9.2 Develop a strategy and change management plan to promote gender equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout the company
Content
Description of Best Practices
Develop a gender equality and D&I strategy with a focus on gender diversity based on international standards and international best practice including
- Company vision
- Related objectives and aims
- Company specific business case
- Roles and responsibilities
- Action plan and timeline for achieving targets
Develop a written change management plan that includes gender equality and D&I best practices in short-, medium-, and long-term, with specific goals for each period, and with individuals and teams assigned to implement specific activities
Develop change leaders, change ambassadors, and supporters who are influential or in key positions and help create buy-in
Hold company-wide and division dialogues where women and men may discuss in small groups and interactive training what their corporate culture change goals are, and how to achieve them
Create a committee that is responsible for implementing the change management plan and meets regularly
Conduct regular follow-up and evaluations to determine success of the implementation plan; put in place a process to resolve any issues identified
Assign related targets to senior managers and key functions and make achievement part of their performance
Conduct trainings and discussion groups to inform all staff on the strategy
Challenges of Implementation
Change management efforts usually start with resistance as they require those who are in a privileged position to leave their comfort zone; it is required to prepare managing resistance
Potential supporters may have time constraints
Change efforts may get stuck after some time, if nobody feels responsible for driving efforts or after first achievements create a sense of “we are doing well” even though they are on the beginning of a long journey
Managers may strive to meet or report requirements without consideration for quality for fear of losing budgetary or other resources if targets are not met
Motivation can diminish as change requires time to show visible and sustainable results
What Success Looks Like
Strategy with clear vision and targets exists, employees are informed about it, and they know how to contribute to achieve the targets
Employees at all levels contribute to ideas for organizational change according to the change management plan
Senior managers and people with high visibility walk the talk and act as role models in the implementation of the strategy
Action plan and related targets are SMART and KPIs are assigned to all key functions, such that performance (e.g., progress against these targets) are measured on a regular basis and processes adjusted if required
Resources and Tools
Guide: Gender Strategy Toolkit (Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Australian Government)
Guide (incl. Change Assessment and Planning Template, Communications Strategy Template and Checklists): Change Management Leadership Guide (Ryerson University)
Guide: Change Management Toolkit (University of California Berkeley)
Guide: Empowering Your Diversity and Inclusion Committee (Diversity Works)
Tool: Organizational Goal Setting for Gender Equality and Inclusion (USAID)
Example: Gender Equality Strategy & Action Plan 2015-2020 (Western Sydney University)
Example: Sample Diversity & Inclusion Strategy (Making Work Absolutely Human)
Report/Study: Handbook on Gender and Organizational Change (ILO International Training Centre)
Article (incl. Video): SMART Goals (MindTools)
Article: Diversity as Strategy (Harvard Business Review)
Article: 5 Change Management Best Practices (Whatfix Academy)