How To Talk About DEI At Work In A Polarizing Political Climate

Following the events of the summer of 2020, many companies made bold statements proclaiming their support of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) through actions such as increasing spending with diverse businesses, improving leadership representation or increasing recruitment from diverse groups of talent. Yet, anti-DEI messages and legislation later led many organizations to scale back their public sharing of DEI data in annual reports. DEI goals were common in annual reports until 2023, where references to goals were noticeably removed.

This may make it appear on the surface that companies are divesting from DEI. However, when you look into the data further, investment is consistent or elevated—it’s just that the messaging has shifted. Instead of bold proclamations, donations and flashy programs, organizations are embedding DEI into their cultures and keeping the conversation alive through a steady drumbeat of communications.

Embed DEI Into The Culture

Instead of flashy proclamations, consider embedding DEI into the culture. Embedding DEI into your culture starts with a genuine commitment from leadership, followed by a thorough assessment of your current practices and policies. This involves collecting data, conducting employee surveys and facilitating open discussions to identify areas for improvement. Once you’ve gathered insights, create a clear DEI strategy with measurable goals and action plans. This could include creating diverse hiring practices, inclusive training programs and psychologically safe spaces for dialogue.

Current and future employees and members of the community care about DEI. They want to see companies committed to DEI long-term. They’re not looking for big, bold actions that seem opportunistic and disingenuous. Instead, they’re looking for real signs that the culture is truly inclusive and will stay that way.

Based on my allyship research, inclusive cultures tend to focus on these behaviors:

1. Prioritizing empathy versus sympathy
2. Emphasizing curiosity over judgment
3. Acknowledging privilege versus shaming others
4. Meeting people where they are at versus forcing quotas
5. Valuing the full human contribution, not just performance results

Although it can feel difficult to measure these behaviors, people sense these more intuitively. Lower attrition rates and ability to recruit top talent are signs of an inclusive culture, which have a long-lasting competitive advantage.

Keep a Steady Drumbeat of Communications

Don’t let your DEI efforts fade into the background with the current backlash. Consistent communication is key to fostering an inclusive culture. Share updates on your DEI initiatives, celebrate milestones, highlight employee stories and provide resources for continuous learning. Communication isn’t just about talking; it’s about listening and actively responding to feedback.

By maintaining a steady drumbeat of communication, you reinforce your commitment to DEI and empower your employees to be active participants in the journey. Rather than flashy communications that self-promote an inclusive facade, people really want to see a consistent set of communications. This more often means internal versus external communications. Some examples of internal communications for DEI could be:

1. Newsletters
2. DEI council communications
3. Leadership team spotlights
4. Data and resource sharing in chat channels
5. Programming

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to DEI communication. It starts with determining the audience and objective then mapping content to support that objective. There are likely communications that should be sent company-wide or tailored for specific groups (think middle managers). Ultimately, the more communications that can come from senior leadership, the more its importance is communicated. That could be in the form of all-employee meetings or email communications, short videos or quotes.

In the wake of the 2020 summer events, many companies made bold DEI statements, but have since dialed back on public sharing of their DEI data. Despite this, investment in DEI has remained steady or increased, with companies now focusing on embedding DEI into their cultures and communicating it through consistent, low-key messaging. While it can be difficult to measure the impact of these more subtle efforts, they are more likely to have a long-lasting competitive advantage—and that can be measured.