The discussion of inclusion is now top of mind for many companies. It’s no longer a “tick the box exercise”….now managers are being held accountable for the culture and environments fostered in their companies. As an Asian female who worked in financial institutions, here is my take on what companies need to watch out for….

1. There are too few examples of success. If the same names keep coming up and you have no names of individuals in the pipeline, it’s not working.  And don’t use percentages for your metrics. 100% increase might still just be 2 people.

2. Your leaders of diversity aren’t diverse.  I have been at many firms where the head of diversity isn’t a diverse person which always struck me as odd…..how would that individual relate to what it means to be diverse? The sponsorship of the individual needs to be senior, powerful people who can make things happen….but it immediately strikes me as weird.

3. There’s no ability to have an honest conversation because managers don’t know how. It’s not easy to tell a female that she dresses too revealingly or is too passive, and it’s holding her back. But avoiding the conversation isn’t helpful…especially when other people are talking about it. Most managers think of feedback as an annual event. The most brutally honest managers I know were respected by all their employees…and their employees were grateful for the feedback.

4. Inability to create and foster real connections: networking can feel like speed dating, and mentor setups can feel like blind dates. Connections are created through an ability and the opportunity to share and do the work together. Some of the best programs I’ve seen bring together cohorts of high performing individuals who can share their struggles and utilize the group for support.  It helps….you don’t feel alone.

5. There’s no budget. It’s fine to have people labelled as “heads of”, have speakers, and networking events. But how much money is the company really spending to improve?  Is there training? Are there special programs? Is there visibility?  Money in itself isn’t enough, but if you’re spending basis points, you’re probably not spending enough to move the needle.

At the end of the day, I think what kills bias in the workplace is performance. Performance trumps pre-conceived notions and changes people’s perspectives.  But even great companies still have a long way to go.