Recommendations

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01 Defining culture

• Commit to true inclusion →

• Build transparency into company culture →

• Prioritize a strong work/life balance for all employees →

02 Implementing culture

• Base your culture on true inclusion and not on avoiding legal risk →

• Use a team to build culture →

• Staff for building inclusion →

• Hire an experienced HR person →

• Hire and empower a D&I lead to execute the CEO’s vision for inclusivity →

• Encourage and support employee resource groups →

• Develop effective codes of conduct →

• Develop effective, integrated policies →

• Develop an effective employee handbook →

03 Guide to writing a code of conduct

• Make your code of conduct comprehensive and visible →

• Craft a statement of values in your code of conduct →

• Specify who is covered →

• Specify a process for reporting complaints →

• Cover what happens outside the workplace →

• Write and communicate a clear anti-harassment policy →

• Monitor, audit, and survey the results of your code of conduct →

04 Employee lifecycle

• Use inclusive and transparent hiring practices →

• Make onboarding ongoing during the employee’s first year →

• Be thoughtful about inclusion when building teams →

• Use sponsorships to promote D&I →

• Share feedback regularly with help from inclusive performance reviews →

05 Hiring

• Use a broad range of recruiting sources →

• Write inclusive job descriptions →

• Evaluate and communicate expectations for working conditions →

• Eliminate bias in resume evaluation →

• Rethink traditional interview practices →

• Use an inclusive interview process →

• Use two-on-one interview panels →

• Train employees who interview on how to interview →

• Develop a consistent interview feedback process →

• Standardize your decision-making process →

06 Onboarding

• Train new hires from day one on the company’s code of conduct →

• Set and communicate performance goals from the start →

• Use a buddy system to onboard new employees →

• Encourage shared values while also respecting individual experiences →

07 Compensating fairly

• Use benefits to shape company culture and scale them with your company. →

• Decide whether, and how, to allow compensation negotiation →

08 Providing feedback

• Give clear goals and feedback →

• Understand how performance reviews can be biased →

• Have HR interrogate biases before conducting performance reviews →

• Prevent biased language in performance review feedback →

• Avoid biases that influence promotion and bonus decisions →

• Use standardized systems to measure performance →

• Performance Improvement Plans can be a feedback pitfall →

• Create a clear organizational chart and a consistent promotion ladder →

• Install managers who are actively committed to diversity →

09 Training

• Make training ongoing, proactive, specific, and interactive →

• Train managers →

• Require annual diversity training →

10 Training managers

• Take manager training seriously →

• Provide ongoing support to managers with open discourse →

11 Investing in sponsorships

• Cultivate a teaching environment →

• Sponsorship programs can start small →

• Prioritize sponsors, especially for underrepresented groups →

• Don’t require sponsors and sponsees to come from the same demographic group →

• Add a formal sponsorship program →

• Create goals and measure progress →

• Create a clear, transparent structure for sponsorship and coaching →

• Train sponsors and sponsees on the code of conduct →

12 Resolving conflicts

• Consider using a third-party ombudsperson →

• Make reporting solution-oriented →

• Account for powerdynamics →

• Track who is leaving and why →

13 Measuring progress

• Use existing metrics definitions and surveys →

• Be transparent with metrics and surveyresults →

• Metrics should be consistent across the industry →

• Use inclusive demographic breakdowns →

• Set employee, leadership, board, and investor demographic diversity goals →

• Repeat surveys regularly, at the right intervals →

• Publish metrics once or twice a year [50+ employees] →

14 Leading as VCs

• VCs can have a huge effect on diversity and inclusion →

• VC firms should require their portfolio companies to commit to set and achieve diversity targets. →

• Universities can lead successfully →

• Employees need to speak up →