Cultivating A Culture Of Innovation With Women’s History

This Women’s History Month, more organizations than ever may be leveraging the words “diversity, equity and inclusion.” However, don’t let DEI become just a buzzword!

After all, true DEI progress that can inspire collaboration and innovation among the workforce requires ongoing, sustained efforts—from the top-down, driven by genuine buy-in from the C-suite. But equity on paper and equity in employees’ real, day-to-day experiences look vastly different—and the way to ensure the two match is by embedding a commitment to DEI in company culture.

According to a study by Jobvite, 88% of job seekers cite healthy company culture as a factor in their finding success at work. And DEI—done right—can help that culture flourish: A LinkedIn report found that 80% of employees surveyed want their employer to be an active supporter of DEI causes, while more than three-quarters consider a company’s investment in a DEI-centric culture when weighing job offers.

Clearly, DEI and culture are important to today’s workers—and it’s up to employers to tie them together to spur innovation.

Leadership matters

One way to model DEI in culture is through leadership. When workforces see a leadership team that looks like them, comes from a range of backgrounds, possess varying skills—that drives home that the organization supports the development and advancement of all workers. At a time when women’s representation in leadership is still sorely lacking, Women’s History Month can be a prime opportunity for employers to reexamine their internal mobility opportunities and recommit to developing future women leaders.

It’s something we believe strongly in here at Integrity Staffing Solutions. Our president is a woman who grew through the ranks of the organization and our leadership team is 52% female. The diversity of our leaders enables them to bring fresh ideas, perspectives and inspiration to the table. With that, we’ve seen firsthand just how impactful diversity in leadership can be on innovation.

DEI in action

While representation is key, organizations that want to drive DEI deeper into their culture also need to ensure their policies and programs are in line.

For women, this can look like benefits redesign to speak to the entire range of issues that could be affecting their work and personal lives—from childcare assistance to financial wellness tools to menopause benefits. In particular, flexibility can be a key benefits tool to enhance culture through a DEI lens. After all, flexibility was deemed the top factor in what people look for in a job, primarily because of its ability to strengthen work/life balance, according to a recent study by FlexJobs. The organization found that more than 80% of women surveyed said they’d feel more loyalty to their employer if they had more flexibility, and more than one-third have actually left a job because of a lack of flexibility.

Similarly, workers today—especially women, who face disproportionate challenges reaching leadership levels—want support for their career advancement. L&D—encompassing training, mentorships, apprenticeships and more—can be a strategic tool organizations can leverage to drive a culture of inclusivity.

At Integrity Staffing Solutions, we recognize how powerful culture can be for our associates. Our expansive benefits speak directly to the needs of our diverse workforce, while we offer a range of job and role types to encourage workers to achieve the work/life balance they need. And we support them throughout their journey! From onboarding and training to frequent check-ins and an ability to understand and connect with workers’ long-term goals, we make their priorities our priorities. This type of mindset can help make your employees’ success your success!