Professionals working in the area of improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace have made lots of progress over the years, but it often comes at a cost: burnout.
That’s why panelists at Providence Business News’ 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit and Awards program on Dec. 7 emphasized that companies need to provide sufficient support and resources to DEI offices and employees laboring in the trenches to raise awareness about diversity issues.
“This has often been a solo role. It can be an overwhelming field,” said Kevin Matta, board president for Diversity & Inclusion Professionals Inc. and senior director of people and culture for United Way of Rhode Island Inc. “And not everyone feels that they should be in this work and can do this work. There is a lot that DEI practitioners have needed to respond to. Especially since the pandemic. Over and over again, and it has taken its toll on a lot of folks. We’ve seen a lot of burnouts across the country.”
Matta moderated the discussion during the event at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick.
While many traditional company departments have been around for generations, DEI is comparatively new. And some businesses are hesitant to give the same level of support given to improve other departments such as information technology, marketing and human resources, according to the panelists.
Perhaps as a result, roughly 60% of diversity officers at S&P 500 companies left their positions between 2018 and 2021, according to a study by consulting firm Russell Reynolds.
Panelists agreed that a national standardization is needed, possibly by creating a certification process that aligns with other C-suite disciplines.
Shameen Awan, vice president of talent management and DE&I assistant vice president at Amica Mutual Insurance Co., suggested a renewed focus on fostering mentorship of DEI staff.
“You’ve got to have that mentor that cares about you and points you in the right direction,” she said. “To tell you what has worked for them and what hasn’t worked for them.”
But choose your mentors wisely, said Talia Brookshire, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island’s chief diversity officer.
“You have to make sure you are looking for somebody that is not looking to make a smaller version of themselves [but] are looking to bring a bigger version of you out,” she said.
When Jenny Bautista Ravreby, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island diversity, equity and inclusion manager, was interviewing for the job, she made sure she wasn’t being thrown into an untenable position.
“I wanted to make sure that this wasn’t the type of role where everything was going to fall on me,” she said. “I wanted to set myself up to succeed as an individual and as part of an organization. I want this to be sustainable. It’s not going to be if it all falls on one person.”
The company now has a diversity council with 23 staff members. Given the challenging workload, Ravreby said she monitors their personal well-being.
“Your role is a part of your identity but not all of it. So, how are we making sure we are checking in with people and making sure they are taking care of themselves to be able to show up 100% to do their work?” she said.
Christin Zollicoffe, vice president of chief belonging and equity officer at Lifespan Corp., said mentors can be found in unexpected places. Anyone who “challenges your thought process.
“Anytime someone questions how you are doing something, that forces you to think about it differently,” she said.
One initiative launched at Lifespan is the selection of so-called “champions,” employees within any department who are highlighted for their efforts at diversity.
“We want to build up their skills,” she said. “You build up those internal champions and give them the resources they need. But understand that it takes time.”
Amy Walsh, executive director of commercial banking and diverse business regional executive for JPMorgan Chase & Co., said the mentorship model has paid dividends in other corners of the corporate world.
“The success of businesses does often rely on peer-to-peer relationships and advisories,” she said. “It’s best practices and you have a better chance at being successful.”
During her acceptance speech for receiving the Diversity Champion award, Adama Brown, United Way of Rhode Island director of research and data analytics, acknowledged the effort can be “exhausting.”
Brown, the granddaughter of sharecroppers and daughter of federal government workers, said DEI work can feel like a game of double Dutch made harder from the simmering backlash.
“This passion that I and many other DEI practitioners hold has been challenged,” she said.
“The answer is whether BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] leaders are at the table, providing input, and helping to drive decision-making within their organizations,” she added. “We can move forward against the backlash together.”
