As organizations today continue to revisit, evaluate, and, in some cases, reduce diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, many continue to pride themselves on being diverse, equitable, and inclusive employers. Too often, however, as SHRM blogger Matt Gonzales(1) warns, “They place more emphasis on diversity and inclusion than they do on equity,” and equity continues to be a huge problem in the American workplace. Gonzales points to an SHRM study that suggests the root causes of inequity in the workplace — the National Study of Workplace Equity. That study found that discrimination continues to run rampant in the American workplace. Among a representative sample of 1062 U.S organizations, employees at about one-quarter of the companies have experienced gender bias (28%), racial bias (27%), or bias against older workers (26%). Gonzales reports, “About two-thirds of organizations (64%) said DE&I is important or very important, yet nearly the same percentage (62%) indicated that little or no resources have been devoted to DE&I efforts.”
A lack of equity can have far-reaching consequences for healthcare organizations. Productivity and profitability can suffer. Employees may not feel a sense of belonging, or they may feel unsafe. Talent may be underused, unhappy, and, ultimately, leave. Lawsuits may ensue, and other worthwhile employee initiatives may falter or fail. Gallup Senior Editor Ryan Pendell(2) reports that fewer than three in 10 employees (28%) strongly agree that their organization is fair to everyone. That statistic is extremely concerning, because it’s hard to imagine a team being productive or effective when employees consider unfair treatment at work to be commonplace. As Pendell succinctly puts it, “Clearly, most organizations have a long way to go to achieve a fair and equitable workplace where everyone feels like they are treated with respect.”
Equity versus Equality
Equity is fair treatment, access, opportunities, and advancement for each person in an organization. It stems from the organizational value that all employees deserve to have fair and equal opportunities. Therefore, an equitable healthcare organization is one where every job applicant and employee plays on a level playing field. Equitable organizations recognize that not all employees are afforded the same opportunities and are willing to address the imbalance of opportunities available to them.
Equality occurs when every person or group is given the exact same resources or opportunities. An organization may strive for equality in an effort to be more equitable. However, different people and groups have different circumstances, resulting in unequal access to opportunities or resources. BetterUp reporter Madeline Miles(3) explains, “It’s important to recognize that not all employees are starting from the same starting line. When we look at pay parity alone, we can see it in the numbers. With a lens on pay transparency, we see inequity disproportionately impacts women (and especially women of color).” Organizations that wish to build a fair, diverse, and inclusive workplace need to have both equality and equity, Miles says.
Inequity: A Past, Present, and Future Challenge
It’s easy to see some improvements in workplace equity and think that inequity is no longer a problem. However, it continues today. Even who gets to work in an organization right now may be inequitable. Pendell explains, “Long before the selection process begins, discrimination may have occurred, allowing some to achieve merit and others not. So ‘equal access’ does not necessarily mean an equal playing field.”
Workplaces may be inequitable at the individual employee level. Some inequitable behaviors among coworkers are blatant and obvious, such as incivility, slurs, threats, insults, teasing, and exclusion. Most organizations today consider these to be forms of workplace bullying and have strict policies against them. However, it is not clear how many organizations are aware of all of the inequities among their employees or enforce their anti-bullying policies uniformly. The reason may be that some individual inequitable workplace behaviors are very subtle and therefore harder to recognize, and some may be done without intention. These behaviors include assumptions, avoidance, over-questioning, oversupervision, microaggressions, and lack of recognition for certain groups of workers. Miles explains, “We all carry bias that impacts our decisions, mindsets, and behaviors” that can spill into workplace relationships and interactions. Training can help employees and managers to recognize and become more aware of their biases and behaviors so they can improve or take necessary action. So, too, can observation and management, coaching, role modeling, team building, and holding people accountable for their actions (or lack of them).
Equity at the organizational level can be even more challenging and far-reaching than individual behaviors, because it often involves issues related to institutional fairness in pay, opportunities for advancement, and fairness in daily work experiences. For example, an organization may have a diverse workforce overall, but historically disadvantaged groups may struggle to be promoted because of traditional job selection criteria, such as requiring a mentor or sponsor for candidacy. Or an organization may have an inclusive culture, but pay and benefits may favor men over women. Pendell says, “How organizations and their workplace cultures treat childcare, maternity leave, work-from-home flexibility, and family obligations can create an unfair workplace environment.” Office rules or norms may be the same for everyone, but those rules may benefit (or at least not harm) some while harming others. Policies sometimes are very subtly inequitable.
Pay inequity affects how large numbers of workers do their jobs and earn a living. Economic Policy Institute researcher Elise Gould(4) reports that black–white wage inequality has grown, and wage gaps have persisted in recent years, and, in some cases, worsened. Black workers have not been able to educate their way out of the gap, the report finds, as a significant black–white wage gap remains across various levels of education. Gould(5) adds, “Even black workers with an advanced degree experience a significant wage gap compared with their white counterparts. And after controlling for age, gender, education, and region, black workers are paid 14.9% less than white workers.”
Another example of workplace wage inequity concerns gender, which continues to affect career development and promotion opportunities for women. The SHRM study found that women with advanced degrees are paid, on average, less than men with only undergraduate degrees. And, World Economic Forum(6) says, “While women hold 50% of entry-level positions, they still lack access to the C-suite, with only 25% of top positions.” The number of women in STEM jobs has been steadily growing since 2016, but women still make up only 28.2% of that workforce. Women also continue to be underrepresented in all-level C-suite positions, World Economic Forum says.
A report by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law(7) indicated that nearly half of LGBTQ employees have experienced unfair treatment at work. Two-thirds (67.5%) of LGBTQ employees report that they have heard negative comments, slurs, or jokes about LGBTQ people at work. As well, nearly half (48.8%) of transgender employees in the Williams Institute study report experiencing discrimination (being fired or not hired) based on their LGBT status compared with 27.8% of cis-gender LGB employees. As many as one-third (34.2%) of LGBT employees in the study said that they left a job because of how they were treated by their employer based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Finally, Newsweek blogger Karen Johanson(8) shares numerous other examples of wage inequities that continue to persist in the American workplace. These include lower levels of pay for Latinx, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander workers, as well as lower levels of pay for women (especially those with children) and workers with disabilities. To sum it up, Gould(5) says that wage inequity is alive and well and has “been the norm” for the past 40 years.
Pay inequity is not the only problem. Unemployment runs much higher in some groups of workers than others. For example, Gonzales says, unemployment disproportionately affects older workers and people with disabilities who are capable of working. ABC blogger Max Zahn(9) says that the black unemployment rate is consistently higher than that of white workers. Racial differences in the unemployment rate stem in large part from ongoing discrimination that influences choices made by companies about which workers to add or lay off, Zahn says, adding, “Many economists use a shorthand to describe the conditions endured by black workers: first fired, last hired.” And recruitment consultant Natalia Sans(10) suggests that recruitment practices may remain stubbornly inequitable because of preferences during interviews, hiring committees that lack diversity, and insufficient diversity training for interviewers.
The Benefits and Challenges of Equity
Many people care about equity for its own sake, as a matter of social justice. In addition, consider these eight advantages of workplace equity. As you’ll see, workplace equity not only is fair, but also can be what Miles calls a “good thing” for everyone. Equity in the workplace means:
A larger pool of top job applicants. Talent is attracted to equitable workplaces. Consciously Unbiased founder Ashish Kaushel(11) says, “Nearly 80% of workers say that they prefer to work for a company that values diversity, equity and inclusion.”
A widening pool of diverse employees. More diverse applicants can lead to more diverse employees who ultimately become leaders, Miles says. Management consulting company McKinsey & Company(12) reports that nearly 40% of those taking part in their study say that they have “turned down or chosen not to pursue a job because of a perceived lack of inclusion at the organization.”
Better employee retention. Equitable organizations are better able to retain top performers while making sure that diverse talent isn’t lost. Miles reports that employees who feel that they belong in their workplace have 34% more intent to stay than those who don’t. A whopping 167% are more likely to recommend their organization as a place for others to work, Miles adds.
Better insights, innovation, and decision making. McKinsey & Company reports that equity leads to greater diversity, which “brings multiple perspectives to the table during times when enhanced problem-solving skills and vision are needed.” Diverse teams typically are more innovative, creative, and better at anticipating shifts in the marketplace and the organization, McKinsey & Company says.
Better public image. Knowing that you don’t just talk about equity but deliver on it will boost your organization’s reputation. McKinsey & Company suggests that equitable organizations during crises are the ones that are “poised to avoid consequences” such as struggling to attract talent or losing customers and legislative or financial support.
Stronger employee engagement. Employee engagement is strongly linked to a sense of inclusion. McKinsey & Company says, “Those who feel very included are more likely than others to say they feel excited by and committed to their organizations.”
Higher achievement. Employees who work in equitable organizations aspire to shine because they believe that incentives and rewards will be proportional to their efforts. Business consultant Nyasha D. Ziwewe(13) explains, “When employees have a job that equitably rewards merit with incentives, pay, and promotions, the business ends up with the right people in the right positions doing the right things. As a result, equity creates the foundation for a diverse culture of achievement.”
Increased bottom line. An organization is competitive when it has higher morale, achieves more, draws and retains top talent, and enjoys the other benefits of a more diverse workforce. These, in turn, positively affect its bottom line. Specifically, Chron(14) reports, “Diverse teams are 70% better at tapping new markets and 120% more likely to reach key financial targets.”
Despite the advantages described, it is harder than it looks to achieve equity in the workplace. BizFluent blogger Fraser Sherman(15) explains, “Even if your company offers equal opportunities and pay regardless of gender, race or faith, that doesn’t solve all the issues.” Dealing with differences between genders, races, sexual orientations, and other factors takes conscious effort. The work required is one of the cons of tackling equity disparities in the workplace, Sherman says, “but it’s still worth it.”
Furthermore, getting a more diverse staff to overcome stereotypes can take time, training, and work. For example, Sherman suggests that communication may be more challenged when workplaces become more diverse, “even if everyone is speaking English.” Workers from cultures that value deference to management and elders may not speak up without encouragement. Standards of polite behavior may differ significantly among employees. Some may become self-conscious and feel inhibited about what they say or the jokes they tell at work for fear of unintentionally offending someone. Employees from different groups may be tempted to settle in to cliques and avoid other groups. And, if some employees have bigoted attitudes, they may not keep their views in check. Sherman says, “That can create a tense, hostile workplace.” Again, Sherman says, these disadvantages of equity are still worth it.
A more complex hiring process is another potential challenge of workplace equity. On the one hand, making job opportunities available to everyone gives organizations a wider pool of candidates from which to choose, which makes them more able to hire qualified and experienced applicants. On the other hand, Chron(16) suggests, “A wider candidate pool means managers and HR spend more time wrapped up in screening and decision-making.” Training to help them recognize their own preferences will take time and money, too, Chron says.
Moreover, sometimes workplace equity means that employers must make accommodations to the physical space to give everyone a fair chance. Chron(16) says, “This can be expensive, such as if the employer has to purchase a more costly ergonomic desk for someone in a wheelchair.” However, the benefits the accommodated worker provides to the employer “often more than make up for these expenses,” Chron says.
Although equity efforts may seem to be a good investment, leaders often struggle to quantify the ROI for their equity efforts, in both financial terms and social impact. Diversio DEI Expert(17) suggests that data analytics can help by tracking key metrics and outcomes. Having numbers in hand can allow leaders to build “a compelling business case” for workplace equity, demonstrating its value to stakeholders through clear, quantifiable data, Diversio DEI Expert says.
Of course, we cannot talk about the challenges of equity without considering today’s political climate, in which anything having to do with DEI can be a divisive issue. We explore what a leader can do to handle this challenge in the sidebar that accompanies this article.
In the end, is workplace equity worth overcoming these challenges? The sources quoted in this article think so. For example, Kashal warns, “Inequality hurts us all. It hurts us in businesses because organizations that don’t create inclusive cultures for all will have a harder time retaining and attracting talent.” Sherman says, “No two people think alike, and a seriously diverse mix of employees can generate an equally diverse set of strategies, ideas and suggestions. That added creativity is an asset.” And Miles suggests, “While becoming a more equitable workplace will take some hard work the endeavor is worth the effort.” If you agree with them, the next question is, “How do we create equity in the workplace?”
Twelve Ways to Create Equity in the Healthcare Organization
The basic goals of workplace equity are fairness, diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities, transparency, and accountability. Leaders can use the following 12 strategies to achieve those goals.
Connect equity to your organization’s culture and values. Equity is not something you can tack onto your daily business tasks. Pendell says, “It needs to be at the heart of your organization’s identity.” Leaders need to reflect on how achieving greater equity ultimately will unleash the very best version of their organization. Keep in mind that subjectivity and gray areas are part of any human institution. Pendell warns, “Policies may appear fair on paper, but how employees experience them in real life may be different than intended.” Leaders need to investigate their equity policies and employees’ experiences to make sure they understand what’s actually happening.
Conduct an employee equity survey. Do your employees believe that pay and promotion opportunities are equitable in your organization? Do they believe that your recruitment methods are equitable? How about your training opportunities and employees’ daily work experience? Miles says, “Conducting an employee engagement on equity survey will help you determine where you stand.”
Prioritize wage equity. When many people think of workplace equity, they think of pay equity. One of the quickest ways to get the equity ball rolling is to prioritize wage equality. Despite some progress over the last few decades, racial and gender-based pay gaps still persist. Miles suggests, “A good first step to tackling the wage gap is by trying to remove any stigma around discussing salary in the workplace.”
Explore how other problems may be linked to equity. For example, Pendell warns, “Your diversity problem may be an equity problem.” Organizations struggling to retain and promote diverse candidates may need to be more proactive about investing in training, mentoring, or networking connections, and include historically marginalized groups, Pendell says. If organizations want a more diverse executive team, they may need to start leadership development programs earlier. Moreover, your inclusion problem may be an equity problem. Pendell says, “Respect is the foundation of inclusion. If people do not feel respected, they don’t feel like they belong. Equity — fairness — is innately tied to respect.” Unfair pay practices, promotions, or recognition naturally create insiders and outsiders. Pendell warns, “As a result, trying to promote warmth, trust and authenticity in an organization that feels structurally inequitable will inevitably fail — and likely backfire.”
Evaluate whether your hiring criteria are fair. Pendell warns, “Long before the selection process begins, discrimination may have occurred, allowing some [job candidates] to achieve merit and others not. So ‘equal access’ does not necessarily mean an equal playing field.” Pendell suggests that candidate selection sometimes is based on the biases of hiring managers or may result from outdated hiring practices or industry cultures from a decade ago or longer. Consider, for example, whether 10 years of industry experience must be required, whether employee referrals should carry significant weight, or whether having been mentored or sponsored should give a candidate a leg up. If yes, then keep those requirements in place. If not, change them. Be certain to examine and assess any candidacy requirements that may be in place because of bias or inertia.
Promote inclusive leaders. An organization’s leaders have incredible influence over the success of the business. Research tells us that inclusive leaders have better-performing, more highly engaged teams. Miles says, “We’ve found that employees [led by inclusive leaders] are 50% more productive, 90% more innovative, and 150% more engaged.” Inclusive leadership also results in 54% lower employee turnover, Miles says.
Broaden your recruitment efforts. One of the easiest ways to change your workforce is to broaden your candidate sourcing strategies. Miles says, “Using the same avenues to get new workers repeatedly is a sure way to promote inequity.” Look at your candidate sourcing strategies. Are all or most of your new hires recent graduates of the same colleges or universities? Have they cut their teeth in the same handful of internships at the same dozen or so companies? If so, look for new opportunities to post job openings. Miles suggests, “Once a company recognizes it is tapping the same applicant sources over and over again, it will be easier to branch out and seek new workers through previously ignored connections or avenues.” Kaushal adds, “Leaders can’t look only to the traditional places for talent — you have to get creative and find where the women and people of color are to actively widen your hiring pools . . . if you want to win the talent war, you have to invite the talent.”
Expand your onboarding program. Onboarding can support new employees for their first year or longer to ensure that they are on track to succeed. Providing a mentor during onboarding can be enormously helpful for all new employees, including those from marginalized and unrepresented groups. Ziwewe suggests, “Check-in at regular intervals to see if the assistance is helpful and the mentor-mentee partnership is working well.”
Enforce policies and rules consistently. Inequity occurs in the inconsistent enforcement of an organization’s policies and rules. Chron blogger Mary Dowd(18) warns, “Morale tanks when employees see that certain individuals receive preferential treatment when it comes to requesting time off or receiving undeserved promotions.” Resentment grows too when employees who are related to the boss or who socialize outside work with the boss are allowed to get away with rule violations such as repeatedly arriving late to work or leaving early. BizFluent blogger Andra Picincu(19) adds, “No one wants to deal with a boss who plays favorites. This kind of behavior affects employees’ motivation and engagement, causes resentment, and encourages disrespect.”
Create customized incentives. Not all employees will respond to your incentives in the same way. People prioritize different things and find motivation from different incentives. Therefore, seek ways to reward all of your employees in a way that resonates with them personally. HR writer Brendan McConnell(20) suggests, “That might mean offering a wider set of possible incentives, or even allowing employees to choose their reward for strong performance.”
Make your resources accessible to everyone. Equitable access to resources is critical to level the playing field for all employees. That means ensuring that all employees are able to access the same development materials. McConnell says, “Create processes and central repositories of information that all employees can access as needed. Encourage feedback and suggestions for how to make the resource library better.” Also ensure that all employees have access to your networking and professional development opportunities.
Practice inclusive leadership. Leaders need to create a safe team environment where all employees can speak up, be heard, and feel welcome. Pooja Jain-Link, Julia Taylor Kennedy, and Trudy Bourgeois(21) say, “They should embrace the input of employees whose backgrounds or expertise differ from their own, and foster collaboration among diverse staff, ask questions of all members of the team, facilitate constructive arguments, give actionable feedback, and act upon the advice of diverse employees.” In addition, leaders can make women of color feel valued and included by prizing “authenticity over conformity” and operating from an understanding that a range of presentation and communication styles can succeed in the workplace, Jain-Link, Kennedy, and Bourgeois say. Adrien Gaubert,(22) myGwork founder, who helps employers to hire and showcase their LGBT+ talent, adds that leaders must begin to think of themselves as “genuine allies.” Gaubert says, “Engaging in genuine allyship will . . . show employees that you really do care and are working hard to go beyond performative allyship to level the playing field in your organization. That means ensuring your company does more than promote support with a token social media post or gesture.” Being a genuine ally requires an active and consistent allyship, where leaders work with marginalized groups to create long-lasting change for the better, Gaubert says.
How to Write an Equity Statement
Healthcare organizations can create an equity statement to communicate their commitment to fairness. Ongig,(23) a firm that offers job description software, suggests the following three guidelines for writing the best equity statement, based on their text analyzing software applied to diversity statements used by the most diverse companies (according to their online search):
Keep it short. Ongig says, “The best companies use 20 to 75 words for their main diversity statement.”
Write in a first person/second person (we/you). Use a conversational style that stresses the humanity of your organization.
Use everyday language. Ongig says not to use “mumbo jumbo” words. Similarly, Test Gorilla,(24) a firm that offers a pre-employment test platform, warns, “Don’t use overly legal language. Unfortunately, this is the approach many companies take.” Test Gorilla recommends additionally that equity statements use positive words such as inclusive, grow, freedom, better, improve, welcome, and authentic.
Workshop blogger Jamie Bell(25) suggests the following hypothetical example of an equity statement for a healthcare organization. Notice how Bell’s example applies both to patients and employees:
At [name of healthcare organization], we understand that health is a fundamental right, and access to healthcare should be equitable for all. We’re dedicated to providing healthcare services that address the unique needs of every individual, regardless of their background, race, or socioeconomic status. Our commitment to diversity and equity extends to our workforce, where we strive to create an inclusive environment that reflects the diverse communities we serve. With empathy and care, we’re breaking down barriers to ensure healthier lives for all.
In addition, here are some inspiring examples of equity statements in use by corporations today:
HCA Healthcare is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to high-quality care for our patients, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace for our colleagues, and cultivating and sustaining relationships with suppliers and community partners that broaden our reach and deepen our understanding in the communities we serve. – HCA Healthcare(26)
At Adobe, we hold the belief that fostering an environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities, of various races/ethnicities, sexes, and more, feel respected and included, can enhance creativity, innovation, and overall success. Recognizing there is still progress to be made in advancing diversity and inclusion, we are committed to investing efforts to propel our company and industry forward. – Adobe(27)
At Spotify, we welcome you with an inclusion mindset, one that prioritizes growth through listening and learning. No matter where you come from, or what’s playing in your headphones, we want to create a place where you belong. – Spotify(28)
At Sony Interactive Entertainment, we want to bring out the best in our global team members by creating a sense of belonging, being a place where they can grow, and ensuring everyone feels valued, heard, and supported so we can push the boundaries of play. – Sony Interactive Entertainment(29)
We actively seek diversity, boldly pursue equity, and consciously promote inclusion to create a sense of belonging for all people. – Delta Air Lines(30)
We’re continuing to create a culture of inclusion, increasing representation across teams, and holding ourselves accountable at every level. Because belonging takes all of us. – Apple(31)
At Deloitte, diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to our values. From the moment our people walk in the door through each development opportunity, they are empowered to show up authentically, grow to their full potential, and live purposeful lives. – Deloitte(32)
Netflix’s greatest impact is in storytelling. Stories like The Harder They Fall, Never Have I Ever, Love on the Spectrum, Yasuke, and Squid Game broaden representation, empathy, and understanding. We create and connect these stories to people all around the globe — removing the barriers of language, device, ability, or connectivity. Better representation on-screen starts with representation in the office. Our work has to be internal first, so it can impact what we do externally. We believe we’ll do that better if our employees come from different backgrounds, and if we create an environment of inclusion and belonging for them. – Netflix(33)
We believe that anyone can change the world. At HPE, we know that our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team. So, for us, diversity, equity and inclusion is ingrained in who we are today because we know it’s what will get us to tomorrow. But our work is far from over. In fact, we continuously push for better. – HPE(34)
We believe creating an inclusive culture is key to success. No matter where you come from, what you look like, or how you live your life, our platform is for everyone — just like our workplace. We created RISE (Representation, Inclusion, Social Impact, and Equity) to empower Gusties to celebrate differences and work toward positive change. One of the many ways we foster a diverse, inclusive workspace is through employee-led affinity groups. Open to all Gusties, they’re a great way to connect with like-minded people. – Gusto(35)
For more than two and a half decades, diversity, equity and inclusion have been at the core of Compass Group’s success — who we are, what we do, and how we do it. Our people are our purpose and DEI is our promise. Our associates are the core ingredient in our family of award-winning businesses in the foodservice, hospitality, and support services industry, and they are empowered to demonstrate their skills and abilities so they can live out their dreams. At Compass Group and across our family of businesses, we are driven to build a culture of belonging. No matter where you are on your journey, you can have access to growth opportunities and a career for life. – Compass(36)
Writing a strong equity statement can be very helpful, as is publishing it on external channels such as your website and job postings, and internal channels such as your employee newsletter and training courses. However, Bell warns, “It’s important to note, too — you can’t just publish the statement and pat yourself on the back.” Equity statements must summarize the values that your daily actions represent. Otherwise, they may end up doing more harm than good by upsetting employees who believe you do not live up to what you say, and attracting recruits with promises you can’t keep. Make sure that every word in your equity statement speaks the truth, Bell says.
Sidebar. Equity, DEI Initiatives, and Divisiveness: What’s a Leader to Do?
Equity and other DEI initiatives have become a divisive issue today. The Hollywood Reporter senior writer Gary Baum(37) explains, “Conservative activists are taking aim at race-based grants and programs designed to help members of marginalized communities . . . The DEI dominoes started falling — or at least wobbling — last summer [2023].” Baum says that there has been a “mass exodus” of diversity officers in many organizations while conservative activists launched a barrage of anti-DEI lawsuits, leaving organizations “in the crosshairs.” Many critics say that DEI programs are discriminatory and attempt to solve racial discrimination by disadvantaging other groups, particularly white Americans. CNN journalist Niquel Terry Ellis(38) calls DEI a “political lightening rod” for lawmakers, corporate leaders, and conservative activists who have sought to cast DEI initiatives as unfair and even racist.
Supporters of DEI and industry experts maintain that efforts to make organizations more diverse, equitable, and inclusive are a decades-old practice that has been politicized and is widely misunderstood. For example, Wharton Business Journal writer Angie Basiouny(39) says, “Experts say DEI is being attacked by critics who don’t want to face the real problem — inequality.” Basiouny interviewed Wharton management professor Stephanie Creary,(40) who has expertise in identity, diversity, inclusion, and workplace relationships. She quotes Creary as saying, “DEI isn’t the problem. Inequality is the problem . . . The attacks on DEI are a defensive response because people don’t want to handle the broader issues of inequality. It’s easy to make DEI the scapegoat.” New York Times opinion columnist David French(41) says, “There are few national conversations more frustrating than the fight over DEI . . . the term — like the related progressive concepts of wokeness and critical race theory — used to have an agreed-upon meaning but has now been essentially redefined on the populist right. In that world, DEI has become yet another catchall boogeyman, a stand-in for actual policies and practices designed to increase diversity, as well as a scapegoat for unrelated crises.”
Outside the extremes, there is a cohort of Americans on both right and left whose feelings about DEI efforts are somewhere more toward the middle. Many want to eradicate illegal discrimination and remedy the effects of centuries of American injustice. However, they also have grave concerns about the way in which some DEI efforts may be undermining American constitutional values. French says this is especially the case on college campuses. French says, “To put it simply, the problem with DEI isn’t with diversity, equity or inclusion — all vital values. The danger posed by DEI resides primarily not in these virtuous ends but in the unconstitutional means chosen to advance them.”
These concerns and the divisiveness that has occurred in the wake of DEI initiatives have left many leaders in a quandary about what to do. BBC features correspondent Tatania Walk-Morris(42) says that many are “walking on eggshells” as the environment remains hostile. Many may not discuss DEI work openly and may prefer to be quieter about financial commitments to DEI work. Or they may drop the terminology altogether. However, Walk-Morris says, “Ultimately, experts are confident efforts will keep going – even if they’re labeled something else, or nothing at all. After all, powerful voices may be loud – but bottom lines speak volumes.” Harvard Business Review blogger Lily Zheing(43) suggests that to avoid DEI backlash, leaders need to focus on changing systems — not people. Zheing says, “The enemy of well-intentioned DEI initiatives is backlash — and not just from people from privileged groups. Backlash from all directions is often due to DEI initiatives being framed as solutions to individual problems to be fixed rather than to correct for systemic issues at play in an organization.” To reframe the conversation, Zheing recommends that leaders take five steps to implement their DEI strategy:
Collect data to diagnose specific inequities in your organization.
Communicate about initiatives using a systems-focused frame.
Appeal to “fairness” as you begin your change-making efforts.
Clearly lay out expectations for change alongside resources and support.
Sustain momentum by affirming effort and celebrating wins.
Research scientist Lauren Park and writer Lin Grensing-Pophal(44) suggest that leaders can reduce friction and increase DEI program effectiveness by taking the following five steps:
Take ownership. Organizations need to have unwavering support for DEI from their leaders. Yet, Park and Grensing-Pophal say, key organizational players often are not providing adequate support. One way an organization can generate greater leadership commitment is to put those DEI goals into the performance plans of leaders and managers, Park and Grensing-Pophal suggest.
Communicate the why. Stress that striving for an equitable organization is not just about the optics. Stakeholders need to believe and understand that diversity, equity, and inclusion are beneficial for the organization.
Represent everyone in diversity and inclusion. Sometimes backlash occurs when employees feel that their interests or concerns are not being addressed or that their viewpoints are not being included. DEI efforts should address all employees’ concerns and offer opportunities for input. Park and Grensing-Pophal warn, “Experts agree that it’s vital for DEI work to be inclusive of everyone. Sounds like a reflexive truth, given the DEI name itself, but the programs aren’t always positioned that way.”
Help detractors gain new perspectives. Our perspective includes our awareness of others who are not like us and their lived experiences. Park and Grensing-Pophal say that we don’t know what we don’t know, and that, “If we don’t interact with these individuals and really listen, if we don’t take responsibility to learn, then we will be unable to gain new perspectives.”
Focus on the positive role leaders can play. Too often, DEI efforts focus on what managers and employees shouldn’t do — how they need to stop taking certain actions or exhibiting certain behaviors to build a more supportive climate for marginalized employees. Park and Grensing-Pophal say, “According to psychological research and theory, people can feel more motivated when goals are framed as promoting something good rather than preventing something bad. For DEI initiatives, that means employees are likely to feel less defensive and more engaged when DEI initiatives are framed not as “don’t be racist” or “don’t discriminate” but rather “be fair” or “be an ally.”
Armed with these five strategies, companies can make faster progress and “better unify their workforces,” Park and Grensing-Pophal say.
Leaders also can prevent DEI backlash by avoiding trigger language. Words such as woke, privilege, diversity audit, bigotry, intolerance, racism, DEI, and even equity can trigger negative emotions, especially when speaking of individuals. Leaders can use less-triggering language — for example, fair, fair play, impartial, even-handed, level playing field, balanced, just, and justice.
Finally, leaders can recognize and acknowledge “DEI fatigue.” Forbes blogger Teresa Hopke(45) says, “DEI fatigue is a real thing . . . especially since DEI work can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. That doesn’t mean a person does not care about DEI. Definitely not.” Considering this, Hopke suggests that it would be helpful for leaders to empathize with those who express DEI fatigue and encourage open dialogue, “rather than passing judgment.”
References
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