D&I Data Sources that Inspire

Finding inspiration for Diversity and Inclusion strategies can take many forms.  Observing a situation in real life can inspire a theory.  An offhand comment from a colleague or a stranger can inspire an “ah-ha” moment.  For me, finding inspiration rarely involves googling a topic or reading a listicle.

According to the 2019 Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) annual survey for the Top 10 Workplace Trends the results listed Diversity and Inclusion and Working with Big Data in the top 10.  In honor of that, I’d like to share sources of data driven inspiration for your next D&I strategy session within your workplace.

Exploring IO Psychology

IO Psychologist, Dr. Patrick McKay, has work which spans the entire career life of employees from diversity recruitment to attrition.  His research on diversity and its effects on organizational climate are particularly intriguing. He has published over 35 articles and book chapters and has received numerous awards for his research.  Dr. McKay’s work is highly regarded by large scale organizations and government entities.

A frequent collaborator with Dr. McKay is Dr. Derek Avery.  Dr. Avery is co-leading a preconference workshop with Dr. Veronica Gilrane this year for SIOP 2019 Conference entitled Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in the Modern Workplace that is sure to be enlightening.  He has spent years publishing accessible research in the space of race and gender in the workplace.  I particularly enjoy his Shaken and Stirred presentation in 2017.

Dr. Mikki Hebl has work focused on discrimination in many forms and is inclusive of research around disabilities, race, gender, and sexual orientation.  Her career has been dedicated to research in understanding the effects of discrimination and how to mitigate discrimination which provides great opportunities for application to the workplace. Her work and mission to better understanding the lesser invisible discrimination in the modern world are more applicable than ever.

Mainstream Media

Nielsen Insights are a treasure trove for data inspired insights about people with precise demographic breakdowns.  While the target audience of these reports are companies looking to learn insights about their consumers, this has practical application to insights about employees and potential employees. As a professional in diversity recruiting, this research is incredibly valuable information, it’s free and always current.

NPR podcasts are another source for science-based inspiration.  Hidden Brain, TedRadioHour and Freakanomics Radio are just a few podcasts I love to stream for relevant theories and research related to human behavior.  Listening to experts in their fields talk about their passions and research discoveries, you are sure to be inspired.  Recently, while listening to discussion of the application of Decision Architecture for organ donation, I thought to myself, “How could decision architecture be applied to mitigate bias HR processes?”

Seek it out.  Be inspired.

Quality, expert driven, data backed inspiration is all around us as champions of Diversity and Inclusion.  Find a way to apply that science to your work.  These scientists aren’t dedicated to their research in hopes that it just sits in a publication.  Their work is meant to live, breathe and be applied in order to make a difference.

About the Author

Amanda Reid is the Diversity Recruiting Manager for Cummins.  She is a Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology member and Gallup StrengthsFinder Certified Coach. She has served as global consultant on the topic of Diversity and Inclusion as well as Keynote Speaker for the 2019 HCI Inclusive Diversity Conference.