How to design a fair and inclusive employee experience

Diversity and inclusion can’t be a box-ticking exercise. 

Too many businesses limit their DEI efforts to recruitment targets or one-off training sessions. The result is that diverse candidates may join, but they don’t always stay because the culture doesn’t back up the promise.

To build teams that thrive, DEI has to run through the entire employee journey. 

In this article, we’ll break down how to embed DEI into every stage of the employee experience so your company isn’t just hiring fairly, but building a workplace where people feel valued and heard.

Why belonging matters

Research shows that belonging is a stronger predictor of employee engagement than any single DEI initiative. 

A BetterUp study found that employees who feel a high sense of belonging see a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days.

As Verna Myers, VP of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix, famously said: “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” Belonging goes even further: it’s when people feel free to dance how they want, without judgement.

Diversity gets people in the door but belonging keeps them there.

Step 1: Fairer hiring practices

Hiring is where most companies start with DEI, but it’s also where bias can creep in fastest. 

Common pitfalls include over-reliance on referrals (which replicate existing networks) and vague job descriptions that discourage underrepresented applicants.

Practical steps:

• Write inclusive job ads. Avoid jargon and gendered language. Tools are available that can flag bias in job descriptions. Research from LinkedIn found that removing gender-coded words increased the number of applicants by up to 42%.
• Diversify sourcing channels. Don’t just post on LinkedIn. Use niche job boards (e.g. Ada’s List, BME jobs, or Tech Returners) to reach broader talent pools.
• Standardise interviews. A study published in Harvard Business Review showed that structured interviews are twice as effective at predicting job performance compared to unstructured ones.
• Involve diverse interviewers. Mixed panels reduce the chance of one worldview dominating decisions.

Buffer published its entire salary formula to ensure pay transparency. As a result, they attracted candidates who valued fairness and reduced pay inequities across their team.

Step 2: Inclusive onboarding

First impressions stick. If onboarding feels exclusive or confusing, new hires quickly disengage. 

Deloitte’s 2020 Human Capital Trends survey found that 79% of organisations see belonging as critical to success, but only 13% said they were ready to address it. Onboarding is one of the biggest gaps.

Practical steps:

• Share context in advance. Send materials ahead of start dates so people aren’t playing catch-up.
• Assign onboarding buddies. Gartner research shows that new hires with ‘peer buddies’ were 36% more satisfied with their onboarding experience.
• Highlight values and culture. Don’t just train on processes, actually explain how DEI shows up in everyday decisions, meetings, and communication norms.
• Check accessibility. Ensure onboarding documents, tools, and training are accessible for people with different needs (visual, auditory, neurodiverse).
• Collect early feedback. Ask new hires after 30 days what worked and what didn’t. This signals openness and allows for quick improvements.

A strong onboarding process not only increases engagement, but also retention. Glassdoor found that effective onboarding improves new hire retention by 82% and productivity by 70%.

Onboarding is about culture-setting, not just an admin task. Done well, it tells new hires that their needs are being considered. 

Step 3: Equitable career development

Hiring fairly means little if progression isn’t fair. Many companies unintentionally stall diverse talent at middle levels because promotions are based on subjective impressions or culture fit.

Practical steps:

• Set transparent promotion criteria. Define what good looks like so progression isn’t based on who shouts loudest.
• Offer mentorship and sponsorship. McKinsey research shows that sponsorship, when leaders actively advocate for junior colleagues, significantly increases promotion rates for women and minorities.
• Audit pay equity. Regularly review salary bands to identify disparities and fix them. Pay transparency increases trust and reduces inequity.
• Provide flexible learning opportunities. Not everyone can attend after-hours training so make growth accessible through online learning or protected time.

McKinsey’s Diversity Wins report found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to outperform on profitability. 

Equity is principally about fairness, but it’s also a growth driver.

Step 4: Feedback and listening systems

Belonging isn’t static. To sustain it, companies need continuous feedback loops so employees can flag issues and feel heard. Without this, small problems fester into attrition.

Practical steps:

• Run regular pulse surveys. Keep them short and anonymous to encourage honesty.
• Host listening sessions. Invite small groups to share experiences and suggestions directly with leaders.
• Act on feedback visibly. Communicate what changes are made as a result, or explain why not.
• Encourage upward feedback. Make it safe for employees to critique leadership without fear of reprisal.

Gallup research shows that organisations that act on employee feedback see 4.6 times higher engagement than those that don’t.

Atlassian, for example, runs quarterly engagement surveys and publishes key results internally to hold leaders accountable. This transparency shows employees their voices shape company decisions.

Asking for feedback without acting on it is worse than not asking at all.

Building belonging as a culture

Embedding DEI across the employee journey is an ongoing cultural commitment. 

Fair hiring, inclusive onboarding, equitable development, and continuous feedback reinforce one another. Together, they move a company from representation to belonging.

“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” - Harvard professor Frances Frei

A culture of belonging ensures that improvement lasts.

Final word

Fairness at work should be designed across the entire employee experience, from the first job ad to the latest promotion cycle.

If you want to attract, retain, and empower top talent, you need more than diversity metrics. You need a culture of belonging.