Building a Framework for an Inclusive Workplace Culture: The Diversio Diversity and Inclusion Survey

Abstract

Reliable and valid methods are imperative to assess any organization’s diversity and inclusion practices. Therefore, the Diversio Diversity and Inclusion Survey (DDIS), an instrument built on a framework of five core themes (inclusive culture, fair management, access to networks, flexible working conditions, and safe working environment), and designed to measure inclusion metrics for organizations, was tested to examine its psychometric properties. The DDIS was developed through a collaboration of industry experts, including those with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. Initial testing and focus groups with over 60 participants belonging to equitydeserving groups ensured the instrument had good content validity. After the initial testing, pilot testing involving a diverse sample of working adults from 25 companies in Canada, the U.S., and the United Kingdom was completed. Psychometric properties of the 5-item DDIS scale were examined based on a cross-sectional survey of 8,800 working adults from various industries worldwide. The internal consistency reliability of the scale was analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient1. The Cronbach alpha was 0.840 with all item-total correlations greater than 0.5. Therefore, the DDIS, which has good content validity and good internal consistency, should prove helpful in conducting assessments of diversity and inclusion culture and practices at any organization. In addition, organizations can survey their employees to gather relevant information to drive policy and organizational change