Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) with company culture is an increasingly prevalent concept that today’s organizations in the workforce seek to address. In our previous volume of NAVIGATE, we explored the value of aligning DEI into benefit programs as a tool for not only attracting and retaining talent, but also for reflecting the diversity of the world we live in. Nevertheless, discrepancies remain when it comes to practical application of DEI into employee benefits and group retirement plans—making resources available for clients slim.

We sat down with Gord Hart, CEO & Chairman at Selectpath Benefits & Financial, to learn more about how to bridge the disconnect for employers looking to align their corporate DEI initiatives with their suppliers and compensation plans, beyond surface-level “fixes” that often don’t look at the fulsome range of a comprehensive DEI framework as it relates to employee benefits.

“A simplistic approach to plan design does not deal with the greater issue of inclusion and equity.”

– Gord Hart, CEO & Chairman, Selectpath Benefits & Financial

Flexible plans that are free of the inherent biases which deter individuals from utilizing their benefits, allow members choice, access, and personalization based on lived experience, are invaluable tools to enable organizations to become ‘employers of choice’.

Hart emphasizes that to understand where DEI belongs in employee benefits and group retirement plans, we must start with recognizing the inherent diversity in the workforce.

By understanding that others will always have a different lived experience than our own, and for leadership to then incorporate these experiences with business strategy, we can gain a wealth of positive outcomes that drive organizational success. Increased creativity and innovation, legal and ethical compliance, well-rounded decision-making, a broader talent pool, and so much more stem from taking an appreciative stance on diversity.

Listen, and Learn

Hart stresses that oftentimes, the simple act of listening is the best first step to take in the journey of enhancing DEI in organizational benefits strategy. By reaching out to the members of your workplace, you may learn that their needs are not what you originally thought.

For instance, some view healthcare spending accounts (HSAs) as a suitable selection to add to their plans by allowing members to spend dollars on what they want or need most. While that can be a start, one size does not fit all. HSAs are not always material enough when thinking about gender affirmation, family forming, or other personal experiences any employee could face.

“By proactively engaging with our workforce and listening, we’re saying that we seek to understand.”

– Gord Hart, CEO & Chairman, Selectpath Benefits & Financial

Closely linked to the concept of listening is the composition of benefits, pension and diversity committees—they must reflect the diversity in our workforce. Are these individuals informed enough to make an impact on plans that adequately account for a rich diversity of needs? Do they have lived experience that will allow them to provide the necessary feedback to the employer?

Gender and gender identity, neurodivergences, ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, sexual orientation, visible and invisible disabilities, and so many more origins and foundations of life that are often not referred to in traditional benefits plans must be considered when we make decisions about important matters like benefits and retirement strategy.

What can I do, beyond offering a healthcare spending account?

• Flex and inclusion of part-time benefits for PT, Casual, and Contract staff
• Reduced or no copay on drug and dental claims to reduce the out-of-pocket risk for lower income earners
• Composition of coverage to recognize family building, gender affirmation, vaccines, obesity meds, integrated mental health services (EAP and Paramed upgrades)
• Introduction or expansion of wellness and health spending accounts to cover alternative care options like cannabis vs pain meds, alternative medicines, and extended dependents like parents, cousins, etc.
• Alignment with carriers who can accept non-binary designations
• Pension committee composition to reflect the membership
• Removing assumed gender roles in rules/definitions
• Ensuring options for access to cash for lower income members and those with debt management issues
• Inclusive communications (effective use of video, captions and icons) and access to translation services
• Investment choices (Shariah, Halal, and inclusive growth investing)

“There needs to be a voice and a presence that reflects all of the workforce when considering making changes to benefits programs.”

– Gord Hart, CEO & Chairman, Selectpath Benefits & Financial

Case-in-Point: Growing Immigration in Canada

Canada is well-known for our status as a multicultural haven for immigrants and refugees. But what happens when our new neighbours aren’t afforded the same accessibility to their program offerings as everyone else, who are fortunate enough to receive plan information in their native language of English or French?

It’s incumbent upon employers to offer the education behind program offerings in the language and medium that is most digestible for their members to consume. This doesn’t start and stop with translation services—it may encompass the use of videos, icons and captions, sharing both print and digital material, or perhaps one-on-one sessions dedicated to ensuring the individual is getting the most out of what they are entitled to.

DEI Starts With Consistency

DEI within the workplace isn’t about having “around the world” potlucks, pulling an untrained DEI committee out of thin air, or checking off a box that you may think will help your organization meet an arbitrary DEI quota.

DEI is about learning, seeking, and wanting to understand. It is about recognizing the different types of family formats, native languages, cultural histories, religious holidays, disabilities, neurodivergences, sexualities and gender identities that have so delicately and intimately shaped each individual into who they’ve become—and as a result, what they bring to their workplace.

“Benefits aren’t about adapting to lifestyle—they’re just about adapting to life.”

– Gord Hart, CEO& Chairman, Selectpath Benefits & Financial

At the end of the day, DEI starts with consistency. By only picking off one or two distinctions that seem the easiest to tackle, we consequently ignore everything else. By virtue, that turns into an organizational statement that tells employees: “The rest of these issues don’t matter to us.” To prioritize a DEI strategy, the entirety of what Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is about must be addressed and welcomed.

As advisors, we know that employers can’t do or offer everything, but what we can do is help guide you, as always, in ensuring that your plan approach evolves with the workforce and the world as we know it.