It's been less than an ideal year for DEI: From household brands like John Deere, Harley Davidson and Ford announcing rollbacks to their
Yet, a majority of employers don't believe that DEI is dead. According to
"Employers are making changes that are required, based on the court rulings that are coming out," says Sarah Reynolds, chief marketing officer at HR platform HiBob. "Smart HR leaders know [DEI] is not an on or off switch. They're looking at the reality of their talent pool."
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Reynolds, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, believes DEI is poised for a major rebrand. They note that while there will be companies that crack under the pressure to get rid of DEI, most employers know they risk losing top talent by alienating diverse candidates. Instead of rolling back programs, many HR and DEI leaders will use language and metrics that center around inclusivity.
"They're saying, 'We want to create an environment where everyone feels safe, recognized and rewarded," says Reynolds. "Where we're complying with federal laws that haven't changed around things like equal pay, equal opportunity and non-discrimination."
Still, employers are nervous about the future of DEI, with 63% of executives saying that the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action has negatively affected their DEI efforts. EBN spoke further with Reynolds to get a better idea of what the future holds for DEI.
How are employers moving forward with DEI, despite today's political landscape?
They're ultimately choosing to call these initiatives by different names. And instead of having a dedicated team in place or a dedicated DEI program, they democratize the work. They say that the responsibility of hiring managers is to look at a diverse talent pools. It's the responsibility of each of our executive teams to make sure that they're prioritizing psychological safety or psychological bravery in the workplace. It's the responsibility of X, Y and Z folks in our organization, across every single walk of life, to make sure that they are living our values out loud — even if those values are not necessarily tied to the letters "DEI."
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What are the consequences of walking from DEI?
Ultimately, the types of [programs] we prioritize, whether or not we call it DEI, will continue to be important to business performance. Personally, I'm non-binary, queer and disabled, and I can tell you that when I look out at employers, and teams that I could possibly work with, I am looking for folks who live their values of DEI whether or not they call it by those names out loud. I want a workplace that's going to respect me, that's going to fairly recognize me and reward me for my contribution, that's going to protect me from harm. I know that organizations that are taking a very public step back from DEI won't be a fit for someone like me who represents a different type of talent in the organization, but who ultimately brings great ideas and great innovation to the table.
You don't want to be at the helm of an organization, realizing the wrong result from a decision that's been made in haste because of the current political climate or perceived social pressure. This will have a big business impact you did not intend to have.
What's your advice to employers who are anxious about the fate of DEI?
Folks should always consult their legal counsel about not just the changes that have happened over the last year or things coming up in the current political arena, but also things that haven't changed: the underlying anti-discrimination laws, the underlying equal pay and equal opportunity laws. You need smart legal counsel to make sure that you are fully up to date on what you can and can't do.
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You still want to hire top talent, and you know that top talent is diverse. You still want to create an environment where people feel safe and included, and they can work together and be more innovative. That means inclusion and a sense of belonging in the workplace, whether you call that work by the name of DEI or not. It's really critical that as a people team and as an executive team, you're creating these spaces within the workplace. Because for top talent like me, who represents these underrepresented groups in your workplace, we're going to vote with our feet at the end of the day.
What's your advice for jobseekers who are navigating today's labor market?
You should always prioritize your physical safety, your emotional safety and your financial well-being. I always tell people that I mentor like you have to make a decision that makes sense for you.
You should be aware of a company's stance on something like DEI and the way that they talk about their values and culture — ultimately, the decisions that they make are going to have an impact on every stage of your employee life cycle. If you can, you want to ask smart questions in the interview process. Ask how companies are prioritizing underlying principles of things like equity and inclusion. Think about sharing a little bit about who you are in the interview process if you feel comfortable doing so and see how people react. If you're talking to a company where. they understand and value a diverse workforce, they will be excited to talk to you.
