Hosted by Prachi Kuchya (Manager Events Marketing , Airmeet) with guest speakers Ian Frazier (Customer Success Manager at Airmeet) and Victoria Younes (Executive Events Manager at Kaiser Permanente), this event explored the real impact of integrating DEI and accessibility into organizational culture.
Victoria Younes has over 20 years of experience in producing diverse events across North America, and her expertise promised valuable insights into creating truly inclusive workspaces.
Through this article, we bring you the top highlights from the event.
Top 7 Key Takeaways From The Event
1. Kaiser Permanente’s DEI Approach
Victoria Younes shared her valuable insights into the organization’s approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
“At Kaiser Permanente, we view ourselves as a family and strive to address the needs of everyone, from employees to community members.”
She established the difference between equality and equity, highlighting that true equity involves removing barriers entirely rather than just raising them.
It is worth a mention here that Kaiser Permanente, established in the 1940s by Dr. Garfield and Henry Kaiser, was revolutionary in offering inclusive healthcare regardless of background.
Today, their annual DEI events and diverse observances showcase their ongoing commitment to inclusivity and equity.
Younes highlighted the importance of understanding different perspectives, as seen in their approach to diverse cultural observances and volunteer activities, reinforcing their mission to create a truly inclusive environment.
2. Tracking DEI Strategy Outcomes
At Kaiser Permanente, tracking DEI outcomes is a multi-faceted approach.
“We use educational programs as part of our ‘Belong at KP’ initiative,”
Feedback from surveys and semi-annual ‘People Pulse’ surveys help in evaluation of the effectiveness of these programs and measure feelings of inclusion and belonging.
According to Younes, these surveys are conducted in April and September and aid in measuring not only job satisfaction, but also the comfort and pride employees feel in their work environment.
Additionally, Kaiser Permanente closely monitors leadership representation to ensure it reflects the diversity of the communities they serve, aiming for a leadership team that mirrors the broader population.
3. Ensuring Accessible Events for All
Victoria Younes highlighted the importance of accessibility in event planning.
“We ensure our registration forms include questions about dietary restrictions and ADA needs to accommodate cultural and disability requirements,”
For in-person events, her team provides wheelchairs for Medicare attendees, plans events on a single level to avoid elevators or stairs, and ensures accessibility features like stairs and rails are addressed.
They also provide sign language interpretation for those who need it and provide closed captioning for virtual events and recordings.
“Accessibility is woven into our event planning,”
4. Ensuring Inclusive Event Messaging
At Kaiser Permanente, Victoria Younes said that her team ensures that event messaging is as inclusive as possible by following strict brand guidelines.
These guidelines showcase font choices and sizes to enhance readability and suggest color adjustments to improve text visibility.
Younes also mentioned that she always tests presentations from a distance to ensure clarity and avoid text-heavy slides.
Additionally, the organization includes pronoun preferences on event registrations and badges, which aims to avoid awkward moments and makes everyone feel recognized and respected.
This approach fosters a more inclusive environment where participants do not have to explain their identities.
5. Future Challenges and Strategies in DEI Efforts
Victoria Younes discussed the evolving challenges in DEI for events.
“One challenge is balancing education about inclusivity without appearing to push it on people,”
She recalled a personal experience where using traditional greetings like “ladies and gentlemen” in emails, which inadvertently excluded some attendees. This led to a shift in their approach, now focusing on inclusive language that avoids specific identifiers.
Looking ahead, Younes expects the challenge of addressing “distance bias,” especially as events return in person while maintaining virtual options.
She highlighted the risk of virtual attendees feeling like passive observers rather than active participants.
“It’s crucial to ensure virtual audiences are engaged and not just watching a feed,”
Younes emphasized the need to balance in-person and virtual experiences to make all attendees feel included.
6. DEI Progress and Achievements
Victoria Younes highlighted Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to fostering inclusive conversations by creating safe spaces for open dialogue.
She noted that such environments enable employees to share their perspectives and receive feedback. Despite progress in many areas, Younes pointed out that pay equity still remains a challenge.
She recalled a past experience where she discovered she was being paid lower than a less qualified colleague, which was only rectified after she raised the issue with the HR. This experience underscored the ongoing need for vigilance and improvement in addressing pay equity across workplaces.
7. Employee Involvement in DEI Initiatives
In the discussion, Younes explained how at Kaiser Permanente, employees can actively engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives through various channels.
The company has an Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity department as part of its “Live Well, Be Well” program under human resources.
Additionally, employees can join one of the many Business Resource Groups (BRGs), which function like clubs based on shared interests or backgrounds.
For example, ‘Generations at KP’ explores differences among various age groups, while other groups focus on African American, Asian American Pacific, and veteran communities.
These BRGs are open to all employees, regardless of their background, fostering a broader sense of inclusion.
Wrap Up!
These were some of the highlights discussed at the event.
But there’s still tons of relevant insights left uncovered.
Watch the complete event by clicking on the link mentioned below and mark yourself on a journey towards creating success.
