When implementing DEI strategy in an organization you can touch on some many topics that it’s very easy to loose sight of the priorities. If you would keep on saying “yes” to every new initiative and idea that comes to mind of everyone involved in the DEI – it would be actually impossible to move forward. It would be reactive and not strategic.

In my opinion it’s ok to say no to an employee’s initiative in order to keep the strategy on track. But there are actually some steps that you can take to ensure you don’t have to say no too frequently:

1.     Value the engagement

-       Involvement of the employees is valid, valuable and absolutely necessary for the successful DEI strategy and their contribution should be treated with respect and as an important insight but it’s also necessary to plan adequately when and how this contribution is taken

2.     Create contribution mechanism

-       The employees should have the possibility to contribute directly [e.g. inclusion survey] and through representatives [ERGs, DEI Council members, advisory bodies], so that their ideas can directly shape the DEI strategy when it’s being developed and/or revised.

3.     Focus on priorities

-       Ensure that the initiatives planned in the strategy really focus on issues that are a priority for the employees and were signalized e.g. in the inclusion survey and that they are coherent with the strategy goals.

4.     Be transparent about the progress

-       The roadmap of initiatives to achieve strategic goals and their status of implementation should be transparent so that the employees know what programmes are planned and where the organization is on the journey of achieving them

It doesn’t have to be “either/or” situation.

It’s rather about planning the process in a way that it’s:

• responding to actual needs

• takes employees’ opinions and initiatives into account

and in the same time supports you to:

• stay on track

• not overburden or overcommit

• achieve the goals you’ve set for the next years