Where Are You on Your Inclusion Journey?
The two biggest questions we hear from leaders is, where do we start and how do we measure our progress? Korn Ferry's Inclusive Organization Maturity Model measures an organization's inclusion maturity across five strategic dimensions: Risk Management, Awareness, Talent Integration, Operations Integration, and Market Integration. Using our inclusion diagnostic, we identify where your organization is today in each of these areas and then help you develop a roadmap to take you to the next level. The Inclusive Organization Maturity Model can then be used by leaders as a strategic tool to track and report on how you are progressing on your inclusion journey. Find out more about the Korn Ferry Inclusive Organization Maturity Model. Find out more about our Inclusion Diagnostic.
Click on the model to see what leading edge looks like in each dimension.
Awareness
What is it?
The level of awareness and commitment to inclusion by an organization, its leaders and employees.
Inclusion function.
Who is responsible?
Employer of choice.
Why is it important?
What does leading edge Awareness look like in practice?
CEO and business leaders fiercely advocate for inclusion, authentically role model it, and are seen as “walking the talk” as it relates to the link between inclusion and business results. Senior leaders, managers, and employees understand the value of inclusion as an enabler to achieving business objectives. Employees from all groups confirm an environment of inclusion where they can thrive and be their authentic selves.
Behavioral inclusion:
Inclusion is a core company value—seen as a priority by the CEO and the Board. ERGs/BRGs drive cultural transformation and contribute to the business. Inclusion integrated as enabler to multiple organizational business objectives and goals. Inclusion tied to organizational brand in the marketplace.
Structural inclusion:
Inclusion is approached from the broader risk management perspective. Process for addressing workplace harassment, bullying, and discrimination is formalized, transparent, clear, and easy to access for all employees. Process in place to quickly help discern how best to respond to inclusion issues that affect the company while considering the risk of inaction.
All stakeholders are fully aware of risks and impact associated with workplace harassment, bullying, and discrimination. Leaders and HR are skilled at dealing with negative behaviors and power dynamics. Employees feel comfortable speaking up and reporting issues affecting themselves and others.
What does leading edge Risk Management look like in practice?
Risk mitigation.
Risk management/legal function.
The quality and depth of infrastructure, capabilities, and behaviors necessary to identify inclusion-related risks.
Risk Management
Inclusion strategy and talent strategy are one and the same (inclusive talent strategy) and executed as enablers to organizational business strategy. Leaders and managers incentivized and rewarded for engaging all talent. Robust talent analytics including predictive analytics applied to inform present and future talent decisions.
Inclusive behaviors become part of entire talent management lifecycle and show up in all key talent decisions by senior leaders and people managers. Senior leaders, managers, and employees display inclusion skills and leverage a broad range of talent for better decision-making and team performance.
What does leading edge Talent Integration look like in practice?
Enhanced talent pipeline.
HR function.
The integration of inclusion into all talent management processes and the level of inclusive behaviors demonstrated throughout the talent management lifecycle.
Talent Integration
Inclusion systematically embedded in operations ecosystem (e.g., team performance, safety, productivity, R&D). Operations functions systematically incorporate a broad range of talent and inclusion to boost innovative problem solving in teams and avoid the dangers of groupthink. Business leaders own inclusion and are evaluated on integrating inclusion into business decisions.
Business leaders and middle managers role model leading inclusively and embedding inclusion into operations. High-performing teams consisting of a broad range of talent routinely deployed and effectively led. All leaders apply their inclusion skills to making major operational decisions (e.g., M&A, restructuring, etc.)
What does leading edge Operations Integration look like in practice?
Enhanced bottom line.
Business functions focused on internal efficiencies such as Finance, Procurement and Quality Assurance.
The extent an organization’s inclusion efforts are integrated into business operations and are used to drive innovation.
Operations Integration
Inclusion expertise distributed throughout marketing and customer service functions. Inclusion metrics embedded in all lines of management in all markets, and business outcomes regularly evaluated to ensure sustainability. Sales of products and services to a broad range of communities reach critical mass in financials of organization.
Leaders and employees recognize own need for crosscultural competency development and seek out further education. Managers role model inclusion and display inclusive management skills and crosscultural competency. Business leaders held accountable for performance against market and growth strategy in a broad range of communities.
What does leading edge Market Integration look like in practice?
Enhanced top line.
Business functions focused on customer and community such as Marketing, Sales, R&D and CSR.
The level of inclusion integration within markets, customers, and communities.
Market Integration
The two biggest questions we hear from leaders is, where do we start and how do we measure our progress? Korn Ferry's DE&I Maturity Model measures an organization's DE&I maturity across five strategic dimensions: Compliance, Awareness, Talent Integration, Operations Integration and Market Integration. Using our employee survey tool DE&I Compass and other diagnostics, we identify where your organization is today in each of these areas and then help you develop a roadmap to take you to the next level. The DE&I Maturity Model can then be used by leaders as a strategic tool to track and report on how you are progressing on your DE&I journey. Find out more about the Korn Ferry DE&I Maturity Model. Find out more about DE&I Compass.
Where are you on your DE&I journey?
Click on each section of the model to find out more.
The level of awareness and commitment to DE&I as a value by an organization, leaders and employees.
DE&I function.
CEO and business leaders fiercely advocate for DE&I, are authentically role modelling inclusion and seen as “walking the talk”. Employees see a strong leadership commitment to DE&I. Inclusion learning journeys are well established for all leaders and employees.
DE&I is a core company value— seen as a key CEO and Board priority. ERGs are driving cultural transformation and contributing to the business. DE&I metrics include employee engagement and representation tracking. There is strong internal/ external recognition.
DE&I is approached from the broader risk management perspective. HR, Leadership, and Board proactively monitor DE&I risk. There are consequences for those who do not adhere to company policies and values regardless of their level and status.
The quality and depth of infrastructure, capabilities, and behaviors necessary to identify DE&I related risks.
HR and DE&I function are true partners enabled by the CEO and leadership team. DE&I strategy fully integrated with overall talent strategy. Leaders are accountable for DE&I integration in talent management. Robust talent analytics are applied to inform talent decisions.
Inclusive behaviors become part of the entire talent management lifecycle and show up in key talent decisions. Leaders and employees display inclusion skills and leverage talent diversity for better decision making and team performance.
The integration of DE&I into all talent management processes and the level of inclusive behaviors demonstrated throughout the talent management lifecycle.
Business leaders fully own DE&I and are evaluated on integrating DE&I with business processes and decisions. DE&I embedded within the operations ecosystem (e.g. suppliers, R&D, etc.). R&D and other functions fully leverage DE&I to boost innovation, collective intelligence and problem solving in teams.
Business leaders and middle managers are role modelling inclusive leadership skills. High performing diverse-by-design teams are routinely deployed and are effectively led. All leaders apply their DE&I skills to making major operational decisions (e.g. M&A, restructuring, etc.)
The extent an organization’s DE&I efforts are integrated into business operations and are leveraged to drive innovation.
DE&I expertise is distributed throughout marketing and customer service functions. DE&I metrics are embedded in all lines of management in all markets, and business outcomes are regularly evaluated to ensure sustainability. ERGs help generate innovative solutions for diverse partners, customers, and communities.
Leaders and employees recognize their own need for cross-cultural competency development and seek out further education. Managers role model inclusion and display inclusive management skills and cross-cultural competencies.
Business functions focused on customer and community such as Marketing, Sales, R&D, CSR, etc.
The level of integration of DE&I within markets, customers, and communities.
DE&I is approached from the broader risk management perspective. HR, Leadership, and the Board proactively monitor DE&I risk. There are consequences for those who do not adhere to company policies and values regardless of their level and status.
What does leading edge Compliance look like in practice?
Compliance
The level of awareness and commitment to DE&I by an organization, its leaders and employees.
CEO and business leaders fiercely advocate for DE&I, are authentically role modeling inclusion and seen as “walking the talk”. Employees see a strong leadership commitment to DE&I. Inclusion learning journeys are well established for all leaders and employees.
DE&I is a core company value— seen as a key CEO and Board priority. ERGs are driving cultural transformation and contributing to the business. DE&I metrics include employee engagement and representation tracking. There is strong internal/ external recognition established.
The extent an organization’s DE&I efforts are integrated into business operations and are used to drive innovation.
Business leaders and middle managers are role modeling inclusive leadership skills. High performing diverse-by-design teams are routinely deployed and are effectively led. All leaders apply their DE&I skills to making major operational decisions (e.g. M&A, restructuring, etc.).
