By Kimberly Kayler, CPSM DEI Practice Leader, AOE President Certificate in DEI by
the University of Michigan

Building on almost 25 years serving technical industries in an organizational, strategy and marketing role, Kimberly leads the AOE DEI practice. Trained in DEI by the University of Michigan, she brings a wealth of experience in organizational development, HR, training, strategic planning and stakeholder engagement to her role. Another key area of her expertise that aligns with DEI is crisis communications. She is certified by the National Transportation Safety Board in crisis and media relations, and is known throughout the industry as one of the top professionals in this arena.  As the lead of the AOE DEI portfolio, she will ensure best practices are applied to the delivery of all services as well as the establishment and monitoring of return on investment.

Recently selected as one of the most influential people in the concrete construction industry by Concrete Construction magazine, Kimberly received her BA in journalism/English from The University of Arizona, and currently serves as a mentor at the University and is on the Alumni Board of Directors. She earned her master’s degree in organization and management with an emphasis in leadership from Capella University. 

More and more, people and organizations are making decisions about who they work with and for based on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies, theories and practices. While social issues have certainly driven the most recent focus on DEI, so has the trend of consumers feeling empowered to force organizations to change. In fact, 65 percent of respondents to a 2019 Edelman survey indicated that they would choose, switch, avoid or boycott a brand based on its stand on societal issues. Add the speed with which we share information, and DEI is at the forefront of our lives.  

While consumer choice, societal pressure and a moral imperative make DEI a focus for many, you may wonder how this trend applies to the concrete industry. The growth of DEI interest and programs actually has many implications as well as benefits for our industry and our broader communities as well. Not only is DEI a potential solution for our long-term workforce development challenge, but an organization’s DEI policies may be a deciding factor in terms of whether or not you are selected for a project. Many large institutions, from universities and governmental agencies to large corporate buyers and higher education institutions, have added DEI requirements to their Requests for Proposals—an imperative architects, engineers and contractors are trying to figure out as there is no singular industry definition as to what is meant by DEI. However, what is known is that DEI initiatives and programs are only going to increase in our industry. 

Defining DEI and Its Benefits 

It is important to start with definitions of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to help frame the conversation around this important topic: 

DIVERSITY: Too often, our society thinks of Diversity only in terms of race. Rather, Diversity represents the individual differences members may identify with or as, such as they relate to their social and professional identity. Consider the presence of “difference” within a given setting. Differences can arise in our appearances, thoughts, likes and dislikes, values, and identities. Diversity among identities may relate to gender, race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, education, marital status, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, and socioeconomic status, to name a few. Professional identity should also be considered. Factors include job type, departmental bias, tenure, worksite, location, employment status, responsibilities, education, training and more.

EQUITY: While ‘equality’ means ʻsameness,’ Equity means fair treatment, fair access, fair opportunity and fair advancement for all people. Equity is an approach that ensures everyone is supported in their personal and professional development. Unlike equality, equity does not aim to treat all individuals in the exact same way. Instead, equity recognizes that advantages and barriers exist.

INCLUSION: The act of creating environments in which people feel like they can bring their authentic selves to work is Inclusion. It means everyone feels valued, respected and appreciated for their unique identities, even when they’re different from others. Inclusion outcomes are met when you, your institution, your policies and programs are truly inviting to all. Inclusion also extends to the degree in which diverse individuals can participate in decision-making processes and development opportunities.

Benefits of a DEI Program 

A DEI program can serve as the cornerstone of an organization’s efforts to be responsive within an organization and the communities in which their employees serve, work and live. While DEI is new to many and can be a challenging topic to not only discuss but figure out how to tackle, the benefits for the concrete industry are proven. DEI programs, when implemented correctly and tied to an organization’s strategic and business objectives, have proven to benefit an organization’s bottom line by creating a competitive advantage in many ways:

• Financial performance:  A study conducted by McKinsey & Company found that ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians. Gender-diverse companies are 15 percent more likely to outperform their respective national industry medians.
• Employer of choice:  According to Glassdoor, 67 percent of job seekers view a diverse workforce as an important factor when evaluating companies and considering job offers.
• Innovation and growth: Harvard Business Review found that diverse companies are 70 percent likelier to capture a new market. They’re also 45 percent more likely to report increased market share year-over-year.
• Increase employee engagement:  83 percent of millennials report being actively engaged when they believe their organization fosters an inclusive workplace culture. This drops to 60 percent when their organization does not foster an inclusive culture.
• Powerful decision-making:  Teams that are inclusive make better decisions up to 87 percent of the time, according to a study conducted by Forbes.

DEI also has a direct link to workforce development – a key focus of the concrete industry for the last two decades. Could DEI be a solution? Many think so. Being an employer of choice is also a key factor driving interest in DEI. In response to job seekers examining potential employers’ DEI initiatives before accepting offers, employment search platforms such as Glassdoor and Indeed both rate organizations based on diversity efforts. 

One of the keys to being an employer of choice is recognizing our changing workforce. There are now five generations in the workforce ranging from the Silent Generation (born between 10928-1945), Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964), Generation X (born between 1965-1980), Millennials or Generation Y (born between 1981-1996) and the newest segment Generation Z (born since 1997). Each generation bring a mix of employee expectations around topics of reskilling/upskilling in the age of automation/technology, holistic employee wellness, connecting work to social impact and purpose, flexible work arrangements, social media outside the workplace and more that will affect DEI training for this modern workforce. 

Sidebar:  Positive outcomes of organizations with DEI strategies include

• Diverse teams are more innovative and are better equipped to solve complex problems
• DEI is connected to employee engagement, job satisfaction and retention
• Diversity and Inclusion impacts reputation and risk management
• Focused corporate social responsibility and sustainability
• Limit legal liability

Defining and Designing a DEI Program

One of the biggest misconceptions about DEI programs is that it is yet another government program that measures quotas. But, if DEI isn’t about quotas and numbers, what are we measuring? The answer depends on your DEI plan and your core objectives as they relate to your strategic operations. It is important to recognize that all organizations are on a DEI journey, and a DEI program helps you determine where you are and where you are headed. A solid DEI program should not be punitive or shaming in terms of where an organization is today. It should outline where the organization wants to head with its DEI efforts. 

The purpose of creating a DEI strategy is to define the short-term and long-term goals, priorities and initiatives for the organization. The process provides direction on how to achieve these objectives. This includes:

• Creating a DEI internal and external statement.
• Continuous DEI educational programs for the team.
• A DEI Communication plan which communicates the DEI mission/vision and strategy internally and externally; includes the onboarding process; and defines their digital brand to include DEI information on the website and in social media.
• Designing a talent pipeline focused on increasing diversity in the hiring, promotion and succession planning process.
• Listing the initiatives on which the firm decides to focus (based on the survey and data collection).
• Defining metrics and creating a tracking process.

Chances are there are already some DEI practices in place at your organization, especially in HR activities. However, a DEI effort should not be considered solely related to hiring practices, and efforts should expand beyond EEO compliance and affirmative action. Although organizations commonly use basic workforce demographic measurements (minority, veterans, female representation, etc.) for compliance reasons, most fail to measure any other factors such as diversity within leadership, job titles or recruiting outcomes. Diversity is a more inclusive concept and includes people of various religions, marital status, sexual orientation, economic status and a variety of other states of being. Diversity and affirmative action deal with issues related to discrimination, but in different ways. They are complementary in function, but different in their goals. While affirmative action focuses on taking positive steps to get individuals into the organization, diversity in the workplace works to change the culture within. DEI is about your employees and vendors feeling included. It is about your culture. It is about growth and movement. Do you have a documented pipeline strategy for hiring? Do you track the demographics of candidates who apply for position? How do you know if you are reaching a diverse population of qualified candidates if you are not tracking these areas in your hiring practice?

DEI should be an important function of your organization just like marketing, finance, sales, etc., and led by a dedicated professional(s) whenever possible to achieve the best results. Small- and medium-size organizations that cannot afford to hire a full-time person can have their HR leader champion the initiative and leverage a committee/council to advance the program, with the CEO/leader being very involved and managing it from the top. No matter who leads DEI, it is crucial that the principles of your program are part of the fabric of your organization.

Another common stumbling block is that an organization may recognize that their workforce is not diverse, so they commit to recruiting and hiring a diverse population. However, the new hires don’t last in that environment. This is typically due to lack of programs that support engagement and inclusion in the organization. In essence, the organization is treating the symptoms but failing to assess culture and climate. It is key that tactics are tied to strategy, metrics and accountability; efforts go beyond recruiting programs; and all activities are aligned with the strategic objective. 

Benchmarking measurement best practices include the following means to evaluate your organization: 

1. What are you doing in the workplace? 
2. What are you doing for the workforce?
3. What is your role related to diversity in the industry or marketplace?
4. How do you support DEI with your supplier community? Are you working and partnering with those who have DEI values?

How to get started?

Getting started on your DEI journey can be tough, but AOE—a long-time consultant to CFA and a firm serving the concrete industry for more than two decades—has responded to the need with the launch of a DEI Practice Group as well as the industry’s first online assessment tool. The practice group, which is believed to be the first of its kind launched specifically to serve the design and construction industry, was developed with the involvement of tenured DEI consultants and partners.  

Because every organization is different and may vary greatly in where they are in their DEI journey, AOE’s DEI services center around a customized strategic plan. The process begins with an organizational snapshot obtained through AOE’s proprietary online Benchmarking Assessment tool. This tool goes far beyond measuring quotas and numbers—it also addresses DEI-related concepts including intent, language and visual messages, as well as how diversity, equity and inclusion are integrated into an organization from a strategic standpoint. Upon completion of the assessment, real-time data is provided including the degree to which the organization supports DEI and where they are in their journey (based on a proprietary maturity model). Feedback is provided along with a suggested roadmap to meet their DEI goals, which may include training such as implicit bias education, a branding audit or modification of recruiting activities. As the organization moves through the various phases of their DEI roadmap, AOE is with them every step of the way. Training is a key component of the new service offering. 

Next Steps 

Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach to assembling a DEI initiative for your organization, it is vital to start discussing its importance for your organization. A variety of short videos on the DEI topic can be found at www.aoeteamdei.com. For more information on how to navigate your organization’s DEI journey, please visit or contact Kayler at kimberly.kayler@aoeteam.com.

Jargon Junction 

Micro-Aggression: A quick, small act or words that results in a slight or indignity. An example may be hugging your purse tighter when a Black man walks by, following a Black person around a store, or assuming a non-White person is service worker. Although the offense is never intended, micro-aggressions are cumulative. On their own, the act or words may not seem like a bid deal, but they add up and normalize racism, sexism, etc. 

Microinequities:  Micro-inequity is a theory regarding ways in which individuals are either singled out, overlooked, ignored, or otherwise discounted based on an unchangeable characteristic such as race or gender. These can be conveyed through facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice, choice of words, etc.  An example is calling a woman “honey” or “sweetheart,” assigning tasks according to stereotyped roles (women as note-takers), confusing a person of a certain ethnicity with another person of the same ethnicity.  

Systemic Bias: Prejudice or unfairness directed by a system or institution (health, religious, judicial, etc.) towards individuals of an oppressed or marginalized group, whether consciously motivated or from lack of exposure to issues important to marginalized communities. 

Implicit (Unconscious) Bias: Prejudice or unfairness directed by someone (person) from a privileged group toward individuals from an oppressed or marginalized group, usually coming from a lack of exposure to issues important to marginalized communities. A common example seen in studies shows that white people will frequently associate criminality with Black people without even realizing they’re doing it.