We need to stop talking about “DEI”
If you’ve read many headlines, you’d think that most companies are pulling back from their DEI (that is, diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives. But your impression would probably be quite wrong. While the backlash is real in some circles (ahem, the US federal government) and some things will need to change, businesses that value performance will–and are–continuing to lean into initiatives and programs that drive fairness, accountability, and belonging among their employees.
According to Pew Research, the vast majority of workers (86%) have a neutral-to-favorable opinion about increasing diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Consultancy Paradigm shows that more companies are doubling down and increasing their investments in this area than pulling back, and law firm Littler’s data shows that only 8% of surveyed corporate leaders are seriously considering changes to their programs. As companies like Costo have stated, a “commitment to [...] respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary.”
Something that might surprise you given this broad-based support is that in general people think that other people support equity less than they do. Scientific Reports shows that there is a 27% point gap between individuals’ beliefs and what they believe others support. This misperception reduces the intent to behave inclusively, which is a bummer. But the effect is reversed when people are exposed to people’s true attitudes.
Now, I’m not saying everything is rosy. Navigating the current moment, no matter your role, will require adjustments, starting with an overhaul of our language. Put simply, it’s time to ditch “DEI”. Now, I’ve been saying this since I starting giving a keynote called “F*** Diversity” in 2015. While I usually like to be right, this isn’t one of those moments. But the truth is that if we want to keep pushing forward the project of making the world a better place, we need to be flexible in our tactics.
Throughout history, the work to promote fairness and encourage equal opportunity has morphed and changed. It’s been affirmative action programs, offices of multiculturalism, diversity & inclusion departments, most recently adding “equity” to the acronym. Research from Raben shows that the acronym “DEI” specifically is easily weaponized and misunderstood, creating completely unnecessary polarization and pushback. By being attached to specific language, we’re putting ourselves on the linguistic back foot.
It’s time for advocates and organizations to say specifically what they mean, and invest in the processes, programs, and policies that drive business growth by ensuring everyone can reach their full potential.
What should stay the course
It’s long been said, but in order to be successful, this work must be aligned to an organization’s mission and purpose, and use language that resonates with leaders and front-line employees. In my work, I’ve prioritized (and use the language of) “equity & inclusion” because I don’t believe that that better world should only be available to a subset of people – it should be available to everyone. I also believe that “diversity” is a natural outcome of equity & inclusion, and that focusing on the outcome rather than the input actually incentivizes problematic and unsustainable work.
The anti-fairness folks are really into painting equity work as if it requires a tradeoff with excellent. Well, I’m calling bullshit. This work is fundamentally grounded in the belief that we do not have to make tradeoffs between building an equitable, inclusive culture and achieving excellence. In fact, most theorists of meritocracy (I know, I know) see addressing issues of injustice as a foundational requirement of building a system that rewards people based on merit.
And here’s the thing: the core components of doing this well just aren’t that complicated (which is not to say they’re easy). The basics are:
Ensuring processes for performance management, pay, and promotions are structured and transparent
Measuring the experience of employees regularly, including examining the experience between different groups
Identifying the groups facing the greatest barriers to an excellent, engaging experience
Deploying broad-based policies, programs, and processes that address these barriers in ways that benefit all
For example, if data shows that caregivers might be struggling with balancing their many responsibilities, it might suggest codifying flexible ways of working, which provides all employees with the autonomy and empowerment to achieve their goals. Requiring that employees be addressed in the way that they deem appropriate is not just of benefit to transgender employees – it ensures that everyone is treated with respect and able to focus on their work. Providing and broadly communicating an accommodations & adjustments process provides specific support to disabled employees, and underlines the norm that everyone should ask for what they need to be successful.
Where to develop a new approach
Navigating this moment will require all of us to take a more mature risk management approach to how they ensure every employee is able to perform their best. The most effective programs will not look at “DEI” as a single risk, but rather look at each of the practices within their portfolio and make individual risk assessments to determine what to continue investing in and what to adjust.
Expert Kenji Yoshino of NYU Law draws the distinction between leveling and lifting programs, which aim to create a level playing field for all versus providing support to specific groups. Leveling programs like pay equity audits are not only likely to be low risk, they may even be necessary to comply with anti-discrimination laws. Lifting programs, like specialized leadership development programs, employing specific hiring or promotional targets, or tying compensation to outcomes may have previously been considered best practices but may present greater risks for some organizations in the current or future environment. New guidance from the EEOC has made this distinction quite clear.
In an era of intense headwinds for the project of building workplaces that work for everyone, leaders everywhere, now more than ever, will need to tap into their courage and strategic thinking to push forward. But the new ways that will be required aren’t rocket science, and should already be within leaders’ skillsets: use specific, clear language; don’t let the work operate in a silo; and elevate the topic with an enterprise-level approach to risk management. These changes will ensure that every employee, no matter their background, has what they need to ensure their organization thrives.
