Creating any strategy as part of your HR or People responsibilities can feel daunting; but it can feel especially daunting when it comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Because DEI is important, it covers so many different aspects and it involves delving into sensitive issues. Making progress can mean sparking huge cultural change which can be messy and takes time.  

Strategy and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion topics have been covered on HR Coffee Time before, but this episode is the first one that takes a deep dive into how to create an effective DEI strategy.  

No matter where you are on your DEI journey in your organisation at the moment – whether you have a robust plan that you’re living and breathing and putting into action; or you have no experience in this area at all; or you are taking action but you’re not confident that what you’re doing is as good as it could be, this episode is here to help. 

Metra Rowe (Founder of Starling Business Solutions) joins host and HR Career Coach, Fay Wallis to generously share some of her key insights into how to create an effective DEI strategy.  

Key Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• The DEI Playbook
• Starling Business Solutions’ DEI Masterclass
• Special offer for HR Ninjas to attend the DEI Masterclass (which includes a copy of the DEI Playbook worth £97 and a 1 hour DEI Consulting/Coaching session with Metra worth £250)
• ISO 30415:2021 Human Resource Management – Diversity and Inclusion

Links to DEI Facebook groups:

• Diversity and Inclusion for beginners
• Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace
• Diversity and Inclusion leaders

Connect with Fay & Metra

• Connect with Metra on LinkedIn
• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Metra’s website: Starling Business Solutions
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching

Book Recommendations

(Disclosure: these book links are affiliate links, which means Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through it).

Metra’s book recommendation in the episode:

• Diversity Beyond Lip Service: A Coaching Guide for Challenging Bias, by La’Wana Harris

Metra’s recommended reading list:

• The Leaders Guide to Unconscious Bias, by Pamela Fuller & Mark Murphy 
• Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify and Stop Microaggressions, by Tiffany Jana and Michael Baran
• Inclusion Revolution: The Essential Guide to Dismantling Racial Inequity in the Workplace, by Daisy Auger-Domínguez
• Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say and How to Be an Ally, by Emily Ladau
• The Wake Up – Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change, by Michelle Mijung Kim
• How to Talk To Your Boss About Race: Speaking Up Without Getting Shut Down, by Y-Vonne Hutchinson
• We Can’t Talk About That at Work! A Guide for Bold, Inclusive Conversations: How to Talk about Race, Religion, Politics, and Other Polarizing Topics, by Mary-Frances Winters

Other Relevant HR Coffee Time Episodes

• Episode 70: Supporting yourself, or your colleagues at work with Tourette Syndrome, with Devon Lovell
• Episode 68: Real life insights into understanding & supporting autism in the workplace, with Cybill Watkins
• Episode 65: Practical strategies that empower women to succeed in leadership roles, with Carla Miller
• Episode 61: The 4 pillars that will help you be more strategic in your HR role
• Episode 58: How to feel more confident using data & analytics in your HR role
• Episode 59: ADHD – a personal story of the strengths, struggles & strategies that help, with Julie White
• Episode 42: Diversity & Inclusion at work – 7 mistakes to avoid (& what to do instead), with Dr Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey
• Episode 26: How to be strategic in your new HR role
• Episode 24: Understanding & supporting neurodiversity at work, with Melanie Francis
• Episode 14: Understanding & fixing your organisations gender pay gap, with Melissa Blissett
• Episode 12: Supporting women returning to work after a career break, with Sally Dhillon

Rate and Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please can you rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? If you’re kind enough to leave a review, please do let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

How Fay & Bright Sky Career Coaching Can Help You

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast & would like some support from Fay or her colleagues at Bright Sky, they can help you through:

• 1:1 coaching to overcome your career challenges
• Group coaching – build your confidence, credibility & influence in 6 weeks through Fay’s signature programme, Inspiring HR
• Interview coaching to succeed in your next interview
• Career change coaching to find a new, more fulfilling career
• The ‘Power Up Your LinkedIn Profile’ online course, to create a powerful LinkedIn profile and build your confidence at using LinkedIn to get your next role.
• The Essential HR Planner

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