D.E.I.: A New American Slur
It would be hard to miss the latest scapegoat in the news right now - big, bad D.E.I. (or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).
A tragic air collision in Washington D.C. or the devastating fires here in my hometown, the firing of the Commandant Admiral of the Coast Guard within the first 24 hours of Trump’s second term, or the companies who have been influenced by the rhetoric of this administration and have cut or diluted their programs - D.E.I. is suddenly and decisively under attack.
It is obvious to me and many others that there are some people who really don’t know what D.E.I. is (or do and are purposefully misusing the term), how meritocracy ironically fits into the conversation as a case for D.E.I., and what D.E.I. programs’ ACTUAL problems are.
Widely, there are people out there that think D.E.I. doesn’t impact them at all - but they’re wrong, no matter how they see themselves.
I am not a D.E.I. expert, but I actively supported and led D.E.I. initiatives throughout my career. My stake in the game was simply that I was a witness to the inequities in pay, hiring and promotion and found it endlessly frustrating, and a conscientious leader who believed that everyone deserved a fair shot, fair pay and a safe environment in which to work.
WHY DOES D.E.I. EXIST?
D.E.I. is, in part, an accountable response to a system that continues to disenfranchise minority groups, and unfairly (and stupidly) relegates non-traditional career paths and life experiences that bring more texture and perspective into workplaces, which should be representative of their total population and the customer base that they serve - because this focus creates engaging culture and market value.
Yes, this includes gender and race, but also active and retired military, people with physical disabilities, neurodivergent people, people that have taken big breaks in their careers (like moms!), those who have equivalent experience and skills, but did not attend college, seniors, etc. These are qualified people who are often overlooked and misjudged as part of the traditional screening and hiring process. D.E.I. initiatives work to reprogram how companies look at and gauge talent by widening the aperture of their lens and looking at candidates more comprehensively. It also means analyzing the current workforce for underrepresented groups in order to develop initiatives that address concerning gaps. To willfully assume that the gaps exist because someone’s gender, race or economic status is inherently inferior is disgusting.
I was once asked by a senior leader why there weren’t more smart, capable, high-performing women like me at the VP level. My answer was, “Interview more women. You’ll hire more women. We’re everywhere.”
WHAT DOES D.E.I. ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE?
What companies do with D.E.I. is ultimately up to them and it is definitely not one-size-fits-all. D.E.I. programs are crafted based on both the problems and aspirations of each business in terms of culture.
Some examples of program tactics include:
E.R.G.s or B.R.G.s (Employee or Business Resource Groups): Voluntary, employee-led communities for employees with shared identities and their allies to connect, celebrate and advocate for issues, such as women’s networks, veteran’s networks, BIPOC groups and the like. These groups boost culture and strengthen employee well-being which ultimately leads to greater employee retention.
Leadership Development: Training on unconscious bias, microaggressions and inclusive behaviors
Mentorship
Pay Equity Analysis
Policy reviews
Accessible spaces
Diverse hiring practices: Like Blind Hiring and inclusive job descriptions
Mechanisms of feedback: Like employee surveys, town halls, anonymous hotlines, etc.
But, D.E.I programs are not perfect.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WITH D.E.I.?
A big one is a lack of awareness of why D.E.I. programs are needed. Companies need to be more forthcoming with data to help leaders understand what the problems are and be more transparent with their employee population to drive accountability. Doing so will also help temper the implications that D.E.I. is a type of reverse discrimination (it’s not), and have hard conversations where they need to be had.
D.E.I. programs also suffer from weak strategies that lack the right kinds of tactics for meaningful improvement. Some programs feel token-esque, lacking assertive actions and follow-through. For example, it is not enough to help a leader understand what their unconscious biases are. What can they do to counter them?
Finally, many programs don’t have adequate budgets, strong C-level backing and have become mired in bureaucratic red tape. But this is no reason to throw it all out.
WHY IS D.E.I. REALLY UNDER ATTACK?
This recent and biting response to D.E.I. that we’re seeing at the Presidential podium and elsewhere is both deflection and good old fashioned defensiveness - in which a reaction to an offense is treated as an offense itself without taking into account the context of the problem. The truth is that there ARE qualified people that meet the standards for positions and pay that are left out because of unconscious (or conscious) biases AND there are people who don’t meet the standards for positions and pay that are brought in because of unconscious (or conscious biases) - in both people and systems - and that when we all become aware of these biases and address them, we ultimately HIRE and PAY ON MERIT. To pretend that the originating problem doesn’t exist is wrong.
It means diversity, yes - but why is this so threatening? Is the fear that a system-advantaged person is not hired when there is another candidate who is more qualified for the job? Isn’t that meritocracy?
How much of this rejection of social progress is just another cash grab or deregulation tactic - or is it something uglier? Like the terrorizing of groups of people who are being weaponized to create fear and animosity about economic and social conditions that have nothing to do with them. Is D.E.I. just the latest word being used in place of slurs that can’t be said on television?
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
Do your research.
If you work for or are interviewing with a company that still has a D.E.I. program, or has even come out publicly and said that they will continue to invest in D.E.I., work to understand what the priorities and tactics are, and indicate you would like to participate. If you are in a leadership position, you may be able to influence the direction and accelerate efforts to deliver on the mission. Bottom line, make sure your company knows that D.E.I. practices are important to you.
If you work for or are interviewing with a company that does not have a dedicated D.E.I. program, relax! There may be initiatives that already exist as part of Human Resources strategies and it’s worth asking. You can download our free tool with suggestions for these types of interview questions here.
If you work for or are interviewing with a company that has recently pulled or cut their program, be curious. Ask about any recent changes to D.E.I. initiatives and be vocal about your concerns.
What really matters is that your organization AT MINIMUM has a commitment, with relative tactics, to cast a wide net during the hiring process, asks questions of hiring managers to expose biases during candidate selection for new positions, back-fills and promotions, ensures a safe environment for at-risk groups and commits to pay equity. Imperfect efforts are still efforts and we should not stop them altogether, but make them better, and more simple to execute.
And finally, despite the latest company memo, watch for red flags like increasing microaggressions, decreasing communication, ultimatums (like return to office), surprising performance reviews, and gaslighting - and if you need to get out, start formulating your exit strategy and know that there ARE companies out there that do see you and appreciate what you bring to the table.
And if you need our help, we’re here.
