Thompson & Associates LLC

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an ethos that recognizes the value of diverse voices and focuses on employee wellbeing and inclusivity as central facets of business success. However, DEI programs in most organizations fail to create an environment where employees can share their opinions without being judged. Employers also fail to address and give individual attention to separate issues pertaining to diversity, equity or inclusion. These challenges collectively prevent DEI initiatives from fully taking root in an organization.

For more than forty years, Thompson & Associates, LLC has been at the forefront of helping organizations overcome these challenges by providing holistic DEI strategies, change management, and organizational development goals. Having worked with many private companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations Thompson & Associates holds profound knowledge in the inherent nature of biases, as well as the neuroscience that drives this behavior. By combining this scientific backing with their long-standing industry expertise, Thompson & Associates has realized that many DEI complexities originate from unconscious biases. Anchored to this understanding, the company combines creative ideologies with analytic rigor to provide data-driven DEI strategies.

“Humans are hard-wired to recede into their psychological safety and form biases when they interact with unfamiliar cultures. That is why we place cardinal value on facilitating dialogues between employees to mitigate the nuances of cultural biases,” says LeRoy Thompson, Managing Director of Thompson & Associates.

Thompson & Associates always aligns the DEI motive with business objectives to evoke every team’s willing participation. Their onboarding process starts with discussions to find common ground with the clients regarding their objectives and the metrics to measure the outcome.

The company conducts a DEI audit to gain 360-degree insights into the organization’s internal and external DEI challenges and prioritizes the issues that greatly impact their mission and vision.

Following this assessment, the firm sets up a standalone committee or a core team that includes individuals from all levels of leadership to facilitate the DEI activities. This is a crucial step in conveying to the employees the organization’s commitment and active participation in tackling DEI concerns. Thompson & Associates also develops a work plan—based on the DEI audit—with a clear sequence of activities, events, and other initiatives

Thompson & Associates devises a DEI lens to identify areas that need improvement, like helping clients source talents from a diverse base of candidates and assisting them in improving employee retention rates. They also offer education and training activities that enhance diversity and inclusive culture. This is further complemented with ongoing support and guidance, equipping organizations with the necessary tools to sustain their DEI initiatives.

“We believe DEI solutions are not a one-time fix but a journey. Contrary to the usual practice, we help organizations reach their own conclusions and come up with solutions. This makes them self-sufficient for the future and ensures sustainability of the DEI initiatives,” elaborates Thompson.

We believe DEI solutions are not a one-time fix but a journey. Contrary to the usual practice, we help organizations reach their own conclusions and come up with solutions

In one instance, a non-profit healthcare organization faced DEI issues that affected the delivery of their services. The quality of their services differed based on ethnicity, demographic location and income levels. The client also faced inclusion issues within the organization due to communication barriers among employees of different teams and leadership. As a result, employees felt disenfranchised and left out of the decision-making process.

Thompson & Associates started out with the DEI audit that surfaced all the concerns that needed to be addressed for a more inclusive organizational climate. The firm helped the client identify and mitigate the roadblocks for better communication across different departments, employees and leadership. They even helped the client expand their internship opportunities and recruitment programs to accommodate a more diverse workforce.

What gives Thompson & Associates a competitive edge is their industry expertise, exceptional facilitation skills, and neuroscience-backed training programs in the DEI space. This continues to help them script holistic solutions that fit clients’ requirements and march forward.