5 Ways to Assess a Company for DEI Before you Apply

How to evaluate a company when you are on the outside looking in

Job hunting is stressful. Searching for positions on job boards, submitting applications, interviewing and then waiting to hear back from an employer (or not hearing anything at all) is enough to make anyone anxious. Adding to the personal stress of landing a new job is what seems like a never ending news cycle laying bare injustices, racism, and tragedies targeted at minorities and communities of color. It’s overwhelming. But here’s the good news. You can leverage your search to identify employers that support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in their corporate workplaces and practices. Companies with DEI cultures see increases in: business performance, creativity, employee satisfaction, innovation and retention.

DEI is good for business, bar none, and all of the research supports this. By the numbers, companies are: 6x more likely to be innovative and agile; 3x as likely to be high performing; and 2x as likely to meet or exceed financial targets. Beyond business performance, companies that embrace DEI are making the world more equitable and inclusive for all of us, something to celebrate.

But how do you really know which organizations are committed and taking steps to make real change happen or is it performative lip service? And how do you evaluate a company when you are on the outside looking in, so to speak?

Here are five ways to assess if a company truly leans into DEI in their initiatives, policies and enablers before you apply.

One — Check the company website

The internet makes this one really easy for you. Take a look at the photos they have posted. Are they representing a diverse talent pool? Do you see yourself represented (without having to make multiple clicks)? That’s important.

When they talk about DEI, where do they do so? Is it on their home page or do you have to search for it, perhaps under Careers, on an About Us page with their missions and values? Some companies have a dedicated page to DEI to highlight how they are uplifting and supporting it as an integral component of their culture, even leveraging strategic programs, like Corporate Social Responsibility, to move DEI forward in communities.

Have they made any commitments, statements or press releases to advance DEI, internally or externally (ideally both)? In the wake of the seminal Black Lives Matter movement, many companies took this approach to stand in solidarity. If so, where is it listed on their website (if at all) and what is their strategic plan? Do they make their internal DEI data available? If they do, where do most diverse employees sit within their org? What enablers do they have in place to advance diverse employees upward through their ranks? It’s one thing to make declarations, but clear steps need to be put in place for activation.

Critical to driving a DEI strategy is leadership. In fact, a DEI culture begins and ends with a company’s leadership. Leadership determines who is hired, who is promoted, who succeeds and who fails. Thus diverse representation at the leadership level is paramount to DEI. Take a look at their leadership - executive and board. Is diversity visible? Are women and BIPOC at the table in the highest levels of leadership? Diverse employees must have pathways to move up in the organization. Also, do they have an executive tasked with DEI? This will indicate whether or not DEI is being prioritized enterprise-wide.

Two — Run an internet search

You will uncover a cornucopia of information on any potential employer with a simple internet search - for example, explore what is available in terms of employee reviews, like Indeed or Glassdoor, press releases, awards and recognition (sometimes listed on the company website), interviews with leaders, articles and blogs written by leaders or employees, partnerships, alliances, and more.

You can also check sites like DiversityInc, which publishes an annual Top 50 Companies for Diversity List. They have been vetting employers for 20 years on diversity markers making current and prior lists available to pore over.

Three — Review their social media

Social media is helpful and insightful when it comes to previewing a company’s culture. Companies typically post photos of events and employees may share company news or updates on their accounts. Look for posts that take a stance. If so, what are they taking a stance about? Do they post for any inclusion months or celebrations? Are there any messages speaking to their commitment to diversity and inclusion? Do the employees look diverse and events inclusive? Critically think about what they are showing you (or aren’t showing). Another thing to consider is, who’s making the posts? What level are they within the company? If leaders and executives aren’t engaged and making posts, take note.

Four — Identify resources offered for diverse employees

Question if they offer benefits that are uniquely reflective of diverse populations. Company benefits are typically listed on their website or in the job posting. Diverse and inclusive benefits include adoption assistance, floating religious holidays, family leave for both parents, senior care, flexible work schedules and mental health support.

Another important resource is the presence of Employee Network Groups (ENGs) or inclusion groups. Are they available and which ones? Research shows that ENGs are successful in increasing a sense of belonging.

Five — Consider their talent attraction strategy

This might take more research or investigation as this information is not typically consolidated somewhere for you. You may find yourself reviewing ways #1-4 to make a decision on this one. Here are some things to think about. Do they post to job boards targeting diverse talent? Do their job postings reference their commitment to diversity, why it’s important to them, or have an affirmation for being an Equal Opportunity Employer? For talent that requires an accommodation, is information on how to request one outlined, encouraged? More frequently, employers are leveraging their job postings to proclaim where they stand on DEI with their policies, values and strategy.

Equally important, do they make themselves available to diverse talent with their events, outreach and/or programming? In other words, does diverse talent have to seek them out or are they going into diverse communities investing their time, resources and expertise? Or are they focused solely on homogeneous markets with scant or scarce diversity? This is critical because it speaks to how accessible an employer makes themselves to diverse talent and if they are willing to take the extra effort to directly tap into these talent pools to achieve DEI.

In summary, keep in mind, while these steps may take a bit more effort on your part, job transitioning is the perfect time to align yourself to an employer that commits to and prioritizes DEI. You will be employed by a higher performing company that esteems DEI and be supported in your workplace. It’s worth it and you’ll be glad that you did. Happy hunting!

Looking for more resources to kicktart your agile career? Here are 5 Questions to Help You Decide if a Company’s Culture Is Agile.

About the Author

Monica Moody, is a certified Scrum Master, with over 15 years of experience in Talent. In her career, she has focused on Diversity & Inclusiveness initiatives in support of the overall people strategy. She has experience across the full talent lifecycle aligning strategic people priorities to business objectives. Monica has served in leadership roles within Talent Acquisition and Talent Development working in the nonprofit, professional services and high tech industries. She is dedicated to building workplaces where people can perform at their highest and be their authentic selves. Monica is also certified in Agile Talent (ICP-TAL), Change Management for HR (CMHR), Diversity Recruiting (CDR) and Integrated Talent Management (ITM).

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