What is a DE&I dashboard?

A DE&I dashboard is an interface that provides a visual representation of company diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and outcomes. The dashboard reflects the DE&I status by representing the data through graphs, charts, and other visuals that can be read at a glance. A DE&I dashboard reflects the status of the workforce in areas such as:

  • Gender
  • Religious beliefs
  • Neurodiversity
  • Age
  • National origin
  • Soft skills

Why should HR leaders care about a DE&I dashboard?

Rather than sifting through spreadsheets, metrics, and surveys, HR leaders can use a dashboard to provide a simple visual representation. Clear and clutterless data depiction can show information in a way that persuasively tells a story to the targeted audience. A dashboard also enables leaders to monitor aspects of DE&I which they deem important to company success. As a tracking tool, the DE&I dashboard can assist HR leaders in treating employees equally and building a diverse workforce through recruiting, hiring, and retention practices

What can HR leaders do to incorporate a DE&I dashboard?

HR leaders can integrate a DE&I dashboard that promotes business success by focusing on these practices: 

  • Design a transparent DE&I policy. Ensure that the basis for the company’s DE&I policy supports the fair and consistent treatment of everyone. Promoting certain individuals over others can reveal discrimination and favoritism. To actively promote DE&I, the company must define what DE&I means and the method for promoting it. 
  • Adhere to the laws. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.K.’s Equality Act 2010, employers cannot discriminate against employees due to race, religious belief, sex, age, disability, or genetic information. Thus, the company must recruit and hire personnel based on their character and competencies rather than external traits. 
  • Focus on relevant data. To ensure the data in the dashboard will propel business goals, analyze which DE&I metrics are relevant to building a robust culture and boosting engagement and productivity. 
  • Pay attention to detail. Weeding out duplicates in data and checking for inconsistencies in terminology is critical to maintaining accurate and reliable information in the dashboard. 
  • Tell a simple story. Tailor the dashboard to directly reflect the data from the excel spreadsheet so professionals can understand the information at a glance. A clear dashboard provides data visualization that enables the targeted audience to read the metrics, understand their implications, and make informed decisions based on the evidence. 

How can a DE& I dashboard improve company culture?

Using a DE&I dashboard can help companies monitor their practices to form the company culture they aim to build. The dashboard can help leaders identify points for improvement while maintaining an intense awareness of DE&I. Practicing this due diligence can assist organizations in building and engaging a diverse workforce, treating employees fairly and transparently, and shaping the culture according to the company values.