By Geralyn Magan
A new research brief from the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston contains insights about diversity, equity, and inclusion from leaders of LeadingAge member organizations.
The murder of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the COVID-19 pandemic have given many LeadingAge providers the impetus to either begin addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues or to be more intentional about their ongoing DEI work, according to a new research brief from the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston.
“These major societal events represented an ‘awakening’ that spurred leaders to recognize that the time had come to be more proactive about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion,” according to Creating a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Workforce Culture: Perspectives of LeadingAge Members.
LTSS Center researchers Natasha Bryant and Alexandra Hennessa interviewed leaders at nine LeadingAge member organizations about their efforts to advance DEI within senior living communities. During those interviews, leaders reflected on:
- Their organizations’ DEI goals and motivation for initiating DEI activities.
- Attributes of organizations with a DEI workforce culture.
- Strategies for DEI implementation.
- Tools to get the DEI journey started.
- DEI initiatives that organizations have implemented.
- The role of the board of directors and senior leaders in advancing DEI.
- Measuring the impact of DEI initiatives.
- DEI challenges and successes.
ROLLING OUT DEI INITIATIVES
The research brief explores in detail a variety of strategies the providers are using to implement DEI and describes specific tools that helped providers launch their organizations’ DEI initiatives. Those DEI initiatives include:
- Holding education and training sessions to ensure that all staff within the organization have the same basic understanding of DEI issues.
- Sponsoring town halls and listening sessions to help staff members talk with each other about race and racism.
- Taking deliberate steps to celebrate diversity by sponsoring or participating in cultural activities and observances throughout the year.
- Offering internships to give students of color real-world experience in the field of aging services.
- Forming partnerships and expanding networks to create a broader awareness of job opportunities in aging services and to diversify their senior leadership and mid-level management teams.
- Revising policies and practices to help the organization recruit a diverse pool of experienced and skilled leaders and board members.
CREATING A DEI WORKFORCE CULTURE
Organizations with a DEI workforce culture share one common characteristic, according to the report. DEI is integrated into every aspect of the organization’s operations, and the organization’s culture reflects DEI values. Achieving this integration takes time, work, and persistence and involves a continuous, evolving journey to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy for rolling out a successful DEI initiative,” the report concludes. “A provider must first understand the readiness of staff and the organization. Only then can it begin charting its roadmap for advancing DEI.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To read other reports in the LTSS Center’s DEI series, visit the LTSS Center website.