Are your DEI efforts working? This company turned the lens on themselves to track progress

Employers have placed an outsized focus on DEI initiatives. Now, it's time to measure the success of this work.

In order to get a clear indication of the efficacy of their own DEI efforts, sales enablement platform Highspot published its first Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Impact Report. The results show improvements in recruiting BIPOC and female workers, an increase in minorities in leadership, and a growing engagement in DEI initiatives within the company. 

When Highspot began their focused DEI initiatives a few years ago, they knew buy-in from executive leadership was crucial to getting the rest of the company on board. The team used a combination of training, community building and strategic partnerships to make progressive changes within the company. 

"It was this concerted effort of first fixing the process, training, equipping and coaching, then moving into creating relationships for underserved communities within tech to really draw our brand recognition and talk about who we were," says Jyl Feliciano, global vice president of DEI&B at Highspot. "We have a proven model that's helped our customers deliver on their actions — they've made progress and they rely on us. So why don't we use the same model as we think about our internal efforts?"

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From a recruiting standpoint, the company has seen 10% increases in both women (now at 42%) and BIPOC (now at 51%) applicants over the past two years, according to the report. And those applicants reflect the makeup of the company today: women comprise 45% of the company's employee base, more than 10 percentage points higher than the industry benchmark of 34%. They also make up 35% of the company's leadership, compared to the industry benchmark of 32%. BIPOC representation throughout the company is up 4%, and BIPOC leadership is up 29% from 2021, according to the report. 

"We provide training and toolkits to managers on how to assess talent performance so that it remains objective," Feliciano says. "You also see checks and calibrations around who we are promoting and who we are not, and whether there are folks falling between the cracks. This speaks to the fact that if we're all engaged, we're all at the table and we're willing to go by the process we've developed, you will see meaningful movement and change." 

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To give the members of their workforce a place at the table, Highspot launched six employee resource groups. Voluntary and employee-led, the goal of these company-funded ERGs is to promote inclusivity and establish community, and nearly a third of employees now participate. The groups focus on providing personal and professional support, fostering networking, professional development, leadership opportunities and shaping company policy. To lead these groups, Feliciano's team tapped leaders and others within the organization who they knew were passionate about culture and were excited to help trailblaze a path, she says.

"When Roe v. Wade was overturned, we saw the women's ERG quickly unite," says Feliciano. "They came to the table in an amazing and unified way to help us think through how we should extend our benefit offerings to ensure travel for gender affirming services as well as reproductive care. They sat with our CEO to talk about the impact, but also to think through our response to the company. It's these moments that are really powerful, and you see employees actually teaching, coaching and training even the most senior leaders." 

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Over a month-long period in 2022, the company hosted "roadshows," which feature personal stories from leaders, and a global conference called "Stand for Change," where employees took part in sessions centered around issues such as caregiving, neurodiversity, religion and more. As they look ahead to the rest of 2023 and beyond, leaders will use all of what they've learned to shape their DEI initiatives moving forward, she says.

"Companies that are truly dedicated to DEI efforts make a deliberate choice to openly express their commitment, both internally and externally," Feliciano says. "Sustainability and culture are important — they are top proof points that people use when they decide if they want to engage and do business with your organization."