Dayforce (formerly Ceridian) is a global, cloud-based software company specializing in human capital management. With more than 8,000 employees, Dayforce uses its own solutions and expertise to drive business success. Organizations of all sizes around the globe choose Dayforce to achieve similar results. The company’s culture of excellence is rooted in the belief that happy, healthy, and engaged employees create the best outcomes for customers. Dayforce believes in diversity and equality, fostering an inclusive culture that celebrates all people.
Achieving Corporate Equity Program (ACE)
Dayforce’s 2023 Pulse of Talent Report revealed that almost half of workers (45%) agree or strongly agree that a lack of diversity in leadership would deter them from pursuing leadership roles. This sentiment rises to 60% among racial minorities and 59% among LGBTQ+ respondents. The report surveyed 8,833 workers across eight countries and in companies with at least 100 employees, highlighting widespread challenges.
Dayforce’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not just a corporate initiative but a fundamental necessity. Recognizing that a lack of diversity in leadership could hinder career aspirations for a significant portion of the workforce, Dayforce took innovative steps to embed DEI into its corporate culture.
Program Inception and Structure
Historically, underrepresented minorities (URMs) did not receive the same professional resources, leadership training, and promotion opportunities as their colleagues. In response, Dayforce enacted the Achieving Corporate Equity program (ACE) in 2022 under the leadership of Donnebra McClendon, the Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to address these disparities and more.
ACE is a holistic program focused on helping URMs reach their full potential and advance within the organization. The initiative addresses both the psychological and professional development of URMs and aims to remove systemic barriers, including racial and cultural stereotypes, microaggressions, and misconceptions about educational and leadership competence.
Employees from all levels submit applications and undergo an interview process as part of the selection. Applicants are evaluated both individually and as a potential group. The program is tailored to each participant and holistically, finding common themes within cohorts to enhance shared experiences.
Program Components and Outcomes
Cohorts are designed to be small and collaborative, meeting for four to ten hours weekly with both individual and group assignments. The program lasts 16 weeks and provides participants with individual and group coaching from a licensed psychologist, mentorship on leadership, executive sponsorship, and comprehensive learning modules.
In 2022, sessions with psychologists and talks from leaders were extremely helpful, aiding participants in overcoming past trauma and preconceived notions about themselves. Consequently, in 2023, the number of individual sessions with a psychologist increased, and the Leadership Lecture Series expanded from eight to 12 presentations, broadening its reach and access.
The program culminates in a capstone project presented upon graduation. ACE graduates have the opportunity to earn executive sponsorship, further amplifying their careers and expanding their professional networks.
Strategic Leadership and Future Goals
For the Strategic Leadership Team, participating in the ACE Program as sponsors helps reframe thinking on what an “ideal” candidate looks like and consider transferable skills of “non-traditional” candidates that may add value to their teams. A goal for 2024 is to partner with the Talent & Acquisition Team to expand internal mobility opportunities for ACE participants, including a multi-day job shadow experience and a months-long job rotation program, demonstrating participants’ ability to succeed in new roles and career paths.
In 2024, Dayforce plans to add a macro-layer to the ACE capstone project, identifying a global business problem that DEI can help solve. Cohort assignments and discussions will then focus on potential solutions that could have a broad impact on the organization and beyond, making participants true DEI advocates.
Impact and Achievements
Dayforce’s DEI efforts have yielded significant positive impacts on the organization in 2023:
- 49% representation of women in the workforce
- 50% of the Board of Directors are women or people of color
- Named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the second year in a row
- Expanded the ACE Program to increase the number of women and URMs in management roles
- Named one of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity by Forbes
- Less than a 1% pay disparity between men and women globally and no pay disparity between white and non-white employees in the United States
- Tripled hiring volumes over the past two years, shifting from a North American focus to a global hiring experience
- Doubling of ACE Program Sponsorship among the senior leadership team and nearly doubled number of applicants from 2022 to 2023
Senior Leadership has benefited from participating as Sponsors of the ACE Program by examining their networks and biases, improving team dynamics, and ultimately enhancing the bottom line.
Broader Impacts and Ongoing Change
Changes supporting the ACE Program at the company level include the expansion of the School of DEI within Dayforce University, offering on-demand courses and launching the DEI Training Recognition Program. As of October 31, 2023, the completion rate for these quarterly DEI lessons is approximately 80% globally, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing learning and improvement.
Beyond Dayforce, Donnebra McClendon is an active participant in a network of leading Chief Human Resource Officers, Chief Diversity Officers, and other people leaders. She shares best practices and success stories from the ACE Program, counseling many companies on how to launch their own version of ACE across various industries.
Despite these achievements, Dayforce acknowledges the need for continuous improvement and is committed to learning and doing better in 2024 and beyond.
