{"id":44670,"date":"2023-05-15T14:30:48","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T18:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seramount.com\/?p=44670"},"modified":"2025-12-08T18:50:51","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T23:50:51","slug":"most-organizations-dei-talent-strategies-are-failing-yours-doesnt-have-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seramount.com\/articles\/most-organizations-dei-talent-strategies-are-failing-yours-doesnt-have-to\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Organizations\u2019 DEI Talent Strategies Are Failing\u2014Yours Doesn\u2019t Have To"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, organizations have given diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) increased attention in the form of public statements, budget adjustments, and monetary investments. Many organizational leaders seem genuinely disheartened by domestic and international inequities and personally moved to investigate and remedy those present in their workplaces, and this often leads to quickly throwing money\u2014at times up to millions\u2014at DEI challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seramount\u2019s recent insight paper, \u201cMost Organizations\u2019 DEI Talent Strategies Are Failing\u2014Yours Doesn\u2019t Have To<\/a>,\u201d explains the impact of reactionary, \u201cselective\u201d talent strategies and the importance of employee listening to create a successful, \u201cinformed\u201d strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A selective strategy is defined as one that is reactively offering DEI programs
and initiatives without first capturing the right data<\/a> to drive meaningful change. An informed strategy proactively targets efforts to meaningfully enhance employees\u2019 experiences and well-being through known drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Pillars That Define and Advance an Informed Talent Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For effective and long-term progress on DEI talent objectives, organizations must leverage best practice research AND listen to their employees<\/a>. By listening to employees to identify root causes, organizations can develop an informed talent strategy, where employee insights inform what talent best practices to deploy in your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve identified three pillars that define and advance an informed talent strategy: strategic objectives-led, leadership-led, <\/em>and culturally embedded. <\/em>Best practice talent strategies are informed by strategic objectives <\/em>(rather than hypothesized needs) and are cascaded to all business function leaders to be leadership-led<\/em> and then scaled to become an organization-wide, culturally embedded<\/em> business imperative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Five Stages of Talent Strategy Maturity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Consistent use of a maturity model can equip you to continuously and carefully map where you are and where you need to go. Regardless of which stage you are in, knowing where you are in your DEI maturity can help you focus and streamline your plan forward. Even if you are at a more advanced stage of maturity, true DEI commitment necessitates constant reassessment as the world, your organization, and the employee experience all inevitably grow and change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seramount experts have developed an effective Talent Strategy DEI Maturity Model<\/a> that we successfully leverage with partners to help them understand where they are and where and how they need to move to strategically advance their DEI talent objectives to improve their employees\u2019 experiences. We have identified five stages of maturity that rest under two strategic approaches: selective strategy and informed strategy. Stages one and two fall under selective strategy, and stages three, four, and five are considered within an informed strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n