TIDE (Talent Inclusion and Diversity Evaluation)

How does TIDE work?

TIDE is an available online platform using Probench, a secure and easy to use tool. It asks you a series of questions about your organisation’s approach to D&I under each of the eight sections.

Most questions simply require a yes or no answer, but others will ask you to select answers from a multiple choice list. There are no free text answers.

The questions are not based on legislation in any one country, so it can be used to assess D&I in any location. The approach has been designed to be flexible, recognising that different organisations will take different approaches to D&I, which can be equally successful.

Calculating TIDE results

TIDE takes about two hours to complete the first time and saves your answers so you can update your submission quickly and easily at any time. If you wish to update your responses during the annual cycle, please send an email to info@enei.org.uk and submit a request to reset your account. This will allow you to make changes and resubmit your responses. If you submit more than one entry, the latest submission will be considered in the annual benchmark.

Once you submit your entry you will receive your results in a TIDE report within minutes, providing you with valuable feedback to feed into your D&I strategy and plan. It can also be used as a simple internal measure of your progress.

You can complete and update your TIDE entry at any time throughout the year, except for a short time when we pause the system to take a benchmark.

Organisations that complete TIDE before 31 May each year will automatically be entered into enei’s TIDEmark benchmarking programme.

TIDE will score each entry out of a maximum of 100. Responses are scored by applying a set of rules embedded within the TIDE system; not every question or section is weighted equally. There are:

• A small number of questions that are non-scoring and indicated within the survey; and
• Some questions where the score is capped, recognising that there are different ways to approach an issue and organisations may take different but equally effective approaches.

The TIDE system will generate the score and a personalised feedback report. The report clearly shows how your score was built up and how higher scores can be achieved including:

• Your overall score (which shows where your organisation sits on enei’s Quick Guide: Diversity and Inclusion Road Map);
• Your score and roadmap position for each of the eight individual sections; and
• The questions, answers, and your percentage score for each question (so you can identify strengths and areas for improvement).

Figure 1 is an example of a table showing an organisation’s position on enei’s inclusion roadmap for each of the eight sections of TIDE.

Figure 2 is an example of the detail provided within a TIDE report.

What is the TIDEmark benchmarking programme?

All TIDE entries will be benchmarked against all other entries in a particular year. This is known as the TIDEmark.

As TIDE is a self-assessment evaluation, before the benchmark is taken, enei will audit 10% of entries. If your organisation is selected for an audit, you will be contacted for an interview and asked to provide some additional evidence shortly after the closing date.

There is an opportunity to provide evidence with your entry when you complete or update TIDE. Although this is not mandatory and does not affect your score, it could be helpful and make it easier for you if you are selected for an audit.

Where a minimum of five organisations enter TIDE within a particular sector or country, enei will also provide these benchmarks.

After the TIDEmark is taken, the best entries will be awarded bronze, silver, and gold TIDE awards. Award holders will be able to demonstrate their achievement by using electronic TIDE award badges or logos on websites and literature.

Organisations achieving the best results may also be recognised each year at the annual enei awards and may be invited to share their practices and achievements at future enei events.

In addition to the TIDEmark, there is an opportunity for members to use TIDE as an internal benchmark, so you can compare different approaches across your divisions, countries, or regions. Every enei member receives one TIDE account as a member benefit. Additional accounts for members can be purchased for £1,000 + VAT each. This cost includes the delivery of an additional internal benchmark report.

How you can participate in TIDE

If you don’t have a TIDE account already, you can register at any time. On the TIDE registration page, enter your details, including your email address), and chose your password. You will use this email address and password to sign into the platform. If you forget your password, you can restore it at any time.

You must also provide your company code, which will have been sent to you by enei. If you do not know your company code, please send an email to info@enei.org.uk.

When you have finished, the system will send you an email containing a link and code to complete the process. Follow the instructions on the email to activate your account.

Once you have signed in, you will see a welcome screen with an introduction. At the end, you will see the TIDE survey button which will allow you to start the survey.

Click on TIDE and you will be taken to the overview page which shows the sections you must complete. You can come back to the overview page at any time.

When you click on a section title you will be taken to a new page with the questions for that section. You can complete the sections in any order and in parts; just remember to click on the save button regularly and before finishing a session, as the system does not save your answers automatically.

The overview page shows your progress within the survey and whether you have started, partially completed, or finished answering each section. You may also download a record of the answers you have given, either by section or for the whole survey. Please note that the survey uses question logic to ensure organisations are only asked suitable questions, so this function cannot be used to download a complete list of questions.

Figure 3 is a screenshot of the TIDE overview page highlighting key functionality.

As you go through the survey, you will see an image of an exclamation mark after some of the questions. If you click on these images, you will be given more information about the question to help you understand the context or requirement better.

Figure 4 is a screenshot of a TIDE question page showing key functionality.

You will be allowed to submit evidence for your answers at the end of each section. It is not compulsory to submit evidence, but if you do and are selected for an audit, it will make the process faster and easier for you.

You can ask other people within the organisation to do parts of the assessment by using the “Share Page” widget on the right of the overview page. If you tick this and click on the arrow, it will open the “Share Page” function. Insert the email address of your chosen recipient with a message telling them which questions you would like them to complete and click “Share Selected Pages”. Once they have completed their section, you can decide whether to accept the answers into your final assessment.

Figure 5 is an image of the Share Page function.

You can edit your responses up until you choose to submit the final entry. When you have finished answering the questions you will be asked to check your answers and submit the entry by clicking on the submission section on the overview page.

The TIDE system will automatically generate a report with your results. The report will be stored online and will be available for you to download, print, and view from the reports tab on the welcome page.

In addition to TIDEmark, there is an opportunity for members to use TIDE as an internal benchmark so you can compare different approaches across your divisions, countries, or regions. Every enei member receives one TIDE account as a member benefit. If you would like to set up additional TIDE accounts, please email your request to info@enei.org.uk.

Conclusion

TIDE supports flexible and inclusive management of D&I, moving away from a strand specific language and approach, allowing organisations to focus on the areas that will make the most difference. It evaluates D&I activities and outcomes with geographic and legislative differences.