The Opportunity
HBS IT strives to create an organizational culture that promotes inclusivity and belonging for all of its employees so that they are inspired and empowered to do their best work and be their best selves at work. Over the years there has been grassroots work done to advance the organization’s DEI efforts, but not a cohesive program. Some of the grassroot works included anti-racism discussion groups to help staff be more comfortable discussing and addressing these difficult topics and the launch of an inclusive language guide with the goal of helping HBS IT remove harmful language from its code and documentation. With the launch of their latest strategic plan, HBS IT wanted to dedicate an effort to building a more intentional program to engage and support the organization in advancing this work and so this initiative was born.
The Solution
The Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Task Force was formed in November 2022 with the goal to implement DEI efforts and improve cultural competency and community engagement. The Task Force is comprised of HBS IT staff of various departments, backgrounds, and identities who are dedicated to DEI in and out of the workplace and are passionate about effecting positive change within the organization.
Throughout 2023, the JEDI Task Force worked together to build an action plan that would guide how we introduce and continue to drive forward various DEI activities for staff in HBS IT. This included workstreams focused on community engagement, talent management, and technology and measurement. The team began executing against the action plan formally in 2024, with key activities like launching a website taking place earlier in the project. The JEDI team is actively ideating and creating opportunities for all HBS IT staff to participate in the DEI space and to learn why this work is important both personally and professionally. They have also forged relationships with the overarching HBS Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and will continue to partner with them to ensure alignment of IT’s work with the School’s larger program.
The Impact & Outcomes
Since implementation and operationalization, the Task Force has created an action plan for the 2024 calendar year that includes educational opportunities, event planning, and resource curation. The organization’s trained group of 15 JEDI discussion facilitators have been folded into the Task Force with the intention of broadening the scope of topics discussed to include DEI topics beyond racism, which is how the conversations were started. The facilitators have hosted 5 discussions over the past several years. The team also added a permanent section in the HBS IT newsletter, SoundBytes, to promote DEI-related resources for those beginning and wanting to continue their DEI journey. This ensures a steady focus and stream of content for the team to engage with. Focus for the current year is on engaging the organization in the DEI space and aiding staff in feeling comfortable to discuss the uncomfortable.
Additionally, in HBS IT’s FY24 Q2 pulse survey, 85% of staff indicated that they believe HBS IT values diversity in its workforce which was an increase from the previous quarter and exceeded the goal of 80%. The JEDI team aims to continue to help increase this number through their work and engagement with the team. “Creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization requires involvement at all levels and across all functions,” said CIO of HBS IT, Beth Clark. “The JEDI Task Force has provided HBS IT with a platform for this type of engagement, ensuring that voices from across the department help shape how we do what we do in IT. I am immensely grateful for JEDI's dedication and significant efforts in nurturing an IT environment where each person is acknowledged and valued.”
Strategic Plan Reference: 5.01 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)