What is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)?
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) refers to practices and policies that ensure people of different backgrounds are fairly represented, treated and supported at work, and that everyone can participate and succeed. In workplace research, DEI is measured to identify disparities in experience, access and outcomes across groups.
DEI is a broad term covering three related concepts: diversity (the presence of different identities such as race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and socioeconomic background), equity (fairness in processes and outcomes, including removing barriers and ensuring resources match needs) and inclusion (the everyday experience of belonging, voice and psychological safety). For non-experts, DEI means creating workplaces where people from all backgrounds can contribute, be recognised and progress without bias or unfair obstacles. In survey work, DEI topics are explored with demographic questions, items about treatment and belonging, and questions about access to opportunities, support and wellbeing.
Usage example
We added a short DEI section to our quarterly pulse—asking about a sense of belonging, whether people feel treated fairly, and optional demographic questions—then analysed responses by demographic group to spot any differences in experience.
Practical application
Measuring DEI helps organisations discover where certain groups experience poorer outcomes (for example lower engagement, fewer promotion opportunities or higher turnover), so leaders can target interventions and measure progress. In practice this means designing surveys with inclusive demographic questions, protecting respondent anonymity, disaggregating results by relevant groups, using validated items for inclusion and fairness, and combining quantitative trends with qualitative comments to understand root causes. Responsible DEI measurement supports better decision-making, helps reduce legal and reputational risk, improves retention and performance, and demonstrates commitment to a fair workplace.
FAQ
How do we ask demographic questions without making employees uncomfortable?
Make demographic questions optional, include a ‘prefer not to say’ option, explain why you’re collecting the data and how it will be used, and minimise identifiability by grouping small categories or suppressing very small cell results. Transparency and strong data-handling practices increase trust and response rates.
What should we do if sample sizes are too small to compare groups?
Avoid drawing firm conclusions from very small groups. Consider combining related categories where appropriate, lengthening the measurement window to accumulate more responses, running targeted outreach to underrepresented groups, or using qualitative methods (focus groups, interviews) to supplement the quantitative data.
Which DEI measures are most useful in an employee survey?
Core measures include sense of belonging, fairness in treatment and opportunity, psychological safety, experiences of bias or harassment, and access to support and development. Pair these standard items with open-text questions to capture context and use consistent questions over time to track progress.
How can we act on DEI survey results responsibly?
Share aggregated findings with transparency, prioritise areas with the largest disparities, co-design interventions with affected groups, set measurable targets, and monitor impact through ongoing measurement. Ensure action plans respect confidentiality and follow up visibly to build trust.