This content originally appeared on TPGi and was authored by Allen Hoffman
In the past few years, it’s been trendy to often lump diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) together as a single topic with four names. DEIA initiatives often become the responsibility of Human Resources (HR) or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) teams within the organization. To me, it feels like the old test question: Which of these things doesn’t go with the others?
Who Should Be Responsible for DEIA?
While diversity, equity, and inclusion are all about people, and accessibility is also about people, it’s important to note that accessibility is uniquely intertwined with technology. It relies on technology more than the other three aspects, underscoring the need for a collaborative approach between HR/EEO teams and the Chief Information Officer (CIO).
While discussions around DEIA initiatives have become a topic of debate, it’s important to remember that addressing longstanding inequalities requires a comprehensive approach. This means creating opportunities for groups that have historically been underrepresented or excluded in all four aspects of DEIA.
DEIA initiatives aim to level the playing field and support a fair chance at success for everyone. Interestingly, when opportunities were primarily available to already-included groups, there was rarely, if ever, any concern about having an abundance of opportunities.
As a recipient of what some would call “special” treatment, I can say that my life would not have been nearly as productive without that opportunity. For me, equal access to employment feels like a very unequal competition.
People with disabilities need opportunities and the chance to prove themselves. Diversity, equality, and inclusion underscore the importance of extending opportunities to those who need them most without diminishing what others have access to. Accessibility focuses on ensuring that physical and information environments actually work for everyone.
Here are my thoughts on how each part of DEIA can be effectively addressed within an organization to achieve the best outcomes.
Diversity Isn’t Just Hiring Diverse Talent; It’s About Creating Equity
HR teams often handle diversity initiatives since they hire people from diverse backgrounds. However, these efforts can sometimes be reduced to meeting quotas when the focus should be on creating meaningful inclusion.
Hiring diverse people requires attention to people more than technology, so HR teams are often right in their comfort zone with it. Giving people equity at work also ensures they have a voice in the workplace. HR and EEO teams have policies and procedures for guaranteeing this, as this is seen as just part of business as usual.
Inclusion in the Workplace: Make It the Heart of Your Culture
Inclusion tends to be less defined but primarily relies on management to make sure employees are involved in ways that suit their needs. Again, this is people-driven for the most part, and to be honest, it can be unclear what an organization should be responsible for, if anything, for such a widespread focus.
Inclusion really gets to the heart of organizational culture and is often best addressed through organizational change management. However, inclusion is not something you can force. It must be voluntary to be authentic.
Why Workplace Accessibility Belongs in Technology, Not Just HR
Finally, we come to accessibility. While workplace accessibility focuses on people, it often requires technology for individuals with disabilities through personalized assistive devices and comprehensive accessibility across an organization’s information and communication technologies.
There are accessibility issues in the built environment, such as physical access to entrances, restrooms, furniture, lighting, and more, and these are often driven well by EEO teams through partnerships with building management organizations.
HR and EEO teams may not be well-equipped to guide IT in integrating accessibility. Still, they can support managing reasonable accommodations if IT professionals can figure out what is “reasonable” in that context. So, where does accessibility best fit within an organization?
The CIO is accountable for IT, and accessibility is often managed in collaboration with the HR and EEO teams. While EEO sometimes serves as oversight for the CIO while helping advocate for accessibility, the CIO handles technology strategy, implementation, and operation, of which accessibility must be integral.
Here are a few examples that highlight this point. In secure networking environments, it is undoubtedly complicated to set up reliable video relay services for Deaf employees. There are many technical challenges that people outside the CIO organization do not understand, as the technical complexities are very deep within the IT environment.
EEO teams may need to be involved in approving the use of a video relay service, but IT professionals must handle the actual implementation. However, IT professionals generally don’t do such individualized things without a clear mandate. Their managers must know that the CIO expects them to get things done once they get the mandate.
Supporting accessibility of the desktop environment requires all the applications the employee needs to use to be accessible, which generally means ensuring they meet accessibility standards.
Neither HR nor EEO builds applications independently and is not involved in procuring, developing, or supporting applications in any way, shape, or form, except as business owners and end-users.
The CIO leads application development and maintenance and can set expectations for managers to support accessibility as part of the expected day-to-day business. This leadership role should guarantee that accessibility is not just a side consideration, but an integral part of the organization’s operations.
Without the CIO’s top-down expectation, managers are unlikely to prioritize accessibility, even if they’ve been exposed to a webinar or two from HR about equal access. As the ones who set the tone for the organization, the CIO’s expectations need to be considered when deciding the priority of accessibility initiatives.
The Importance of Partnerships in DEIA Initiatives
I want to make it clear that delivering accessible IT requires partnerships among a wide variety of departments, including CIO, EEO, HR, legal, acquisition, and more.
Assigning responsibility for IT accessibility outside the technology organization doesn’t make much sense because you won’t deliver well on the promise of technology for people with disabilities.
That’s why the most effective way to support comprehensive DEIA within an organization is through a collaborative partnership between the CIO and HR/EEO teams. This approach, based on shared responsibility and mutual respect, is more likely to produce better outcomes than a top-down, directive-based model.
To act on your DEIA initiatives, start by assessing where your organization stands in terms of accessibility, inclusion, and diversity efforts. Build a partnership between HR/EEO teams and the CIO to ensure that accessibility becomes part of your technology strategy, not just a checkbox for compliance.
TPGi offers expert consulting, tools, and hands-on support to help guide your organization through every stage of accessibility maturity, ensuring that your efforts are both sustainable and impactful. Together, you can create a more inclusive and accessible workplace for all.
The post Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility: One Big Family or a Partnership? appeared first on TPGi.
This content originally appeared on TPGi and was authored by Allen Hoffman
Allen Hoffman | Sciencx (2024-10-03T13:09:57+00:00) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility: One Big Family or a Partnership?. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/10/03/diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-one-big-family-or-a-partnership/
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