Readiness Assessment

Before you start on racial equity culture change work, it is helpful to ask some basic questions to understand where to begin. Even if your business has been on a racial equity journey for a long time, it can be helpful to pause and review whether your business should go back and revisit any components of your DEI work.

These guiding questions can help ensure you have the resources and the baseline information to move forward with your DEI plan in a strategic manner.

Why assess our readiness?  

Readiness Assessment can provide a high-level baseline or pre-project evaluation that can function as an accountability mechanism as you design, implement and evaluate your work.  

Guidelines for designing, implementing and evaluating a readiness assessment. 

A readiness assessment is used to collect a snapshot and baseline information. It will help inform what your intentions are for engaging in this work, what assumptions and understanding will influence what and how you change (what do we hope will happen, what does the process look like, what will change?) 

 As this critical process is focused on urgently needed change, it is natural and expected that both comfortable and uncomfortable feelings will arise. Engaging in the work will test and challenge what you know and provide opportunity to take action steps to facilitate change. In this process, it is essential to be informed of a do no harm approach and work to ensure employees of color have resources and avenues to be heard and influence the change and that white employees are being challenged to confront bias and privilege and have access to support.

Readiness Assessment activities and questions to ask (not comprehensive list): 

First off, what is your goal beyond engaging in racial equity culture change work within your organization? What will change, how do we change, what are the goal, challenges, or impacts you want to see?

Visit the METRICS section to find baseline questions to ask to start measuring your work. This baseline information will be incredibly useful as you track your progress in the future.

How are employees of color empowered in this work?
(-> Metrics: Staff Makeup and Empowerment)
Who is currently working for you and what is their positionality/pay?
What are your process and procedures (such as hiring, meetings, decisions and others) that define your type of culture and norms?
What is the current level of understanding around racial equity? Is there understanding of terms like racism, diversity, equity, inclusion? Have you done training(s) on the history of racism?
What current actions are being taken on racial equity? Do these align to an overarching strategy?
How is investment present at the top of the organization, specifically the CEO, leadership and managers with decision making power that set the culture of the business? 
How is staff time dedicated before, during, and after foundational racial equity training? 
How is money devoted to these resources?