By Jennifer Todd

Q&A with Jennifer Todd, Head of People & Culture, Littlepay & TechDiversity DEI Discovery Course Alumni.

Jennifer Todd, Q&A session, Head of People and Culture at Littlepay

There is no denying that HR & Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) specialists are tackling ­­­­many more challenges today, what would you say to someone who has held off or put the brakes on their DEI strategy?

It is easy to think that prioritising DEI strategy means you’re putting aside “all the other things you need to be doing”. But in fact, by prioritising this, you’ll shift barriers in these very areas – attracting quality talent, improving retention and engagement, cultivating a high performing team, all while being more aware of the drivers at play. DEI is more than just removing barriers for certain groups of people, the benefits of a working DEI strategy positively impacts the entire team.

If you could pick out the top three DEI tactics HR & DEI specialists should consider prioritising what would they be?

  • Find out about your team – seek out good data. Listen to the experiences of your team so you understand the barriers at play. Celebrate the diversity that already exists within your team!
  • Establish expert partners – TechDiversity, Xceptional, Code Like a Girl, ACON Pride Training, etc
  • Pick one thing to shift – and go for it!

We know from the TD Academy Discovery course that DEI strategies embedded in company culture attracts more talent and ignites innovation, which in turn drives growth.  From your experience, what is the hardest part of embedding DEI in the DNA of a company.

It is easy to get swept up in procedural, structural changes and BAU and push aside DEI efforts. Keeping DEI as a lens to view decision-making at all levels and through which to live and breathe in day to day practice is something that requires vigilance and ongoing commitment – keep talking about it, engage with your DEI network.

What advice would you give to a HR & DEI specialist who has been given the sole responsibility of driving a DEI strategy within their organisation?

Get a team together within your company. Don’t feel you have to go it alone – effective DEI strategy requires bringing people along with you. Support from the top is integral – get the understanding there and things are a lot easier. Utilise the networks within orgs like TechDiversity.

As a previous participant in the TD Academy DEI Discovery Course, have you used any elements of the course to drive your DEI strategy?

There’s always something to learn and I love challenging my own assumptions! The thinking frameworks and tools for setting up a DEI case and subsequent strategy were really useful. I also think gaining access to quality data collection through Diversity Atlas is super important – you don’t know what you don’t know!

DEI Discovery Course 2023, starts 2nd March, spaces are limited but still available – enroll now or download brochure.

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DEI Discovery Course is hosted in partnership with Diversity Atlas & Cahoot Learning.