DEIB will always be an uphill battle for every organisation. Goals can feel huge. Change can feel glacial and slow. And seeing impact takes a long time.
A good strategy here is to have DEI activities in the organization to keep everyone engaged on this topic. Because to achieve real DEI, we have to fight unconscious bias and this behavior change requires constant effort. So, what are the best DEI activities?
Some great DEI activities are holding privilege walks, celebrating diverse holidays, cooking up cultural potlucks, playing diversity bingos, etc.
Along with these we have listed in total 12 DEI activities that you can implement now. Now, let’s look at the details -
To create long-term change in DEI, organizations must go beyond workforce representation. They need to proactively understand how and why bias exists within their organization's structures and systems, and which levers they can pull to scale widespread, sustainable impact that builds a better place to work.
Here we have listed 12 DEI activities that you can try out in your organization. For each one we will point out if it is good for remote teams, team meetings or if this activity is quick to implement.
Now, let’s explore some DEI activities here -
The "Privilege Steps" activity is designed to help participants explore and understand the various forms of privilege that people carry, both obvious and subtle. This exercise requires an open space and a facilitator who will guide the group through the process by reading specific statements aloud. The activity begins with everyone standing in a line, and participants will step forward or backward based on whether the statements apply to their life experiences.
Throughout the activity, participants respond to statements such as
taking steps forward or backward accordingly. After 20-30 statements, participants will have moved to different positions, which visually demonstrates the different levels of privilege within the group. This part of the exercise is crucial for participants to observe and reflect on their relative positions and what it reveals about their experiences compared to others.
Following the physical activity, the group discusses their feelings, observations, and insights. This conversation encourages open and honest dialogue, allowing participants to express how the exercise made them feel and what they learned about each other’s backgrounds and privileges. The goal is not to judge but to foster understanding and growth through this shared experience.
This is a fun DEI activity however you cannot use this for remote teams.
Recognizing holidays from various cultures goes beyond decorations and treats. It's a powerful way to show employees their backgrounds are valued. Imagine a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging and respect. Celebrating diverse holidays helps create that reality.
These celebrations are more than just fun; they're educational journeys. Employees learn about different customs, beliefs, and histories, fostering understanding and appreciation. This cultural exchange can even spark creativity and collaboration as people work together to plan and participate in these meaningful events.
For example, in Develop Diverse, we tried to celebrate Ramadan with our Muslim colleagues by fasting for one day. We are not saying you have to do the same, but this could be one way to create an inclusive workplace for Muslims during Ramadan.
Ultimately, celebrating diverse holidays strengthens the very foundation of a thriving workplace: inclusion. When employees feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work, everyone benefits.
If the activity is discussion based, then you can try this with your remote team too. But if you go more than discussion, then you have to do it in the workplace.
The goal of this activity is to shatter stereotypes. To put it in a better way, a Team Activity is designed to help teams confront and dismantle stereotypes while fostering understanding and empathy.
The activity requires simple materials: paper and pens. Participants will divide a piece of paper into two columns labeled "I Am" and "I Am Not," with "And" in the middle.
Participants spend five minutes individually writing down stereotypes associated with common identifiers such as race, gender identity, and more, including both positive and negative stereotypes.
For example, "I am Asian, and I am good at math" (positive) or "I am a stay-at-home parent, and I am not ambitious" (negative). Following this, participants read their statements aloud, one at a time, and engage in a group discussion about the stereotypes, exploring their validity and emotional impact.
The final step involves reframing the statements using "And" instead of "But," such as "I am a stay-at-home parent, AND I am ambitious," and discussing how this shift changes the meaning. This exercise emphasizes challenging assumptions and fostering empathy through open dialogue, ultimately aiming to break down harmful stereotypes and build a more understanding team environment.
This diversity and inclusion activity is perfect for remote teams. But it’s also equally effective to do it offline.
You’d be lucky if you had a canteen that jumps from region to region on a daily basis during lunch. But not everyone has this privilege. So, you can just set a date and ask everyone to join in this potluck.
This cultural potluck is the most fun DEI activity. Not only does it celebrate diversity in a delicious way, but it also encourages interaction and learning among colleagues.
So, here’s how it goes. Each participant brings a dish that represents their cultural background or cuisine they love, along with a brief story or explanation about its significance.
This shared meal becomes a gateway to understanding different traditions, fostering conversations about heritage, and breaking down cultural barriers. It's a feast for both the palate and the mind, where employees can taste new flavors and gain insights into their coworkers' backgrounds.
To make it even more engaging, you could:
Remember, the goal is to create an inclusive, relaxed atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable sharing and learning. This activity not only promotes cultural awareness but also strengthens team bonds, making it a valuable addition to any company's DEI initiatives. Which eventually can lead to better retention of diverse talent.
P.S. While arranging the potluck please keep the diversity of the team in mind. If you have practical Muslims as your colleagues, then maybe try to stay within halal foods. Also, try to keep in mind if someone is vegan or someone has some sort of dietary restrictions.
This diversity and inclusion activity is best for offline teams.
Bringing in guest speakers from various backgrounds is an impactful way to expose your team to diverse perspectives and experiences. These speakers can share their unique stories, insights, and expertise, offering valuable lessons that foster understanding and empathy within the team.
Such events not only provide educational benefits but also serve as a source of inspiration and motivation. Employees gain new perspectives on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and can apply these insights to their own work and interactions. The discussions sparked by guest speakers often lead to meaningful conversations that strengthen team bonds and promote a more inclusive workplace culture.
To maximize the impact, select speakers who can address relevant issues and themes your team is interested in. Encourage open dialogue during and after the presentation, allowing team members to ask questions and share their thoughts. This approach ensures that the event is engaging and interactive, rather than just a one-way communication.
This activity can be equally effective for remote and in-person teams. Moreover, you can keep this as part of a meeting and even you could try this as a quick DEI activity.
Supporting charities that benefit traditionally marginalized groups is a concrete way to demonstrate your company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Organize a company-wide fundraising campaign or set up a donation drive to encourage employees to contribute to a chosen charity.
In addition to financial donations, consider volunteering time or skills to these organizations. This not only provides much-needed support but also allows employees to engage directly with the communities they are helping. Such involvement can deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by marginalized groups and reinforce the importance of inclusion.
To make this initiative more impactful, involve employees in the selection process of the charity. This can be done through surveys or suggestion boxes, ensuring that the chosen cause resonates with the team. Regular updates on the impact of the donations and volunteer efforts can keep the momentum going and maintain employee engagement.
This activity is versatile and can be organized for both remote and in-person teams.
Mentorship programs are a powerful tool for promoting diversity and inclusion within the workplace. By pairing employees from different backgrounds and experience levels, you can facilitate knowledge sharing, career development, and personal growth.
These programs help bridge gaps between different departments and seniority levels, creating a more cohesive and supportive work environment. Mentors provide guidance, support, and encouragement to their mentees, helping them navigate challenges and seize opportunities. In return, mentors also gain fresh perspectives and insights from their mentees, aiding mutual growth.
To establish a successful mentorship program, clearly define the goals and structure, provide training for mentors, and regularly assess the program’s effectiveness. Encouraging participants to set specific objectives and providing a platform for feedback can ensure that the program remains relevant and impactful.
Mentorship programs can be designed to cater to both remote and in-person teams, making them an inclusive option for all employees.
The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is a valuable tool for uncovering unconscious biases that can influence our decisions and interactions. By encouraging employees to take the IAT, you can raise awareness about these biases and promote a more inclusive workplace culture.
The IAT helps individuals recognize their implicit preferences and stereotypes, providing a starting point for personal reflection and growth. This awareness is crucial for enabling empathy and understanding within the team, as employees learn to question their assumptions and behaviors.
Funny part is, this can also be turned into a fun activity. People are really surprised by the results.
After taking the IAT, try to facilitate a discussion where employees can share their experiences and insights. This open dialogue can help demystify the concept of unconscious bias and encourage everyone to take proactive steps toward mitigating its impact.
This activity is particularly suitable for remote teams, as the IAT can be taken online. But taking this offline has its perks too.
Time for another money-related activity.
Introducing a gender-neutral jar is a creative way to promote inclusivity in everyday language and interactions. The jar can be used to collect funds whenever someone uses gender-specific language or makes assumptions based on gender.
For example, ‘guys’ is a gender-specific word and when someone mentions the whole team with the word ‘guys’ then they can put an agreed amount in the jar.
This initiative helps raise awareness about the importance of using inclusive language and encourages employees to be more mindful of their words. The collected funds can be donated to a charity supporting gender equality or used to fund diversity and inclusion activities within the company.
To make this activity more effective, provide guidelines and examples of gender-neutral language, and encourage open conversations about the impact of words. This ongoing practice can lead to a more inclusive and respectful workplace culture.
However, make sure not to keep this running for long as not everyone might be onboard with it.
This activity is best suited for in-person teams but can be adapted for remote teams through a virtual version.
Creating a book club is a really good employee led DEI activity.
A book club focused on diversity and inclusion can be an engaging way to foster learning and discussion among employees. Select books that explore various aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and organize regular meetings to discuss the themes and insights.
This activity encourages employees to broaden their perspectives, learn about different experiences, and engage in meaningful conversations. It also provides an opportunity for team members to bond over shared interests and discoveries.
To ensure the book club is inclusive, rotate the book selection process among members and encourage diverse genres and authors. Providing a list of discussion questions can help guide the conversations and ensure that they remain focused and productive.
This activity can be easily adapted for remote teams through virtual meetings and online book discussions.
Diversity Bingo is a fun and interactive way to promote diversity and inclusion awareness among teams. Create bingo cards with different DEI-related activities or characteristics, such as "Learned about a colleague's culture" or "Participated in a DEI workshop."
Here’s a bingo card that our colleague at Develop Diverse made for Indians in Denmark,
In one of the meetings, encourage employees to complete the activities on their bingo cards and share their experiences with the team. This game not only fosters a sense of community but also encourages employees to engage with DEI initiatives in a light-hearted yet meaningful way.
Offer small prizes for completing a row or the entire card to add a bit of friendly competition.
Diversity Bingo is a fun DEI activity to make diversity, equity and inclusion learning engaging and interactive for remote teams. But you can hold this offline too. As this is a quick DEI activity, you can try this after a meeting or before a meeting to jolt up everyone.
Pair and Share is an activity designed to enable connections and understanding between employees. Pair up team members and encourage them to share something about their backgrounds, experiences, or perspectives that others might not know.
This activity promotes open dialogue and helps employees learn about each other's unique journeys. It also breaks down barriers and builds stronger relationships, as individuals find common ground and appreciate their differences.
To make Pair and Share more structured, you can provide specific questions or topics for discussion. This ensures the conversation stays focused and meaningful, contributing to a more inclusive and connected workplace.
This diversity and inclusion activity works well for both remote and offline teams.
For this post, we also asked six organizations what their most impactful strategy has been to create tangible change on DEIB. Here’s what they said.
Tips from the 6 companies on building a DEI strategy -
“Creating a family-friendly workplace is key for supporting parents,” says Teresa Salazar García-Rosales, international tech recruiter at remote work meeting platform Parabol. “But when we did our research, we found out a lot of companies may end up stigmatising parents who ask for better work/life balance policies. We didn’t want to go down that route, so we made flexible work arrangements the standard instead of something you had to opt into.”
At Parabol, everyone has the freedom to choose their own work hours and can work from wherever they want. This gives parents flexibility in how to balance work with childcare.
“What might work for a parent might not work for someone else,” Teresa says. “For example, some parents may prefer to take a shorter parental leave and then reduce their hours, while others may want to take a longer leave and then return to full-time work. Some may want to take a break in the middle of the day to pick up their kids from school or daycare, while others may prefer to have an intensive workday so they can focus on their family after work.
“We value our teammates and want them to find the best solution for them. The only way to do that is to empower parents to make their own decisions about how they want to work.”
Despite what the law says, we don’t all get paid the same for the same work. Bias and discrimination lurk hidden away in organisations’ pay practices, performance frameworks, and promotion processes, meaning marginalised folks aren’t given the opportunity to earn like their White peers. When Virgile Raingeard founded Figures, a salary benchmarking tool, he was intent on trying to improve pay equity and eliminating pay gaps — both for the organisations the company serves, and from within.
“Powering improved pay equity is part of our mission and we want it to reflect in our company culture,” he says. “Since we’re all about fair compensation in our product and company mission, when it comes to compensation decisions, we like to keep things objective and transparent: No shady backroom deals or mystery paychecks here! We’ve got a solid system in place that involves determining levels, using Figures’ benchmarking data, and, best of all, complete transparency on salaries internally. After all, a happy and well-compensated team is a productive and thriving one. That said, we’re not perfect, and we try to constantly improve ourselves.”
Company leadership has historically been a job reserved for White males. In 2015, there were more CEOs named John in US companies than women CEOs in total.
Thankfully, we’re starting to change the record on that front with increased legislation. Across the EU, the CSR Directive will soon mandate that all companies meeting a certain earnings or headcount threshold will be required to report on their workforce diversity. They’ll also have to increase gender diversity at a board level.
But progress is still slow – and to really move the needle, organisations need to proactively increase board diversity themselves, rather than waiting for legislation to enforce it.
“When building our board, it was important to me that we had diverse representation,” says Amy Spurling, founder and CEO of employee rewards and benefits platform Compt. “People want to work in places where they see themselves represented — and that starts at the very top. Our platform supports all employees, everywhere. That means we need to have a team representing our users to build the best possible solution. From day one it was my mission to have a diverse team, and that included having a diverse board.”
Amy’s focus on creating greater representation at a board level has meant employees feel better represented, too.
“Representation at the board and leadership levels makes it much easier to hire throughout the organisation,” she says. “People want to work somewhere where they can see themselves represented, which has to be visible at all levels. You need diversity in your leadership team and throughout your organisation so people see they have the opportunity for career growth and mobility. By having a diverse board, we have been able to hire a diverse leadership team. That has translated into a diverse overall team. It’s a beautiful virtuous cycle of amazing talent.”
Women consistently face more discrimination than men when the topic of parenthood comes up at work. According to 2022 research, women with children face more rejection in the hiring process than women without children, men with children, and men without children. And even when they don’t have kids, 10% of employers are reluctant to hire them just in case.
“One common challenge we have witnessed is the difficulties faced by individuals re-entering the workforce after a career break,” says Dr Ximena Hartsock, co-founder of BuildWithin, an apprenticeship platform. “Resume gaps are often seen as weaknesses, hindering [candidates’] chances of finding suitable employment. Returnships play a crucial role in addressing this issue.”
After becoming a parent herself, Dr. Ximena realized that there was a need to create more opportunities for women to return to work. It’s why she offers returnships at BuildWithin.
“We fully embrace returnships in our workplace, recognizing the immense value that moms bring to the table,” says Dr Ximena. “Returnships for individuals who have taken a break offer a unique opportunity for transitioning into new roles and acquiring additional skills that can be applied to their job. By creating a supportive environment that values the unique experiences and capabilities of individuals, returnships benefit both the employee and the company.
“One of our most valued employees returned from maternity leave earlier this year, and her comeback has been truly remarkable,” Dr. Ximena adds. “While she has always been extremely competent, she came back bursting with new skills, fresh perspectives, and an unwavering determination to excel in both her professional and personal life.”
For Indra Gutiérrez, president of construction services company Gutier, working in an industry dominated by men gave her the idea to launch a supportive network where women felt seen, heard, and represented in the workplace. “During my career, I never had anyone coach me or give me advice on how to navigate the professional world as a minority woman,” Indra explains. “There were so many challenges I had to overcome and I wish someone had warned me about them, but instead I had to find out through my own life experiences. I decided to launch [a women’s group], as I've always been one of the only women working in a male-dominated industry, I noticed there were no workshops that share [that experience].” Indra’s initiative focuses on providing workshops, conferences, and activities with a goal of nurturing women’s leadership skills across the company. But it’s as much an opportunity to learn as it is to share experiences. “The impact has been tremendous,” Indra says. “I asked myself, how do you help prepare the next generation of female leaders? My mission is to share the knowledge and tools for women to lead fearlessly.”
The last couple of years have upturned the global workplace. Employees have tasted freedom from the confines of a centralized office — and they want more. But as some companies have mandated that employees return to the office post-pandemic, Thomas Forstner, VP of People and Talent at Juro, had a different take.
“At Juro, we made the decision to implement a choice-first work approach,” he says. “What that means is that within a given location, you have the choice from day one to work from our hub — based in London — or work remotely. That policy goes whether you’re just a short distance from the hub, or whether you’re further away. For us, it’s a way of saying we care about the work you do, not where you do it from.”
For Juro, this extra flexibility on where people work increases inclusion because it gives people a choice of how and where they show up.
“This has made the biggest difference to inclusion and belonging because typically people who aren’t White, male, straight, cisgender, and in their 20s, have more requirements on flexibility at work,” Thomas says. “Whether that’s because they have a family, a pre-existing condition — or whether they just work better at home… A choice model makes people feel they can interact with us as an employer and integrate us into their pie chart of life. Work is a part of that — but non-work is too.”
Holding DEI activities is crucial for establishing a proper diversity and inclusion culture in the company. You can always use your ERG to come up with new activity ideas and implement those ideas.
Best of luck with these activities.
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Develop Diverse is an inclusive communication platform that enables organizations to build communication norms that build more inclusive, diverse workplaces. Based on a combination of cutting-edge research and AI, Develop Diverse’s text analysis tool helps organizations proactively spot discrimination and bias in written text, make inclusive switches, and scale a culture of inclusive communication across the whole company.