How To Respond to Pushback Against DEI
Diversity, equity, and inclusion play a huge role in shaping the overall culture of a company and the employee experience.
Organizations across all industries of all sizes can reap the benefits of DEI, and more and more companies recognize the need to amplify DEI not only for business results but also to build a healthier, fairer, and more welcoming culture for employees.
Despite this, there are still organizations that are reluctant to prioritize a more DEI-centric workplace culture. Why? Most either fear change or don't clearly understand what DEI is about.
Reasons for Resistance:
Lack of experience with diversity: People tend to build and maintain relationships with people who look like them and have similar backgrounds, and this can and does have consequences in the workplace, including creating spaces where everyone looks, thinks, and acts alike. In this kind of environment, DEI can feel threatening and uncomfortable.
Fear of being villainized: Many people, especially those from dominant social groups, have a positive self-perception, identify as anti-racist, and believe that they do not act based on biases or prejudice. In this light, DEI efforts can seem unnecessary or as punishment, and individuals from dominant social groups can feel they are being made the villain just for who they are.
“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it”/“Don’t rock the boat”: Just because an organization’s culture might not look broken from the top doesn't mean there aren't cracks in the foundation, and those need exploration and repair. Concerns about rocking the boat tend to prioritize the feelings of those who are most comfortable right now, typically employees from dominant social groups.
How to Encourage and Role Model DEI Advocacy:
Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone. Make the time to listen to, empathize with, and support diverse employees. Proactively seek out where the organization is strong and where it has opportunities to grow, and take decisive action to build a stronger business.
Reflect on your own assumptions. Leaders should be self-critical, and unafraid to challenge their own thinking and perspectives in order to see things from a different perspective.
Learn what it means to be an ally. Engage colleagues from different backgrounds in conversation and ask how to best support them. Read DEI-focused books and newsletters and share learnings with teammates. Speak up when something does not seem right and when you notice bias, prejudice, and inequity.
Beware DEI being painted as radical, political, or controversial. At its core, DEI is about integrating the principles of respect and support into how we all work together - which is good for every business, and hardly a controversial concept.
Need help determining how to achieve high-impact, measurable results with your DEI work? Contact us here.
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