As the Chief People Officer at Lattice and in my work as a people leader and advocate for the impact of strategic HR more broadly, I am constantly looking to push the boundaries of my own understanding of how to push Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) work forward, and think critically about how we can do more to build and foster diverse and inclusive cultures in the workplace.
Unfortunately, just because DEIB is on the priority list for an organization, doesn’t necessarily mean critical progress is being made. Progress toward truly inclusive cultures remains uneven, with many organizations struggling to move beyond performative gestures and toward meaningful change. As of 2023, only 14% of respondents rate their organization’s DEIB programs as at an advanced or expert level, while 44% believe that there is insufficient prioritization of DEIB among company leadership.
Beyond leadership failing to take action around DEIB – the ratios of diversity within leadership remain low. In 2023, the percentage of women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies reached an all-time high…of 10.6%. That tells us that 79.4% of leadership positions in the Fortune 500 are held by men. Women of color have an even steeper hill to climb. Only 4.4% of Black women are in management positions, and only 1.4% hold C-suite positions.
I believe fostering diversity in leadership is a powerful way to enact change on a broader scale throughout an organization. One thing I’ve learned to be true over the course of my career is that having a visionary people leader who puts DEIB at the core of their work will move an entire organization toward progress.
I sat down with one of those leaders – Regina Ross, Chief People & Culture Officer at Khan Academy – for a frank discussion about how she approaches DEIB in the course of her work, and what success really looks like when it comes to building an inclusive culture.
We’ve known each other for a long time, and I know you didn’t get your start in HR. Talk a bit about your career and how you came to your current role at Khan Academy.
That’s right – I like to say I didn’t ‘grow up’ in HR. I’m an engineer by training, so I started out in engineering and then had the opportunity to move into operations. When I was hired as a senior operations leader at Target, we were required to take a new hire onboarding training session course called ‘Thinking like an HR Manager.’
Every new leader had to go through this training to underscore the importance of being an effective people leader in order to be successful in running the business. That taught me a deep appreciation for employee engagement, culture, and people strategy which eventually led me to become an HR leader myself.
Beyond my current CPO role at Khan Academy, I wear a lot of other hats as well. As a transformational strategist, coach, pastor, consultant, speaker & author, I focus on empowering people to discover and authentically express their potential in a way that creates purpose, value, and fulfillment. In many ways, that is at the heart of DEIB work, as well.
That really resonates for me, because I feel like so much of creating an inclusive culture is about enabling people to be their best selves, and ensuring they are valued for what they uniquely bring to the table. What does DEIB work mean to you? How has it shown up in your life and your work?
As the first Black female people manager ever hired at Khan Academy, I was keenly aware of my responsibility to pave the way for more culturally competent and inclusive hiring. While I’m glad to report that more Black women managers have been hired, I recognize that I must use my position of influence to foster more equitable and inclusive work cultures of belonging for historically underrepresented groups. As a Black woman who has been the first & only in many environments, breaking these barriers is really just a part of my daily mindset & mission.
Let me share a few real examples. During a conversation with a senior leader, they expressed how I influenced them to approach recruiting differently, admitting that they previously wouldn’t have actively sought out candidates who did not fit their rather homogeneous model view.
Another instance occurred during a panel interview of a Black female candidate when a colleague remarked that she seemed overqualified for the role, revealing unconscious bias (social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness). I later provided candid feedback to my colleague about the bias behind that remark and explained how such viewpoints perpetuate the notion that certain groups are inherently less qualified. I really opened up – sharing the harsh reality that many Black women often acquire additional education and experience after facing rejection for roles that are clearly at their level of qualification. This often results in a cycle of Black women targeting roles for which they may seem to be overqualified.
Fortunately, after the candidate was selected as the best person for the role, she performed extremely well and was promoted to a higher-level position. Unfortunately, these types of remarks and actions, even from well-intentioned individuals, can make others feel unwelcome.
My personal mission is to raise this kind of awareness whenever possible. I strive to highlight the impact of these behaviors when I observe them, regardless of the individual’s intent. It’s crucial to have the courage to address these issues, even if it means stepping into uncomfortable spaces. Now, I endeavor to do so on a broader scale with my People Operations team and the HR programs we implement. Creating environments of psychological safety is essential for fostering open dialogue and interrupting biases effectively – without such spaces, problematic behavior may go unaddressed, perpetuating systemic issues.
When you think about the scope of HR work – from recruiting to employee engagement to performance management – what do you think should be top-of-mind for people leaders when it comes to connecting these fundamental pillars of HR to DEIB work and impact?
Something that I think is often overlooked by people leaders is the powerful connection between effective performance management and a culture of inclusion. This bridge must be constructed on a foundation of rich feedback.
In a culture built on open communication, you can foster an environment where individuals feel safe to offer constructive criticism and feedback, ultimately uplifting and improving one another. An open feedback culture is essential for individuals to express their genuine sentiments – and that includes when something doesn’t quite resonate or sit right with an individual. Without the courage and commitment to engage in these crucial conversations, a sense of belonging and inclusion cannot truly thrive within an organization. This lack of trust and psychological safety will, in turn, hinder high performance and stagnate potential at both an individual and organizational level.
In environments lacking healthy feedback dynamics, performance management suffers and inclusivity falters. However, it’s important to acknowledge that providing effective feedback can be challenging for managers, and receiving it can be equally daunting for employees. This is something we have to make sure we are working intentionally to overcome by dedicating resources to manager training and encouraging these open lines of communication. As Brene Brown says: “Clear is kind.” It’s crucial for both parties to approach feedback with positive intent, aiming to enhance the culture, sense of belonging, and performance within the organization.
Obviously, the nature of remote work has had an impact on the work of building culture and connection, and that has an impact on DEIB work as well. What is your perspective on how remote work has evolved or challenged progress here?
Remote work has absolutely introduced some new challenges to building an inclusive culture, as the nature of remote work cuts out a lot of in-person interactions – like sharing lunch or grabbing coffee together. These personal touchpoints often foster a true sense of connection and an understanding of another person’s lived experience. However, as a Black woman with years of experience in corporate America, I’ve also observed that many Black professionals prefer remote work, as it alleviates many of the microaggressions they face daily in the physical on-site environment.
I think the answer here is to ensure you are really going the extra mile to create a sense of belonging for everyone, regardless of where they work. Recently, during a virtual meeting with our Black Employee Resource Group (ERG), members from various geographic locations showed up just to talk and connect. It was such an uplifting experience to be able to gather from all these different places and just to share space with each other.
In addition to conducting bi-monthly Company Update meetings, we’re hosting monthly virtual birthday roundtables and functional AMAs to facilitate more opportunities for connection across the organization. It’s essential to address these challenges of a distributed workforce head-on and find innovative ways to cultivate a supportive and inclusive work environment, particularly in remote and/or hybrid settings.
The intersection of remote work and DEIB really is a nuanced discussion. Beyond the changes in experience you point out, there is the fact that while remote work makes in-person connection more challenging, it also enables organizations to hire more diverse talent as they are no longer restricted to certain areas. What do you think about the impact of remote work on diverse hiring?
Remote work has absolutely provided organizations with the opportunity to make more diverse hires by allowing them to be super intentional about their recruitment efforts. Unlike office-centric approaches, remote work enables a broader reach and flexibility in hiring practices.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Khan Academy had a very office-centric culture that leaned towards hiring individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area. We have now shifted to a remote-first operating model which affords us the opportunity to hire a much more diverse, geographically dispersed employee population. Initiatives such as organizing meetups in different locations and creating specialized Slack channels contribute to this sense of inclusion and belonging of our diverse workforce. These and other efforts are addressed via our DEIB Strategic Plan and supported by our internal DEIB Steering Committee.
Beyond location-based diversity, it’s also crucial to recognize and accommodate different working styles and personal working conditions. Work-from-home resources and environments may vary greatly among employees, thus we must acknowledge and empathize with individual circumstances. Creating an inclusive remote work environment involves seeing employees as whole individuals, recognizing personal aspects such as family responsibilities, and providing access to suitable resources. We offer employees an initial home office set-up allowance and a recurring stipend for maintenance and office supplies. This is just one way to foster an equitable workplace culture that prioritizes people’s well-being and individual needs.
What does success look like for you when it comes to an inclusive culture?
In cultivating true inclusion within the workplace, it’s imperative to adopt a mindset that acknowledges and values each individual’s unique contributions. This involves seeing and appreciating the entirety of who they are without causing them to make any attempt to cover, hide, or mask aspects of their identity.
Embracing the essence of the Zulu greeting Sawubona which means “I see you, I value you” demonstrates a commitment to recognizing and celebrating diversity. One poignant example I have experienced in my own life is the acceptance of personal expressions of natural Black hairstyles such as braids and twists in the workplace. For me and many of my Black professional colleagues, this symbolizes a reclaiming of an identity previously suppressed due to societal pressures. Despite well-meaning advice from mentors to conform to certain standards, the emphasis shifts towards empowering individuals to embrace and express their ethnicity authentically.
However, the challenge lies in extending this acceptance beyond safe spaces and integrating it into the broader corporate environment. Envisioning and actualizing true inclusion involves creating a culture where individuals feel empowered to express themselves genuinely without fear of judgment or repercussion, thus fostering an environment where diversity is not only accepted but celebrated and integrated into every aspect of organizational life.
DEIB and inclusion work in the year ahead – how are you thinking about that/advice?
As we look ahead to advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) work in the coming year, it’s essential to reflect on the lessons learned and chart a more effective course forward. Recognizing the prevalence of performative actions in DEIB efforts, a notable Harvard Business Review article by DEIB expert Lily Zheng emphasizes the need for a systemic approach rather than focusing solely on changing individuals.
This would be my advice to people leaders who are committed to making progress with DEIB this year: Addressing systemic inequities is paramount, shifting the focus from altering individual behavior to restructuring the systems that perpetuate inequities. However, anticipate potential backlash from those who may have benefited from these systemic inequities. To make DEIB attractive, emphasize that these efforts extend beyond race and gender to encompass a wide range of identities and experiences.
True inclusivity means creating a space where everyone feels valued and represented, acknowledging and making room for discussions around sexism, racism, and other forms of discrimination without minimizing their impact. Ultimately, advancing DEIB work requires a collective effort to build systems and cultures that prioritize equity and belonging for all individuals, ensuring that everyone sees themselves reflected in the ongoing work.