Start-ups are in a unique position to design their future pro-actively. Many leaders in mature organisations would love to have a clean slate. A lot would be easier. The advantage of being established also has the disadvantage of inflexibility to overcome. It isn’t easy to shift the status quo given history, entrenched ways of doing things and a relatively static complement of people. Given a start-up has the luxury of so much choice, it would be an excellent idea for them to think reflectively on the multitude of benefits of getting a diversity and inclusion strategy right from the onset.
All start-ups should spend some quality time with top diversity and inclusion consulting firms to understand why it will secure their business growth and success. Issues linked to innovation, performance, customer insights, and other rationales associated with competitive advantage through consumer-centric products and services will surface.
Helping Hands
Diversity training companies are really good at helping start-ups to include diversity and inclusion goals and objectives in their mission statements and indicating how this can be shared to make it live within the organization from day one. Websites, social media and newsletters are just some of the basic ways to get the message out on why D&I are at the heart of everything the start-up does. Visibility of the rationale for D&I are important to reinforce all diversity and inclusion program efforts. The more front of mind D&I is on a daily basis, the greater the chance that that focus and momentum will be maintained into the future. Sustainability of diversity and inclusion training is critical, and ways must be found to build it into all business core platforms.
In addition to making the value and ethical considerations and commitments linked to adopting a stretching D&I strategy explicit from day one, one must create concrete performance targets and goals. There can be no doubt that demanding leadership responsibility and accountability for achievement can also be encouraged and secured by offering rewards for superior delivery. Like any other business investment strategy seeking rapid returns, diversity and inclusion is stimulated when supported by placing it centre stage amongst the competing demands for leadership attention.
Increasing the Odds
All good start-ups understand the importance of Plan-Do-Review cycles. As such, like all other business continuous improvement programs, diversity and inclusion needs a dedicated forum for monitoring progress and adjusting and redirecting where necessary. All statistical measures should be available to highlight emerging patterns. Tracking must become part of all start-ups’ DNA. This needs to be combined with the necessary allocation of budgets, resources and authority to get things done. D&I training particularly requires full assessment to ensure the customization and selection of fit for purpose development.
The use of diversity and inclusion consulting is imperative to stimulate thought and avoid wasting time and energy on the wrong initiatives. They will ensure the value of personnel is well understood whilst engineering the right collaborative and collective processes. As new start-ups are unique and dynamic, it is important that employee engagement is also maximized. Surveys that collect early information can be very useful in steering the business in the right direction responsively to avoid expensive mistakes being made early on. The more change agents and diversity and inclusion champions that are introduced into the business the more organizations will thrive in this area.
Diversity and inclusion programs can never be stand-alone. Each and every action and choice for start-ups must be conscious and intentional for maximum impact. There is no time to be lost if start-ups are to lead the way in inspiring, unlocking potential and positive possibilities.
