Article
2 minute read 03 November 2021

Exploring tech-enabled DEI solutions

The CIO’s role in helping drive diversity, equity, and inclusion outcomes

Kristi Lamar

Kristi Lamar

United States

Brandi Goswick

Brandi Goswick

United States

Anjali Shaikh

Anjali Shaikh

United States

Tech leaders can harness the power of tech-enabled solutions and data to enable successful diversity, equity, and inclusion outcomes.

Tech-enabled solutions and data have deepened our understanding of people and markets, increased enterprise efficiency, and altered entire industries and have the potential to similarly transform diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) outcomes.

Tech leaders think so, too. A recent Deloitte survey of ~400 tech executives indicates that while the adoption of a comprehensive portfolio of solutions is currently low, leaders know tech-enabled solutions—a US$100 million market and growing1—have significant potential to achieve DEI outcomes (see figure).

Currently, sourcing and recruiting a more diverse workforce is a primary focal point for many organizations. However, some survey respondents are focused on using data insights to match employees to growth and/or leadership opportunities at all levels of the organization (see figure)—but this is merely scratching the surface.

Hurdles remain: Data needed to achieve effective DEI goals and metrics are often locked in disparate and incomplete platforms or are not being collected at all (see figure). For example, not all organizations enable their employees to self-identify attributes, complicating the effort to gain a holistic understanding of workforce demographics or connect these individuals to each other.

Deloitte’s own DEI journey2 suggests that tech-enabled solutions can be a powerful catalyst for change—if tech leaders play an active role in reengineering the way data is collected, standardized, managed, analyzed, and reported. However, even without a strong data strategy, tech leaders can still adopt lower-effort, yet highly visible, ways to achieve DEI goals: Simply adding one’s pronouns in Zoom IDs can initiate greater awareness and inclusion for people of varying identities and backgrounds, and sets the tone that DEI is an important enterprisewide tenet.

What’s clear is this: Tech leaders can provide the technical expertise and strategic vision required to integrate solutions that span the workforce life cycle to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion across the organization.

  1. Mercer, Diversity & Inclusion Technology: The rise of a transformative market , accessed October 6, 2021.View in Article
  2. Deloitte, Coming together to thrive together: 2021 Deloitte Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Transparency report , 2021.View in Article

Cover image by: Heather Mara

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Kristi Lamar

Kristi Lamar

Managing Director | US Women in Technology Leader

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