Putting the “B” in DEIB
We’re in the thick of 2024—and a lot of the news isn’t great.
I recently saw a study posted on LinkedIn that backs up what I know from lived experience: When Black women work in whiter teams, they have worse job outcomes, from being less likely to be promoted, to experiencing higher turnover.
And, in the exact same moment, I’m seeing those dynamics play out in real-time for Black women leaders across the country. The intensity of recent attacks on Black women—from Dr. Claudine Gay to Dr. Bonnie Candia-Bailey—have just taken my breath away.
This is why at Bonsai, we focus on the “B” in DEIB —belonging—in our recruiting process, getting to know potential clients just as much as potential candidates, so we don't recruit Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) into the same or worse situations they’ve been in prior.
What’s DEIB all about?
While you’re likely familiar with DEIJ—Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice—DEIB is a concept that adds a new lens to those values. It’s based on the idea is that it’s not enough to hire BIPOC candidates—especially if the hiring is performative. Your nonprofit’s culture has to shift so that everybody on your team feels valued, safe, empowered, and respected. That’s what the “B” in DEIB is all about.
When everyone on your team knows their voice is heard, their ideas are welcomed, and their presence is valued, that’s when transformative change happens—for employees and for organizations alike. (According to a Gallup poll, if managers increase the number of employees who feel their opinions count, it can reduce turnover and safety incidents and increase productivity.)
Creating a culture of belonging
But creating this culture of belonging doesn’t happen overnight. So at Bonsai, we like to determine if a potential client is already on this path. We ask questions like:
Tell me about a time you had to deal with a sticky situation related to racial diversity.
What’s something you’ve done to change your culture? What are you still struggling with?
What’s the retention rate of your BIPOC team members? What have you done to improve this over time?
It’s not meant to shame or blame anyone. We expect the answers to be messy—that’s part of the work. And we want to make sure we’re placing candidates with organizations working to create a healthy and positive work environment where everyone feels they belong.
Bringing belonging to your organization
As the first quarter of 2024 rolls to a close, now’s a great time to pause, reflect, and consider where your organization is on its DEIB journey. You can start by:
Asking yourself the questions above.
Talking to your hiring managers about your recent candidate pools. How racially diverse were they?
Take a look at your exit surveys. Why are people leaving your organization? Are BIPOC employees resigning at a higher rate?
What you learn can help you think about your next steps. One we often recommend is investing in an experienced DEIB consultant. They’ll help you radically change your culture as you welcome BIPOC individuals with new, fresh, and bold points of view that will help you become the inclusive organization you desire to be.