Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is not about checking boxes, seeking moral high ground, or giving opportunities to people who don’t deserve them. In this Building Operating Management cover story from 2021, former senior editor Naomi Millan lays out the case for the value of DEI initiatives.
DEI is about increasing the talent pool of your staff, engaging with a wide array of ideas and perspectives, and better financial health of the organization. One study quoted in the article showed companies that value DEI "are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians."
Regarding the talent pool, it’s no secret that the facility management profession as a whole is aging rapidly. For the profession to continue to refresh itself with new ideas, it needs new talent and fresh perspectives. This is one of the biggest benefits of DEI initiatives – recruiting talented workers with original ideas on how to move the buildings industry forward successfully. Not focusing on DEI ensures a monolithic set of ideas and a “this is how we’ve always done things” attitude, which can be a death sentence for any organization. Innovation is crucial!
Younger workers prize DEI initiatives, as well. When younger workers are trying to find a culture fit for a job they want to hold long-term, DEI initiatives are an essential part of that search for them. So for facility managers, emphasizing DEI in your organization can be a beneficial recruiting and retention tool to find and keep those workers who will refresh your organization.
Focusing on DEI isn’t just about hiring at your own organization, facility managers should also work to cast a wider net in the contracts they award. Millan’s article suggests including DEI categories on any request for proposals for outsourcing or contracted work.
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
