DEIB Is not a four letter word

In the last few years DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) initiatives have come under fire. A consortium of culture warriors, reactionaries, and worse have worked diligently to paint corporate DEIB policies as the latest failure of the so-called “woke agenda.” They have spun tall tales about plummeting productivity, in a relentless effort to dissuade business leaders and hiring managers from using DEIB policies. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, there are good, honest people who are starting to listen. That’s why today we’re going to dispel some common myths and misconceptions, look at actual evidence-based research, and show once and for all that, despite the insistence of the worst rhetoric, DEIB isn’t a four-letter word.

Didn’t earn it

When Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive presidential nominee, Tennessee congressman Tim Burchett took to social media and called her a “DEI Vice President.” The wholly unsubtle implication was that the Vice President got her job not because she was qualified (she was) but because she was a woman of color. This slight was nothing new, just another example of the -disturbing trend in reactionary circles of labeling any successful person who didn’t happen to be a straight white cisgendered man as a “DEI hire.”Now at this point we could hem and haw and equivocate but let’s be real: these attacks are thinly veiled examples of public racism and sexism. They’re a way to say a favorite slur without having to suffer the consequences of actually saying the slur. But they also serve a more pernicious or slowly toxic purpose. Publicly dismissing successful people from marginalized backgrounds is a way to stir up controversy. Because whether you bring up these slanders because you agree with them or you find them reprehensible, you’re also unwittingly amplifying the single greatest myth about DEIB initiatives: that they favor demographics over qualifications.The myth of the diversity hireProminent critics of DEIB practices would like you to believe that right now, all across America, scores of highly qualified white men are being passed over for new jobs and promotions in favor of unqualified people of color, queer folk, and women. They would like you to believe that, in their zeal to rectify systemic injustice, well-meaning HR professionals and corporate leaders have created a system that creates more discrimination than it reduces.The people perpetuating this myth are not doing so in some altruistic attempt to raise awareness for a new injustice, they’re doing so because it suits a social and political agenda that isn’t in the interest of everyday employees. It’s a simple answer to a complicated problem, a way to turn people against each other instead of addressing the real problems with our economy.Simply put, life is hard these days. Actual wages have failed to keep up with inflation and cost of living increases for the last 50 years, the same salaries that allowed previous generations to save for retirement and build generational wealth are now barely enough to cover basic expenses. For a lot of people struggling right now, it can be easy, comforting even, to believe that our current financial hardships are the result of some misguided management programs. That corporate America has sacrificed success and profitability on the altar of “wokeness.”But it’s just not true, there’s no reality in which hiring managers are setting aside job requirements in order to fill a quota. It doesn’t track from a legal sense, as hiring quotas based on gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation has been illegal in the US since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It doesn’t track from a business sense, because what possible incentive would any modern business have to willingly and gleefully lower productivity?This myth also doesn’t hold up to the scrutiny of readily available data about labor and hiring practices, either. If we’re to believe white men are being passed over in droves one would expect that unemployment rates for white people would be higher than or equal to unemployment rates of other government-defined racial groups, however, white unemployment remains nearly 2% lower than black and Hispanic unemployment rates. Across the board, despite DEIB initiatives, the corporate world still has a wide representation gap. In a 2023 breakdown of hiring reports, analysts found that only 12 of the Fortune 500 companies reported having an over 50% POC hiring rate. At the leadership level, the numbers are even more stark: only eight of the Fortune 500 companies have a black CEO, and only 22 have a woman CEO.

DEIB is good for society & business

DEIB initiatives are a crucial part of correcting the systemic inequities of yesterday while creating a corporate landscape that reflects the world we live in today. At the core, DEIB is about ensuring that every person, regardless of background or circumstance, is afforded opportunity and that people from all walks of life can feel safe, seen, and successful in their workplace. DEIB programs are designed with the intention of making the workplace better for everyone, not just people from marginalized backgrounds and communities. The data bears this out: according to the Pew Research Center, over 72% of employees feel that DEIB initiatives have improved their workplace.But prioritizing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging isn’t just an idealistic or societal endeavor– it’s a strategic one that benefits businesses and their employees alike. Simply put: our backgrounds and experiences shape the way we solve problems, so it’s only natural to expect that employing people from different backgrounds will yield more effective teams. The data backs this up: studies have shown that diverse teams foster greater innovation, creativity, and problem solving skills.DEIB initiatives also contribute to increased employee engagement, with one study showing that companies that promote DEIB are 2.6 times more likely to increase employee retention. When individuals feel valued and included, they’re going to be more motivated to do a good job. A 2020 study by McKinsey shows that companies in the top percentile of workplace diversity are 36% more likely to have higher than average profitability. Whatever your justification, DEIB isn’t simply a “nice to have,” it’s a must for businesses that hope to thrive and outpace their competitors.DEIB isn’t something any business leader should be afraid of. DEIB reinforces a fairer and more productive workplace that increases employees’ chances to succeed while increasing shareholder’s chances to profit. There are no losers under a DEIB framework because ultimately everyone wants to succeed. Everyone wants to be able to show up to work and do the best job possible, everyone wants to make life a little bit easier for themselves and for the people around them. When employees succeed, so too do the businesses that employ them. DEIB programs certainly aren’t perfect, but they’re a positive step that can help everyone reach their full potential.