Why Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Belonging (DEIB) Is Ever-Important in Your Workplace Today

Available for Interviews:  Leni Rivera

Leni Rivera is a Workplace Experience specialist and author of its very first book in the industry, Workplace Experience. Her passion is creating work environments that enable employees to be both productive and happy, regardless of where that is. 

What Leni Rivera can say in an interview about
DEIB in the Workplace:

Leni Rivera is a certified DEIB practitioner and advocate and leads the International Facility Management Association’s program on DEIB in the Workplace. 

As companies continue to embrace the work-from-anywhere environment, they are becoming more and more empowered with the ability to hire from anywhere. This means that company workforces are more diverse today than ever before. And that’s why it’s more important to ensure that your workplace is inclusive, equitable, and a place in which everyone feels that they belong.

DEIB can no longer be an initiative.
It needs to be embedded as a corporate value.

    • Previously, DEIB efforts were driven by the Human Resources department as an internal initiative to help develop programs such as Employee Relations Groups (ERGs), training and development, and recruitment policies. But effectively driving DEIB in an organization is much larger than that.
    • If DEIB is embedded as a corporate value, it becomes part of its culture and will be driven by all other parts of the organization, such as procurement practices, legal agreements (internal and external), and the workplace experience.

Workplace Experience as a driver of DEIB

    •  Workplace Experience is the only physical aspect of the experience of an employee in their workplace. Therefore, its touchpoints incorporate all 5 human senses: sight, touch, sound, smell, and sound. In a diverse work environment, people will have different needs that will enable them to be both productive and feel that they “belong” in a company. Some individuals may need support for physical disabilities, such as hearing or sight impairments or mobility, and others may need support for mental disabilities such as neurodiverse or mental health concerns. Incorporating this into the overall workplace strategy for both the corporate and home office environments will drive the DEIB culture in very real ways for employees.

Eliminating an “Us-vs-Them” Environment

    • The sense of belonging is driven by an environment that is inclusive, not divisive. Any environment that supports a division among employees of any kind, even if it is unintentional, drives an “Us-vs-Them” environment, and erodes inclusivity, equity, and belonging. Common examples that are often overlooked, and need to be considered when eliminating this type of environment are:
        1. Having an “exclusive section” in the office that is only accessible for a specific group of employees (such as the C-Suite or corporate leaders), or a set of offices that has a better “look and feel” than other offices.
        2. Having a corporate headquarters that has a better workplace experience than the other offices in an organization.
        3. Having a conference room that does not have virtual conferencing capabilities, especially in this new remote work environment.
        4. Creating events, celebrations, and recognition for holidays that are not limited to the Christian Calendar.
        5. Don’t hide away Mother’s Rooms near closets, and incorporate spaces that support a diverse workforce, such as having gender-neutral bathrooms, prayer rooms with washbasins, and comfort and quiet rooms.
    • It doesn’t matter if you have one or one hundred employees with the same special needs. A workplace environment that is driven by the values of Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Belonging is one that is created for everyone.

 

Interview: Leni Rivera

Leni Rivera is a Workplace Experience specialist and author of its very first book in the industry. Her passion is creating work environments that enable employees to be both productive and happy, regardless of where that is.

With a 20-year career spanning three continents and in corporate leadership roles in Interior Design, Real Estate Development, and Global Workplace Services, Leni has the unique ability to understand the impact of a physical environment on employee behavior, and corporate cultures.
Today, as the world begins emerging from the pandemic and organizations start to rethink the future of their workplace, Leni is front and center helping leaders and peers develop a Workplace Experience that drives safety, flexibility, and productivity, allowing employees and businesses to continue to thrive.

Contact:
Jo Allison
Managing Editor
Director of Public Relations
MEDIA AMBASSADORS
Success In Media, Inc.
Jo@SuccessInMedia.com

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