UMass Amherst Center for Employment Equity publishes new 'What Works' case study on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace

The UMass Amherst Center for Employment Equity (CEE) has published the second in its “What Works” case study series, a report on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. The study presents practical strategies for managers, human resources professional and employees who are interested in making their workplaces more inclusive and equitable.

Organized by David Pedulla, associate professor of sociology at Stanford University, “What Works? Evidence-Based Ideas to Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace,” includes chapters authored by leading academics, researchers and businesspeople, including a chapter co-authored by Donald Tomaskovich Devey, CEE executive director and professor of sociology at UMass Amherst. Tomaskovich-Devey co-authored the second chapter of the study – on metrics, accountability and transparency – with fellow sociologist Elizabeth Hirsh, fom the University of British Columbia.

“Together, the chapters in this report offer a wealth of evidence-based insights about how managers can increase diversity, inclusion, and equity in their organizations,” pedulla writes in the case study’s introduction. “Of course, the report can be read cover to cover. But, you can also dive right in to a particular chapter that addresses a pressing issue for your organization. Each chapter can stand alone. Additionally, at the end of each chapter, the authors have included citations to the articles and resources that they have drawn on in their analysis. These reference materials may be of use to you as well.”

The “What Works” series of case studies is designed to explore the business rationale and goals of companies when adopting inclusive policies and practices, to assess the impact of the policies and practices and to provide insight for employers who might learn from the experiences of innovators. The series also offers learning goals for students and other relevant practitioners. The first case study, “Collecting LGBT+ Data for Diversity: Initiating Self-ID at IBM,” was published in April.

The complete report is available as a downloadable PDF on the CEE website.