How Self-ID Fosters a More Equitable Workplace

Cultivating an inclusive and equitable culture is essential for employers to maintain a diverse workforce. To build an inclusive culture, employers should capture demographic data to understand the makeup of their workforce. 

That said, capturing demographic data is often easier said than done. Leaders have to reckon with a host of different challenges: ensuring accuracy of data collected, trust with employee base, navigation of laws and norms, and responsible management of data.

For these reasons, organizations are increasingly implementing self-identification as the preferred method of disclosure of demographic data.

In this article, we explore the best practices of self-ID, and the way it can be a huge unlock in the cultivation of an equitable, inclusive, and data-driven culture.

A data-driven approach to inclusion

Self-identification refers to the voluntary disclosure of demographic data by employees to their employers. This data often includes sensitive or legally protected categories such as race/ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ+ status, veteran status, and disability status.  

By voluntarily disclosing sensitive demographic information, employees contribute to the collection of data that can be used to monitor and address discrimination. This accurate picture of workforce demographics helps leaders design policies and programs to meet the specific needs of various employee populations. 

That said, self-identification practices must be done properly.

The importance of self-identification 

Self-disclosure of sensitive demographic data should always be voluntary and confidential; the handling of the data thereafter should also be managed responsibly to protect individuals' privacy and avoid any potential misuse or discrimination. 

The voluntary, confidential, and responsible self-disclosure of sensitive demographic data is is crucial for several reasons:

• Respect for privacy: Voluntary disclosure ensures that individuals have control over sharing their personal information, thereby respecting their privacy rights.
• Avoidance of discrimination: Confidentiality safeguards protect individuals from potential discrimination or bias based on their demographic characteristics. 
• Trust and transparency: When self-disclosure is voluntary and confidential, it fosters trust between individuals and the organizations collecting the data. It demonstrates a commitment to responsible data handling and promotes transparency in how the information will be used.

• Accuracy and reliability: If individuals guess or provide inaccurate information, it can lead to skewed data and misrepresentation of demographic trends. Voluntary disclosure encourages individuals to provide accurate information, which ensures the reliability and usefulness of the collected data.

In short, voluntary, confidential, and responsible self-disclosure of sensitive demographic data is essential to uphold privacy rights, prevent discrimination, build trust, ensure data accuracy, and adhere to ethical considerations. Guessing or providing inaccurate information can undermine the reliability and validity of the collected data.

How to effectively implement self-ID practices

Administering self-identification surveys can feel like a daunting task, given the sensitivity of the data involved and associated data compliance and privacy regulations. Depending on where your employees are based, there may be specific legal requirements and cultural norms around the types of data you can ask and collect. And beyond compliantly implementing the surveys, how do you encourage employees to participate and voluntarily disclose their diversity data? 

Ultimately, the key to a successful self-ID survey is employee trust. Employees need to feel comfortable disclosing personal information with their employers and trust that sharing this data will ultimately bring about positive change. Here are a few best practices to build trust and encourage employee self-ID:

• Communicate the importance and purpose of the self-ID survey: Sending out a self-ID survey is a great opportunity to showcase your organization’s commitment to building an inclusive culture. Clearly explain that the survey will be used to understand workforce composition and tailor workplace culture and accommodations accordingly. Position the survey as an opportunity for employees to share information that can catalyze better access to resources and benefits.

• Ensure employee confidentiality: Clearly communicate the confidentiality of the survey results and who will have access to them. Sending out a survey that doesn’t ask for identifying information like name or email can make employees feel safer and more assured that their responses are anonymous.

• Partner with a trusted third-party for compliant data capture:Utilizing a third-party platform for data collection demonstrates a dedicated commitment to capturing diversity information in a compliant and secure manner. A specialized platform can also take on the responsibility of navigating the legal and cultural norms around what can and cannot be asked based on local regulations.

Successfully capturing self-ID data equips employers with the data they need to foster an inclusive culture and develop a data-driven diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy. By collecting this data, leaders can uncover trends within their organization and measure progress towards their DEI goals.

About Arbor

Arbor enables leaders to easily capture, analyze, and benchmark DEI outcomes. Arbor’s self-ID surveys enable organizations to compliantly and securely capture employee-disclosed demographic data, while staying compliant with regional data privacy and security regulations. Beyond collecting the data, Arbor’s dashboard enables leaders to visualize trends over time, benchmark outcomes against industry averages, and easily export into reports for shareholders.

Contact us at hello@findarbor.com to learn more about how our platform can help your organization.