all" approach to diversity across the organization. Each department could now create a tailored, actionable strategy to raise diversity representation based on their department's specific highest impact areas. Departments now had the data to focus and act upon their own unique challenges: whether it be hiring, retention, advancement or inclusive culture.

The diversity initiative received high marks from the 16 executives who initially received DEI dashboards. The DEI team reported increased engagement from the executives due to the high quality and caliber of the analytics, which were comparable to analytics used in other areas of the business. The analytic framework not only provided focus, action, and measurement of progress, it also established the credibility of the diversity initiative as a driver of better, strategic business results.

Exponential Talent has continued to assist the company to evolve their dashboard over time and to expand access. After providing training, a broader group of executives and HR professionals now access the dashboard, ensuring that all the DEI efforts across the company are aligned.