Sana often works with organizations that encounter specific challenges related to workplace diversity. It is a topic that plays an important role across all areas of HR, from recruitment to employee retention. For example, she shared the story of an organization that struggled to attract and retain diverse talent. Employees with an ethnic background often left the organization within their first year, which was a clear warning sign. The business question behind DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) initiatives is therefore straightforward: How can we improve our HR practices so that everyone feels welcome and has equal opportunities to succeed?

A successful diversity strategy starts with data. This includes not only quantitative data—the “hard data” made up of figures and metrics, such as information from your Applicant Tracking System (ATS)—but also qualitative data, which is more descriptive and focused on understanding opinions and experiences. For example, employee feedback gathered through exit interviews can provide essential insights.

It is the combination of both that makes diversity measurable.

One of the current challenges in measuring ethnicity is the legal restrictions surrounding the collection of such data. Existing legislation is designed to protect employees from underlying biases and discrimination. After all, we want to avoid situations in which individuals feel excluded in the workplace because of who they are or where they come from. As a result, collecting demographic data such as ethnicity is often not possible in a direct manner. So what can organizations collect instead?

Sana recommends asking questions about ethnic background in an anonymous and voluntary way. Based on her experience, she has found that respondents are usually more concerned about the anonymity of the survey than about the demographic questions themselves. For example, you might ask: “Which ethnic background do you most identify with? (optional)”. This approach helps organizations gain valuable insights while respecting privacy and maintaining confidentiality.

An important tip when collecting demographic data is to always give respondents the option not to share information if they prefer not to.

For example, when designing surveys, it is important to offer more than two gender options and always include a "prefer not to say" option. This can increase response rates and provide valuable insights into the diversity within the organization.

To gain the trust of employees, it is important for both external consultants and HR professionals to make themselves visible and clearly explain the process. This can be done by providing regular updates about the survey and emphasizing that responses are processed anonymously.

In addition, it is valuable to visit different departments and listen to what is happening on the work floor. This type of qualitative data can be just as valuable as numerical data.

A report should be aligned with the business case and focused on action. Sana recommends focusing on a maximum of 3 to 5 key insights and communicating them clearly, especially to a C-level audience. Their primary concern is: “What should I do now? How can I put this into practice in the workplace?”

The greatest impact is created by bringing the numbers to life. That is why it is important to use both quantitative and qualitative data. On the one hand, you can demonstrate where an inclusion score is significantly lower. On the other hand, you can share stories from the workplace that make specific challenges tangible and relatable. However, it is important to ensure that these stories are always shared anonymously, so that the focus remains on the underlying message rather than on “who said this?”.

When using HR data to measure diversity and identify challenges, keep the following key principles in mind:

1. Patience and perseverance: Building an inclusive workplace takes time, commitment, and sustained effort.
2. Measure to manage: Use both quantitative and qualitative data as a guide to identify issues and address them in a targeted way.
3. Take small steps: With future reporting requirements in mind, it is beneficial to start taking small steps in data collection today. This helps ensure that surveys are perceived less as a burden and keeps participation and motivation levels high.

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