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Tag: DEI

  • Does Mandatory Diversity Training Work? A DEI Expert Reveals The Pros and Cons. | Entrepreneur

    Does Mandatory Diversity Training Work? A DEI Expert Reveals The Pros and Cons. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practitioner, I enjoy hosting and attending DEI trainings — or, as I like to call them, experiences — as much as the next person. Whether they touch on gender or racial equity or strategize on skills to build inclusion and belonging, there’s something energizing about being a part of such pivotal conversations.

    However, not everyone walks into DEI experiences as energized as I do. Some don’t know why an experience is mandatory, or they wish that it wasn’t. Perhaps they feel that because of their identity, they may be judged or attacked. Or they’re so triggered by the topics covered in the experience, that they wish they didn’t have to engage at all.

    Related: Your Employees Are Probably Feeling Triggered at Work

    While these are normal reactions to DEI experiences, I think it’s worth exploring some good reasons to make them mandatory and other reasons why it may not be such a great idea.

    Pro: When people know better, they do better

    One major benefit of mandatory DEI experiences is the informational aspect of them. Not everybody is well-versed in DEI, how to cultivate belonging and inclusion, or specific ways to show up as an ally for others. Until they know how to practice DEI principles, they may not know how to do better.

    However difficult the topics may be, giving everyone the foundational principles of DEI can help some people understand them, use them, and think critically about how to show up better in the workplace and beyond.

    Pro: DEI experiences are good for compliance

    For leaders who are constantly weighing how to cultivate safety and belonging in a diverse workforce, mandatory DEI experiences can set the stage for how we should treat each other in the workplace.

    For example, suppose your workplace has DEI protocols on how to be kind and respectful to LGBTQIA+ employees. In that case, all employees should have a baseline understanding of gender pronouns and basic interaction principles. An issue where an employee has crossed a line is much easier to identify and remedy when a DEI experience is mandatory, and the knowledge is shared with all parties. However, always keep in mind that compliance shouldn’t be the only reason for hosting a DEI experience but rather a good reason, among others.

    Related: Here’s What Your Diversity Training Might Be Missing

    Pro: DEI experiences set the foundation for a more diverse workforce and clientele

    If you know you’ll be growing your workforce or attracting more diverse clients in the future, set your business up for success by having a mandatory DEI experience on the docket.

    For example, suppose you know your business will begin to work with a more international clientele. In that case, it’s a good idea to train your employees to become more knowledgeable and competent in that particular culture. Preparing your workforce to interact with more diverse clients, fellow employees, and stakeholders can help create more fruitful and seamless interactions in the future.

    Con: People can feel forced to “think” a certain way

    Some people hesitate to engage in DEI experiences because they may view it as indoctrination. People come from different backgrounds, so requesting someone use a specific term or be mindful of behavior when engaging with certain groups can feel uncomfortable or forced for some people.

    DEI experiences shouldn’t make everyone think the same way or make someone feel ashamed of who they are or where they come from. The goal is to build a behavioral foundation where people from different backgrounds can coexist and respect one another under certain principles and best practices. There’s a good kind of discomfort that helps participants grow in certain situations, however, if a DEI experience begins to feel too confronting for certain groups, reconsider the agenda of that experience and try again with a new strategy or DEI practitioner.

    Related: From Faith to Politics: How to Navigate Difficult Conversations in the Workplace

    Con: Not all DEI practitioners operate the same

    While one group may love a certain DEI practitioner, another group may be completely turned off. If you make a DEI experience mandatory and the employees don’t enjoy it, it could have adverse ripple effects.

    Keep in mind that mandatory experiences with a practitioner that the group didn’t enjoy aren’t always the best way to get the message across. Delivery and style make a difference, so before choosing a DEI practitioner, be sure to do your research on their background and style so you can decide who would be best for the employees in your company. But be wary of asking practitioners to dilute content to avoid the good kind of discomfort we discussed earlier. Sometimes, what’s uncomfortable to hear is the best message a practitioner can deliver.

    Con: DEI experiences aren’t everyone’s preferred way to learn

    While some people enjoy in-person experiences, others prefer to read or watch videos instead. Consider offering mandatory DEI experiences to those who enjoy in-person sessions, but leave room for those who prefer a different method to opt out in exchange for reading some material, taking a quiz or watching a film.

    As long as people are engaging with the work in their own way and absorbing critical information about what’s expected of them, it’s fine. The goal is to make sure best practices for building inclusion, belonging, and respect across differences are available to employees in whatever way they prefer.

    Final thoughts

    When it comes to DEI, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. While mandatory experiences can bring people together and help them think through strategies for building community and cultivating respect across differences, others may not choose to spend their time that way or prefer to engage with the topic in another way. There’s nothing wrong with having multiple avenues for presenting DEI information — in fact, I recommend it. What’s most important is that people engage with the information and make a good-faith effort to show up kinder, more inclusive, and more respectful in the workplace and beyond.

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    Nika White

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  • How to Build More Informed and Inclusive DEI Marketing Strategies | Entrepreneur

    How to Build More Informed and Inclusive DEI Marketing Strategies | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) have moved beyond trendy terms to become vital pillars of modern-day business models and marketing strategies that can truly move the needle. Many companies have recognized its importance, with 80% of United States employers having DEI strategies underway.

    Yet, there’s room to strengthen the impact of these initiatives. One way to do this is by understanding that while individual diversity is invaluable, it doesn’t automatically confer specialized expertise in DEI. Recognizing this difference creates an opportunity for companies to refine their DEI marketing strategies to be more inclusive and informed, laying the groundwork for impactful campaigns in the future.

    Related: 10 Ideas to Drive Your DEI Initiatives in 2023

    Why DEI matters in today’s business environment

    Companies have started recognizing that diverse perspectives can drive innovation, open new markets and positively affect the bottom line. According to a McKinsey report, the most diverse companies are more likely than ever to outperform less diverse peers on profitability. In fact, top-quartile companies in ethnic and cultural diversity outperformed those in the fourth quartile by 36% in profitability.

    The complex web of DEI marketing

    DEI marketing is more complex than adding diverse faces in promotional materials or releasing statements during heritage months. This specialized field has multiple dimensions that range from understanding legalities to deep-diving into societal norms, biases and stereotypes. A PwC report revealed that 85% of companies consider DEI a strategic priority, highlighting the increasing need for true expertise.

    Lived experience is not equal to professional expertise

    Diverse employees often bring invaluable lived experiences and perspectives that can enrich any conversation around DEI. However, this lived experience should be separate from professional expertise. The skills required for effective DEI marketing span market research, analytics, branding strategy and a nuanced understanding of legalities around diversity and representation. Professional certifications such as Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) or Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) exist to cultivate this specialized skill set.

    Tokenism: The shortcut that falls short

    The assumption that every diverse employee is a walking DEI manual leads to tokenism, a cosmetic approach to diversity that does more harm than good. Not only is this ethically problematic, but it also can hinder business performance. According to an analysis of over 80 studies spanning 25 years published in the Academy of Management Perspectives, tokenism can have a negative impact on individual and business performance.

    Related: How to Make Your Content Marketing Inclusive

    The indispensability of professional training

    There are multiple avenues for acquiring DEI expertise. Various professional organizations offer specialized certifications, such as the Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) and Certified Diversity Executive (CDE). These credentials signify a comprehensive understanding of DEI principles, from legal considerations to market analytics. The Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks (GDIB) is another widely recognized standard that offers a framework for organizations to measure and improve their DEI initiatives.

    Alongside these options, accredited universities have joined the fold by providing specialized diversity, equity and inclusion certification programs. These certifications and academic courses provide a strong foundation for marketers specializing in this important area. Professional qualifications in DEI are not ornamental; they are instrumental. Individuals with these credentials are trained to handle sensitive topics carefully from rigorous study, not just personal experience.

    Shared responsibilities and inclusive allyship

    In an increasingly socially conscious marketplace, the spotlight is on brands to articulate and enact values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in their marketing endeavors. According to Sprout Social, most consumers (70%) believe it’s important for brands to take a public stand on social and political issues. True DEI marketing is a shared responsibility, calling for an inclusive form of allyship that involves everyone, irrespective of their background.

    While those with lived experiences can bring critical cultural insights into marketing strategies, such perspectives should be complemented with formalized DEI marketing expertise. Doing so safeguards the brand against legal complications and optimizes financial performance by ensuring that campaigns are both socially responsible and legally compliant.

    Cultural pitfalls: Stereotyping and appropriation

    With inadequate expertise, even well-intentioned DEI marketing can go wrong by perpetuating harmful stereotypes or engaging in cultural appropriation. In fact, a YPulse survey shows that 64% of young people agree that cultural appropriation is a problem in the U.S., and recognizing the cultural roots of trends is vital for brands. In a landscape with high stakes and expectations, brands must approach DEI marketing with more than good intentions. Truly effective campaigns require a blend of informed expertise and genuine inclusivity, ensuring the brand’s survival and long-term success.

    Related: Why Companies Are Failing in Their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts

    Economic implications of getting DEI wrong

    With a buying power of $3.9 trillion among minorities in the United States, the cost of getting DEI marketing wrong isn’t just a loss of ethical brownie points but a missed financial opportunity of massive proportions.

    While lived experiences offer invaluable insights for DEI marketing strategies, relying solely on them as the qualification for being a “DEI marketing expert” is problematic. Though these experiences can provide a unique understanding of the cultural nuances and sensitivities involved, DEI marketing is a multi-layered discipline that encompasses a range of skills, including consumer psychology, legal compliance and data analysis. Professional training and certification in these areas, often available through accredited universities and specialized programs, equip individuals to navigate the complexities of DEI in the marketing landscape.

    While lived experiences are a critical component to consider, they should form just one part of a more comprehensive, evidence-based approach to DEI marketing. Operating otherwise potentially exposes the organization to legal pitfalls and reputational damage. Companies that want to succeed in today’s diverse marketplace need to fill the expertise gap by employing qualified professionals who can develop DEI strategies that are both ethical and effective.

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    Christine Alexis

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  • Companies Are Deprioritizing DEI. Why They Shouldn’t and How to Recommit. | Entrepreneur

    Companies Are Deprioritizing DEI. Why They Shouldn’t and How to Recommit. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Just because the naysayers have been amplified doesn’t mean DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) is dead or should be abandoned. In fact, now is the time to turn up the volume on what’s been going well in our DEI efforts.

    In 2022, 81% of companies polled reported that having DEI initiatives was beneficial to their organizations. The same survey showed 94% of the companies were investing more in mental health resources, 70% were improving equity in parental leave, and 48% had at least one employee resource group (ERG) often centered on racial, ethnic and gender minorities.

    How did all of the progress we made in 2022 become deprioritized in 2023? Shifting public opinion on DEI and a larger discussion on whether DEI is bringing people closer together or further apart. For DEI professionals, executives and everyone in between, consider recommitting to DEI and transforming the narrative from a story of division to a story of inclusion.

    If you or those in your business are losing stamina in your DEI efforts, here’s how to recommit to the work and continue making strides.

    Related: Supreme Court Rules Against Affirmative Action at Harvard and UNC

    Understand that DEI is not a trend

    After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, it seemed like the business world had a fire lit underneath it. The drive and energy to promote DEI at all levels of the organization was a priority that couldn’t wait. Now, the fire has fizzled and the commitment to equity in the workplace seems to have faded into a trend. If business owners have lost the fire for DEI that was ignited within them in 2020, it’s worth exploring why.

    In this work, there is no “season” for equity and inclusion. If we’re truly committed, we don’t fluctuate between wanting to improve diversity and belonging and taking a year off when it no longer feels relevant. Cultivating DEI is a long-game strategy that helps businesses navigate changes in their company culture and employee makeup — whether it’s a good or bad year. It takes consistent action even when no one else is watching.

    Let’s reignite that fire and bring DEI back onto the priority list.

    Dig deep into your DEI ‘why’

    Why did your company start working on DEI in the first place? Was it sparked by an individual or group needing more support or belonging? Were stakeholders interested in the company’s DEI efforts and seeking proof of action? Was the CEO of the company driving the changes in order to cultivate long-lasting diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

    It’s important to be mindful of your company’s original intent and rationale. Take stock of all the progress the company has made so far and where the next steps were heading. Re-engage with those who originally proposed DEI projects and initiatives, and start conversations about how those ideas can be reimagined or reignited.

    Discuss as a company how DEI can be revived in 2023 and beyond to set your company up for success. Don’t let progress sit in a drawer next to last year’s tax filings. Reignite the “why” and recommit to the journey of DEI — for those in the company who need it now and for those who have yet to arrive.

    Related: 4 Ways Inclusive Leaders Can Respond to the Weaponizing of DEI

    Get creative and dream bigger on your DEI initiatives

    While 2020 felt like DEI crisis mode, maybe 2023 and 2024 can inspire DEI initiatives that are forward-thinking and proactive. Innovation and creativity don’t happen in a vacuum. They require leaders and changemakers to listen to their staff and dedicate time to creating solutions.

    How can the to-do list of the past be reimagined for the future?

    What new initiatives can support a more diverse workforce and meet anticipated company needs?

    In economic terms, when there’s a financial downturn or a pressing revenue issue in the company, people roll up their sleeves and figure it out. Even if they have no idea what they’re doing, the commitment to move past barriers and find solutions drives them toward progress.

    Unfortunately, I don’t see the same commitment when it comes to DEI. Whenever there’s a crisis in the company — mass layoffs, financial decline, company culture change — executives and others put their heads down and get to work on solutions. So why not create that same level of urgency with DEI? Now is the time to do so.

    Related: Here’s How to Have the Most Powerful DEI Conversations

    DEI 2.0

    When companies have thrown in the towel and completely given up on their DEI initiatives after public support has softened, how do we reignite the fire to stay committed to DEI?

    Simple: We remember this is a marathon, not a sprint, and we get right back on track.

    We need to cultivate DEI 2.0. Initiatives and strategies that don’t simply react to issues as they occur but are proactively preventing DEI disasters in the future. Let’s think about how we can evolve the current state of the workplace and set the foundation for inclusion, diversity and belonging in the long run.

    For those restarting these conversations, my advice is to not be afraid to go there — to the heart of the DEI fatigue, to the waning of commitment to inclusion, and to the deprioritization of the work.

    Offer your time and energy to come up with creative solutions that will guide your organization into the future. Be the voice of change that those who have let go of DEI need to hear. With renewed focus and commitment, we can continue to advance DEI in the workplace — even when segments of society declare that it’s not a priority.

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    Nika White

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  • Know a DEI Skeptic? Use These 3 Strategies to Engage Them | Entrepreneur

    Know a DEI Skeptic? Use These 3 Strategies to Engage Them | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The good news is that most people believe in the value of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace — yet the minority, although vocal, is roughly 20% of the workforce. For these DEI skeptics, we recommend a three-pronged approach:

    1. First, learn more about their story and what is holding them back.
    2. Ask for their engagement directly.
    3. Offer up a specific way they can show support and hold them accountable.

    Related: Does DEI Training Work? It Depends How Proactive It Is.

    Learn more about their story and what is holding them back

    Overwhelming people with facts and figures is tempting, but often not helpful in changing perspectives. Instead, meet skeptics where they’re at. Give them time to process their fears, concerns and ideas. This can be helpful information for allies that want to better understand the challenges of DEI work. Chances are some other concerns could be valid. As with any line of work, there are always pros and cons and paradoxes that are more often in between.

    We’re all a product of our lived experiences. It’s hard for people to take on a perspective that they themselves don’t share. This is why storytelling is so powerful as allies. Asking questions to learn about people’s upbringing, caregiving roles they experienced at home and exposure to other races and cultures growing up is key. People’s socioeconomic class has a significant tie to our perceptions as adults. For example, many lower-class white people share the belief in the myth of meritocracy — meaning hard work pays off. Yet, when you compare notes with people of color, they are unique challenges they often face due to the intersections of racism and classism.

    To reach a DEI skeptic, consider asking these questions:

    • What aspects of DEI are you most skeptical about? Understanding their specific concerns can help tailor the conversation to address their doubts directly.
    • Have you encountered any personal experiences or observations that have influenced your skepticism? Exploring their personal perspective can provide insight into their viewpoint and help build a connection.
    • Are there specific examples of companies or organizations where you think DEI initiatives have been ineffective or problematic? What would you like to see done differently? Discussing real-world cases can lead to a more nuanced conversation and provide an opportunity to address specific concerns.
    • Do you think it’s important for all individuals, regardless of their background, to have an equal opportunity to succeed? How might unequal access to opportunities impact society as a whole? Exploring the concept of equal opportunity can help highlight the underlying principles of DEI.
    • Have you ever been in a situation where you felt excluded or misunderstood? How did that make you feel and what steps would you have appreciated to address it? Drawing parallels between personal experiences and the broader DEI conversation can foster empathy and understanding.
    • Are there ways in which you think diversity could be promoted without compromising meritocracy? Discussing strategies that align with their values can help bridge the gap between skepticism and the goals of DEI.
    • How do you think diverse teams can contribute to innovation and problem-solving? Are there examples you can think of where diverse perspectives led to better outcomes? Highlighting the practical benefits of diversity can help counter skepticism with evidence.
    • Do you think there is a connection between workplace diversity and attracting and retaining top talent? How might a more inclusive environment impact employee morale and job satisfaction? Discussing the potential impact on talent management can provide a tangible perspective.
    • What would it take for you to consider DEI initiatives as valuable and worth pursuing? What specific outcomes or changes would you like to see? By focusing on their expectations and potential solutions, you can create a shared vision for the role of DEI.

    Related: 4 Ways Inclusive Leaders Can Respond to the Weaponizing of DEI

    Ask for their engagement directly

    Many times there’s confusion about the role the majority group can play in DEI. For example, older, straight, white men who do not have a disability often say that DEI is not for them. DEI is about inclusion, so it is paramount that everyone is a part of creating an inclusive culture. Rather than wait for the majority group to join the conversation, consider directly asking for their support. Make it clear that you want them to play a role and what specific expectations are for engagement. Consider these ideas to engage them:

    • Collaborative initiatives: Create opportunities for members of the majority group to collaborate with individuals from different backgrounds on projects, committees or initiatives. Emphasize the value of diverse perspectives in problem-solving and decision-making processes.
    • Sponsorship of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): ERGs are a great way for the majority group to participate and learn alongside members of different groups. For those in positions of power, having them engaged as sponsors can help with resource allocation as well.
    • Lead by example: Showcase visible support from leadership and role models within the majority group who actively champion DEI initiatives. Highlight successful case studies or stories of organizations that have benefited from embracing diversity and inclusivity.
    • Mentorship: A great way for allies to get involved is by mentoring and being mentored by people different from themselves. This could be a formal pairing program of informally setting the expectation that leaders engage in mentoring folks different from themselves. Most allies report learning more from their mentees than the mentees learn from them.

    Related: 10 Ideas to Drive Your DEI Initiatives in 2023

    Offer up a specific way they can show support and hold them accountable

    Lastly, it is important that you set the expectation that they are responsible for their own education as potential allies in training. The burden of education should not fall on folks that are already dealing with the adversity of diversity. As with any cultural transformation, accountability is critical to long-term success. It is important to measure outcomes and hold leaders accountable for diverse representation and perceptions of inclusion on their teams just as you would with any cultural change.

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    Julie Kratz

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  • How to Embrace People With Disabilities In Your Workplace | Entrepreneur

    How to Embrace People With Disabilities In Your Workplace | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    People with disabilities face several barriers to entering the workplace and frequently face discrimination and exclusion. To develop an institution of inclusivity, people with disabilities must be represented and embraced at every level. According to the World Health Report, an estimated 1.3 billion people — or 16% of the global population — experience a significant disability today. Unfortunately, people with disabilities face mistreatment and discrimination just for having a disability.

    Based on the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, a 2004 survey found that only 35% of working-age persons with disabilities are employed, compared to an employment rate of 78% in the rest of the population. Two-thirds of unemployed respondents with disabilities said they would like to work but could not find jobs.

    I have been a disability advocate for several years, and I have the experience of growing up with one. I am currently the co-chair of the disability inclusion network where I work, and I’ve volunteered for many organizations focusing on disability rights. I’ve advocated for people with disabilities at the White House during the first-ever Mental Health Youth Action Forum.

    People with disabilities have more difficulty finding work because they are perceived as less than others or assumed to be unable to work, which is a common misconception. The pandemic’s move toward remote and hybrid was a positive step toward providing more flexibility and accommodations for people with disabilities. Before the pandemic, many people with disabilities weren’t offered a role due to requesting to work remotely. Offering these options isn’t enough, and more changes need to continue to embrace them fully.

    Related: How Hiring People With Disabilities Will Make Your Business Stronger

    Addressing ableism and sanism

    Ableism is discrimination against people with disabilities based on just having a disability, and sanism is the same, except for people with mental health conditions. Other forms of discrimination often dominate conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) more than ableism and sanism.

    Based on the Harvard Business Review, only about 4% of DEI programs include disability. Even DEI programs designed to address workplace discrimination still fail the disability community, which is why ableism and sanism commonly perpetuate in the workplace. This statistic is concerning as people with disabilities significantly face barriers in the workforce, like low labor force participation rates, higher unemployment rates and pay inequality.

    On top of that, many organizations don’t incorporate the “A” in DEIA — accessibility — because they don’t view it as an issue of equity. For example, issuing two people the same equipment doesn’t achieve anything if someone with a disability cannot use the technology to perform.

    Invest in accessibility

    It isn’t enough to announce that your organization prioritizes hiring more people with disabilities if your institution is inaccessible. If any practices are inaccessible, people with disabilities must navigate and maneuver additional barriers. It will be substantially more difficult for them to be seen, hired, considered and celebrated. Accessibility is a growing need every organization should invest in to create the best experience for its users, customers and staff members.

    Accessibility transforms information, content and anything else in your business into something sensible, meaningful and easier to use. Are you thoughtfully investing your resources into accessibility or treating it as an afterthought when someone comes forward with an issue? Accessibility should begin before someone requests an accommodation by approaching accessibility proactively. It would help if you devoted a sizeable fraction of your budget to assemble a dedicated team or position to accessibility, e.g. chief accessibility officer. Consider also working with a consulting agency if you want a third-party perspective.

    If you have a team in accessibility, is it being evaluated across the company rather than specific areas like technology and infrastructure? Assessing accessibility at every business function, like recruitment, job descriptions, content, social media, operations and events, will upscale and streamline more remarkable results. An example of this is clearing any ableist language on job applications because that already excludes a talented pool of candidates with disabilities.

    Accessibility isn’t only making work equitable for people with disabilities — it makes it easier for everyone. People with disabilities should be your target demographic for creating the most equitable products for them to enjoy and use. However, if you lead with accessibility in your organizational strategic plan, everyone will systemically benefit.

    Related: How We Can Redefine the Word “Disability” One Superpower at a Time

    Celebrate disability pride

    Based on the National Organization on Disability (NOD), while recently, more people with disabilities are entering the workforce over the last 12 months, self-identification (self-ID) rates have decreased from 4.09 in 2020 to 3.68 in 2021. Supporting people with disabilities must move from only offering accommodations to celebrating disability pride.

    Disability pride is the concept that disability isn’t just a medical condition but a social identity with enriching intersectionality, community and culture. Disability pride affirms that people shouldn’t be ashamed of their disabilities. Disability Pride Month is in July, and the National Disability Employment Awareness Month is in October. Because disability has been stigmatized and shamed for centuries, diverting that shame to pride is the future of disability inclusion.

    These are paramount organizational-wide moments to address disability, tell meaningful stories of their lived experiences and show your actionable commitment to DEIA. While those are noteworthy times to prioritize the disability community, disability pride should be distributed throughout the whole year because people with disabilities don’t stop existing and living outside of those months.

    There are limitless choices to include people with disabilities in the workplace by hosting workshops on disability inclusion, encouraging self-identification, outlining legal resources, facilitating open discussions on disability pride and history, establishing an employee resource group (ERG) to invite people with disabilities, caregivers and allies to join forces and hold the organization accountable and cultivate a more positive culture, work with other networks to showcase the intersectionality of disability and different social identities, appointing board members with disabilities and monitoring how your organization is operating.

    Related: 5 Ways Employees With Disabilities Help Maximize a Company’s Growth

    Diversity without disability is not diversity

    Suppose your organization does not include people with disabilities in your mission, decisions, products and leadership. In that case, your organization will never be diverse, and ignoring a substantial and vital population segment will only negatively influence your performance and impact. People with disabilities have the right to work and belong to an organization valuing their contributions and ensuring they have opportunities to thrive as much as everyone else.

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    Zane Landin

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  • How Code-Switching Hurts People of Color in the Workplace | Entrepreneur

    How Code-Switching Hurts People of Color in the Workplace | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    “You’re acting white.” This harmful statement is commonly directed toward people of color (POC) who hear it from their colleagues, friends and family.

    “Acting white” is something that many people of color find themselves doing in order to survive a lack of diversity in the workplace. If the dominant culture is white, how else can the person get ahead in their career, connect with a colleague and make it in their industry?

    This is also a form of code-switching. Code-switching, by definition, is when a person changes their language, dialect, behavior or appearance in order to fit into the dominant culture.

    Code-switching is a common practice amongst POC who are cultural minorities in certain spaces. It’s used as a survival tool to get ahead in business, life and personal relationships. Although it’s become a common practice for many POC, code-switching isn’t harmless. In fact, there are negative psychological effects of code-switching that may not be obvious to managers, executives and others in a person of color’s life.

    Here are some ways people code-switch, how it harms POC and some ways organizations can help eliminate the need for code-switching.

    Why people of color code-switch

    There are many reasons why people code-switch in their daily lives. People might code-switch for professional advancement. One study showed that people played down their race if they were a racial minority in order to get hired in corporate spaces. Others code-switched in order to increase their chances of getting a promotion, being considered for a raise or earning a high-profile assignment once they’re employed.

    POC can often distance themselves from racial stereotypes in the workplace in order to be seen as leaders in the eyes of their colleagues. They may downplay their dialect, like African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), in order to sound more like the dominant culture. In fact, one study reported that 38% of Black Americans and 45% of Latinos felt judged for their language, accent or dialect in the workplace. Thus, code-switching helps alleviate the tension of being “othered” in the workplace.

    Code-switching can also include changes to one’s physical appearance. In particular, women with cultural hairstyles or headscarves may choose to wear their hair in a particular way to blend in with the dominant culture. Black women have been shown to be 80% more likely to change their hairstyle to meet societal norms at work with the goal of being seen as “more professional.”

    All of these cultural adaptations can have serious consequences for the individual. POC are mentally suffering from always having to change the outward manifestations of their cultures to adapt to what they perceive are the norms of their workplaces.

    Related: Companies Aren’t Talking About Black Vernacular and Dialect Bias in The Workplace. Here’s Why That Needs to Change.

    The psychological impacts of code-switching

    Code-switching can affect a person’s mental state and wellbeing in more ways than one. Research suggests that code-switching to avoid stereotypes can affect work performance over time. This can look like a POC not being as present or focused because they’re too busy trying to avoid negative judgments or repercussions for how they look or speak.

    Constantly code-switching has also been associated with feelings of burnout and exhaustion. At times, it can feel like the person is wearing a mask eight hours a day, without a break or time to express their authenticity.

    One study suggested that those who are labeled as “acting white” may experience psychological damage later on down the road. People of color labeled in this way can often feel like they’re not Black enough, Latino enough, Asian enough and so on. The effect is a long-term imposter syndrome where the person doesn’t feel a sense of belonging in any group and can feel lonely and left out.

    Overall, code-switching can worsen stress and feelings of anxiety, especially when the person is in a stressful situation or having to make difficult decisions. Constantly feeling pulled to be someone they’re not, hiding their authentic self, and trying to fit into a dominant culture can be toxic emotionally and mentally for POC.

    So how can we make code-switching a thing of the past and encourage authenticity and humanity in the workplace?

    Related: 4 Ways to Cultivate Inclusion and Compassion In the Workplace

    Make code-switching a thing of the past with an inclusive workplace

    It all starts with cultivating a sense of belonging and bringing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) to the forefront. Companies with very little diversity and who struggle with inclusivity may feel comfortable with the dominant culture and view the struggles of minorities in the office as invisible.

    However, individuals in the workplace can make a conscious decision to pay attention to the ways their minority colleagues are having to shift who they are. They can practice better allyship and become a support system that encourages a person of color to feel a sense of belonging when embracing their authenticity.

    Hiring managers also have a role to play when it comes to promoting DEI and curbing the effects of code-switching. Hiring managers can be mindful of hiring for culture “adds,” not culture fits. Culture adds are people who add or contribute to the culture by bringing a different background, experience or perspective.

    Hiring for culture fits ensures that the dominant culture stays the same, and this practice can often push those who are different to the margins and result in code-switching. Hiring for culture adds helps open the door to diverse representation and can bring more development, innovation and inclusivity to the workplace.

    It’s also important to increase the cultural competency of all employees through DEI programming. This can look like hiring a full-time, in-house diversity officer or hosting a series of workshops and trainings with a diversity consultant to increase cultural competency and build strategies that support belonging, inclusion and safety for POC and minorities.

    Related: 6 Ways to Offer Allyship to Black Entrepreneurs

    Final thoughts

    Code-switching isn’t just a problem for people of color, it’s an institutional problem that should be on the radar of leadership. Every time a person of color code switches in the workplace, the company loses a valuable opportunity to promote inclusion, authenticity and belonging.

    While creating the appearance that everyone is the same is appealing to some, it is actually an illusion that ignores and suppresses unique contributions. This results in less development and innovation in the long run.

    Companies should work to increase their cultural competency and learn to accept diverse dialects, behaviors and perspectives in order to advance the overall well-being and health of the organization and its employees.

    Code-switching is a health hazard for POC, in the short and long term. Companies can benefit from encouraging authenticity and honesty in the workplace and rewarding those who contribute their gifts while also expressing their authentic selves.

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    Nika White

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  • AI Can Be Racist, Sexist and Creepy. Here Are 5 Ways You Can Counter This In Your Enterprise. | Entrepreneur

    AI Can Be Racist, Sexist and Creepy. Here Are 5 Ways You Can Counter This In Your Enterprise. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    I started my career as a serial entrepreneur in disruptive technologies, raising tens of millions of dollars in venture capital, and navigating two successful exits. Later I became the chief technology architect for the nation’s capital, where it was my privilege to help local government agencies navigate transitioning to new disruptive technologies. Today I am the CEO of an antiracist boutique consulting firm where we help social equity enterprises liberate themselves from old, outdated, biased technologies and coach leaders on how to avoid reimplementing biased in their software, data and business processes.

    The biggest risk on the horizon for leaders today in regard to implementing biased, racist, sexist and heteronormative technology is artificial intelligence (AI).

    Today’s entrepreneurs and innovators are exploring ways to use to enhance efficiency, productivity and customer service, but is this technology truly an advancement or does it introduce new complications by amplifying existing cultural biases, like sexism and racism? 

    Soon, most — if not all — major enterprise platforms will come with built-in AI. Meanwhile, employees will be carrying around AI on their phones by the end of the year. AI is already affecting workplace operations, but marginalized groups, people of color, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent folx, and disabled people have been ringing alarms about how AI amplifies biased content and spreads disinformation and distrust.

    To understand these impacts, we will review five ways AI can deepen racial bias and social inequalities in your enterprise. Without a comprehensive and socially informed approach to AI in your organization, this technology will feed institutional biases, exacerbate social inequalities, and do more harm to your company and clients. Therefore, we will explore practical solutions for addressing these issues, such as developing better AI training data, ensuring transparency of the model output and promoting ethical design. 

    Related: These Entrepreneurs Are Taking on Bias in Artificial Intelligence

    Risk #1: Racist and biased AI hiring software

    Enterprises rely on AI software to screen and hire candidates, but the software is inevitably as biased as the people in human resources (HR) whose data was used to train the algorithms. There are no standards or regulations for developing AI hiring algorithms. Software developers focus on creating AI that imitates people. As a result, AI faithfully learns all the biases of people used to train it across all data sets.

    Reasonable people would not hire an HR executive who (consciously or unconsciously) screens out people whose names sound diverse, right? Well, by relying on datasets that contain biased information, such as past hiring decisions and/or criminal records, AI inserts all these biases into the decision-making process. This bias is particularly damaging to marginalized populations, who are more likely to be passed over for employment opportunities due to markers of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, etc.

    How to address it:

    • Keep socially conscious human beings involved with the screening and selection process. Empower them to question, interrogate and challenge AI-based decisions.
    • Train your employees that AI is neither neutral nor intelligent. It is a tool — not a colleague.
    • Ask potential vendors whether their screening software has undergone AI equity auditing. Let your vendor partners know this important requirement will affect your buying decisions.
    • Load test resumes that are identical except for some key altered equity markers. Are identical resumes in Black zip codes rated lower than those in white majority zip codes? Report these biases as bugs and share your findings with the world via Twitter.
    • Insist that vendor partners demonstrate that the AI training data are representative of diverse populations and perspectives.
    • Use the AI itself to push back against the bias. Most solutions will soon have a chat interface. Ask the AI to identify qualified marginalized candidates (e.g., Black, female, and/or queer) and then add them to the interview list.

    Related: How Racism is Perpetuated within Social Media and Artificial Intelligence

    Risk #2: Developing racist, biased and harmful AI software

    ChatGPT 4 has made it ridiculously easy for information technology (IT) departments to incorporate AI into existing software. Imagine the lawsuit when your chatbot convinces your customers to harm themselves. (Yes, an AI chatbot has already caused at least one suicide.)

    How to address it:

    • Your chief information officer (CIO) and risk management team should develop some common-sense policies and procedures around when, where, how, and who decides what AI resources can be deployed now. Get ahead of this.
    • If developing your own AI-driven software, stay away from public internet-trained models. Large data models that incorporate everything published on the internet are riddled with bias and harmful learning.
    • Use AI technologies trained only on bounded, well-understood datasets.
    • Strive for algorithmic transparency. Invest in model documentation to understand the basis for AI-driven decisions.
    • Do not let your people automate or accelerate processes known to be biased against marginalized groups. For example, automated facial recognition technology is less accurate in identifying people of color than white counterparts.
    • Seek external review from Black and Brown experts on diversity and inclusion as part of the AI development process. Pay them well and listen to them.

    Risk #3: Biased AI abuses customers

    AI-powered systems can lead to unintended consequences that further marginalize vulnerable groups. For example, AI-driven chatbots providing customer service frequently harm marginalized people in how they respond to inquiries.  AI-powered systems also manipulate and exploit vulnerable populations, such as facial recognition technology targeting people of color with predatory advertising and pricing schemes.

    How to address it:

    • Do not deploy solutions that harm marginalized people. Stand up for what is right and educate yourself to avoid hurting people.
    • Build models responsive to all users. Use language appropriate for the context in which they are deployed.
    • Do not remove the human element from customer interactions. Humans trained in cultural sensitivity should oversee AI, not the other way around.
    • Hire Black or Brown diversity and technology consultants to help clarify how AI is treating your customers. Listen to them and pay them well.

    Risk #4: Perpetuating structural racism when AI makes financial decisions

    AI-powered banking and underwriting systems tend to replicate digital redlining. For example, automated loan underwriting algorithms are less likely to approve loans for applicants from marginalized backgrounds or Black or Brown neighborhoods, even when they earn the same salary as approved applicants.

    How to address it:

    • Remove bias-inducing demographic variables from decision-making processes and regularly evaluate algorithms for bias.
    • Seek external reviews from experts on diversity and inclusion that focus on identifying potential biases and developing strategies to mitigate them. 
    • Use mapping software to draw visualizations of AI recommendations and how they compare with marginalized peoples’ demographic data. Remain curious and vigilant about whether AI is replicating structural racism.
    • Use AI to push back by requesting that it find loan applications with lower scores due to bias. Make better loans to Black and Brown folks.

    Related: What Is AI, Anyway? Know Your Stuff With This Go-To Guide.

    Risk #5: Using health system AI on populations it is not trained for

    A pediatric health center serving poor disabled children in a major city was at risk of being displaced by a large national health system that convinced the regulator that its Big Data AI engine provided cheaper, better care than human care managers. However, the AI was trained on data from Medicare (mainly white, middle-class, rural and suburban, elderly adults). Making this AI — which is trained to advise on care for elderly people — responsible for medication recommendations for disabled children could have produced fatal outcomes.

    How to address it:

    • Always look at the data used to train AI. Is it appropriate for your population? If not, do not use the AI.

    Conclusion

    Many people in the AI industry are shouting that AI products will cause the end of the world. Scare-mongering leads to headlines, which lead to attention and, ultimately, wealth creation. It also distracts people from the harm AI is already causing to your marginalized customers and employees.

    Do not be fooled by the apocalyptic doomsayers. By taking reasonable, concrete steps, you can ensure that their AI-powered systems are not contributing to existing social inequalities or exploiting vulnerable populations. We must quickly master harm reduction for people already dealing with more than their fair share of oppression.

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    Jamey Harvey

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  • Why Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap is Good for Business | Entrepreneur

    Why Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap is Good for Business | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Philanthropy and government programs have been trying to close the racial wealth gap for a long time, but they’ve been focused on band-aids when we need ladders. While the wealth gap is fueled by several contributing factors, including disparity in home ownership, accumulation of financial assets and strong growing wages, as small business investors, we can draw our attention to a core piece of the problem: the wage gap.

    Let’s take a moment to clarify what we mean when we talk about the wage gap as it relates to the racial wealth gap. We are not just talking about good-paying jobs for people of color. We really need good-paying jobs that provide a clear pathway for Black and Brown employees to build a stronger, sustaining financial future.

    The typical white U.S. household has nearly eight times the wealth of the typical Black household. To address the systemic issue of racial wealth inequity, the private sector must do what it does best – invest in great companies and entrepreneurs that create quality jobs –and ensure all workers, especially Black and Brown workers, have an equal opportunity to build a lasting, positive economic reality for themselves and their families.

    Related: Compounding Inequality to Compounding Success: Bridging the Racial Wealth Gap

    Media reported widely that recent pandemic aid cut U.S. poverty to a new low, but that was a short-term solution to a global crisis — it wasn’t aimed at driving wages higher in perpetuity. As that funding source dries up, those in a lower economic bracket return to the same or even worse circumstances than they were at the start. To truly attack the racial wealth gap, we need the private sector to make the change that the government and non-profits simply cannot do independently.

    Private sector employers and investors often can’t see how they can drive the change needed to give Black and Brown Americans access to wealth-creation opportunities while growing businesses and pleasing investment partners. But it is not as hard as they may think, and the benefits to their business and community deliver a long-lasting ROI for companies, workers and families.

    Building a path to financial security starts with strategic wages

    For decades, wages for Black and Brown workers have lagged behind those of white workers with the same experience and education, even in the same geography Even when people of color climb the corporate ladder, they make less — 97 cents on the dollar.

    These communities need more than just a living wage; they also need opportunities for long-term career development, pay parity and wage progression. A rising wage promotes economic stability, helps workers provide for their families and facilitates wealth accumulation for future generations.

    Wage progression — whether linked to individual performance, company performance, tenure, skills development, or promotion — is also good for business. It helps attract the best employees, improves retention, and sustains and incentivizes business growth.

    Related: How to Support Black Employees During (and After) Juneteenth

    The role of benefits in building generational wealth

    Meaningful benefits are a major piece of increasing sustainable employee wealth. Most employee wealth is derived from workplace benefits packages: health insurance, 401ks, stock options, etc. Low-wage workers typically don’t have those options, which are key to building generational wealth.

    Business leaders and investors can change this situation by learning from employees what benefits and opportunities would make the greatest difference in their lives and free up income for saving and investing– be that affordable healthcare, child/eldercare support, or direct wealth creation through incentivized savings opportunities like 401k plans, IRAs, and employer matching savings programs.

    Offering these types of household-stabilizing benefits could largely pay for themselves in terms of lower absenteeism, greater productivity, increased retention and worker-driven competitive advantage.

    Help employees continually grow their skills

    Too often, the leadership potential and training of Black and Brown Americans is overlooked. According to McKinsey, Black workers are disproportionately concentrated in entry-level jobs with low pay and underrepresented in leadership and executive positions.

    Correcting this divide means providing entry-level workers with access to training and development opportunities from the moment they are hired. Programs that teach employees valuable skills for remaining relevant in their careers to prepare them for higher responsibilities while reducing turnover, improving engagement and accelerating business growth.

    Making it happen

    Investors typically provide small businesses with growth capital, but they can also provide operational capital that is invested directly in employees. Business leaders, their investors and advisors can collaborate to devise a feasible and ambitious plan that establishes measurable goals for the company and the impact company leaders aim to achieve by driving an innovative wage strategy.

    Several local or national advocacy groups for diverse workplaces, such as the Business Consortium Fund, the National Institute of Minority Economic Development and the Minority Business Development Agency, can assist with this kind of wage-targeted approach to eliminating the racial wealth gap.

    Furthermore, it is crucial to monitor and evaluate outcomes using meaningful metrics. Failing to measure outcomes from these changes means businesses will not know what they’ve really achieved, which keeps them from continuous improvement.

    Related: How to Overcome Workplace Inequality and Reach Gender Parity

    Opportunity and obligation

    I believe that every employer and their investors have a moral imperative to make closing the racial wealth gap a focal point of their business model, even if it means taking a little less for themselves and other executives off the bottom line. There is a tremendous opportunity to hire workers from disadvantaged communities and grow and sustain a strong workforce that helps grow all businesses. In return, employees would benefit from quality jobs and greater economic vitality now and in the future, setting up the next generation for even greater progress.

    It’s about doing something incredible and making work “work” for businesses and employees alike. This type of investment is the catalyst for the change we need in our business world and our society —but it can’t happen without the private sector and its leaders driving the charge.

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    Sandra M. Moore

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  • 4 Ways Inclusive Leaders Can Celebrate Juneteenth | Entrepreneur

    4 Ways Inclusive Leaders Can Celebrate Juneteenth | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If you aspire to be an inclusive leader, there are opportunities in Juneteenth. As a White American who has been learning from and working alongside Black colleagues, friends, clients and family members for over 50 years, I offer four ideas about the power of Juneteenth for inclusive leaders.

    Juneteenth is an opportunity to amplify the voices and experiences of Black people as all your colleagues learn to honor the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, TX, first heard that they had been legally freed by the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln.

    1. Center the voices of colleagues who identify as Black

    During this time of remembrance, we can ensure that we listen to, learn from and follow the agency of those among us who identify as Black or African American. Find the right way to engage with your Black colleagues. Make them visible, give them the mic and open the door to their stories and to systemic change that will help them. Make sure that the way your company recognizes Juneteenth reflects the amazing mix of their voices and their experiences. If you are Black, expect and ask allies to show up this way.

    My truth: I have not always known how to truly hear my Black colleagues. I have failed at times to prioritize their voices. Mistakes are available for making, like the impulse to monetize Juneteenth. Instead, we can bring a solemn sense of respect and open-heartedness to this day.

    Related: Beyond Marketing — How Brands Can Truly Support the Black Community on Juneteenth

    2. If you’re White, get Juneteenth right

    If you identify as White or your racial identity is other than Black, Juneteenth also invites you to own your story. My ancestors were enslavers of African people and settlers on native lands, as I’ve detailed here.

    Juneteenth encourages me to recommit to racial justice. This day of remembrance calls me to move beyond the shame I feel about what ‘my people’ did and keep doing as White supremacists and authentically serve as an accountable ally to Black people still navigating the impacts of slavery and discrimination. Juneteenth is a day for White people to learn history lessons and stand behind our Black colleagues, friends and customers by hearing their voices and following their lead.

    3. Juneteenth gives us a chance to explore the meaning of freedom

    In 1865, June 19th was a day people learned about freedom. In our time, the promise of freedom is still an essential American commitment, even though we fall short of this aspiration for all people in the USA. I grew up in a civil rights era that celebrated freedom riders, where the cry on the streets was “Let freedom ring.” It was a time that challenged the oppressive limitations imposed on Black Americans and many others.

    Freedom is a human value that opens the door to each individual’s voice and enables choices for each human to make and enjoy. We must not take our freedoms for granted nor assume that everyone is free. Do you have a point of view in your business about how freedom fuels inclusion and builds belonging on your team?

    To develop your point of view around freedom as an inclusive leader, I encourage you to explore Angela Davis’ book, The Meaning of Freedom. In the book’s Foreword, she is described as “one of the foremost philosophers of freedom in our time.” Ms. Davis’ life experience and her incisive mind equip her to draw many conclusions that were a disruptive revelation to me. Juneteenth should invite all of us to face up to her analysis as a thoughtful socialist.

    Related: We Need Inclusive Leaders Right Now More Than Ever

    4. Learn the lessons of transparency and truth-telling

    There was a thirty-month gap between the time the Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved people from living as property and them hearing about their changed status as “free” humans. Even now, it is telling and troubling that society was set up so that it took a powerful White man to declare them in possession of such a fundamental human right.

    Yet there’s a wider application here regarding organizational life and how information is shared. We sometimes restrict truth and transparency around DEI, struggling to go beyond representational data in annual reports. We may fail to address real data points of suffering: for example, the frequent reality that Black employees receive lower performance ratings. Why does such a pervasive and impactful inequity exist, how will we solve it and how will we tell the truth about our learning as we do so?

    I understand there are legal issues to be considered as we explore why people who identify as Black are consistently rated lower. But Juneteenth should welcome a courageous competence to become more transparent about the complex interactions between human performance and systemic racism.

    There are also truths to tell about the stories of our societies. Teaching history is not an ideological act, nor a political position. A modern way to honor Juneteenth: we fight any attempt to stifle education about slavery, racism, anti-Semitism, misogyny, genocide, discrimination and other forms of hatred, past or present. How are you responding to any local attempts to suppress the truth and power that Juneteenth represents?

    However we identify racially, Juneteenth can activate our learning as inclusive leaders. No one should have to wait thirty months for truths that can be heard, told, and acted upon today.

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    Chuck H. Shelton

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  • The 6 Do’s and Don’ts for Engaging in Juneteenth Conversations | Entrepreneur

    The 6 Do’s and Don’ts for Engaging in Juneteenth Conversations | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    On June 19, 1865, Black folks in Galveston, Texas, were approached by 2,000 Union soldiers with good news: Slavery had been abolished. For the first time in 300 years, their families would finally know freedom. After the news of the abolishment of slavery had been heard in several other parts of the United States, people in Galveston were the last to know. It marked a new holiday where people all over the country could celebrate the turning of a page in American history: The end of slavery as they knew it.

    Fast forward to today, educating ourselves on historical markers that represented a shift in American culture is under attack. Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a prime example. By definition, CRT is a “set of ideas holding that racial bias is inherent in many parts of western society, especially in its legal and social institutions, based on their having been primarily designed for and implemented by white people.”

    In 2023, we would sum up CRT to mean simply “privilege” or “advantage” on the part of the dominant group in society. CRT asks us to look critically at the ways Juneteenth and other moments in American history came to be and why we should acknowledge the past so as not to replicate it in the present or future.

    Talking about Black history is the first step toward our national healing. When we acknowledge the impact history has had on our collective experience, we can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel and work towards ending the inequality and injustice that’s plagued our nation.

    This Juneteenth, let’s take baby steps towards that national healing and focus on just having the conversation — the conversation that slavery was abolished not too long ago and that schools, workplaces, and other institutions should be talking about it in order for us to learn from the past and create a more equitable future.

    Here are 6 do’s and don’ts for engaging in conversations about Juneteenth.

    Do: Educate yourself on the holiday ahead of time

    When it comes to conversations on historical topics, not everyone knows every detail of how historical events came to pass. The first thing to do when planning to engage in a conversation about Juneteenth is to educate yourself on the facts. When did Juneteenth happen? How did it happen? Why did it happen? Who authorized the abolishment of slavery? Why did it take so long for the slaves in Galveston, Texas, to hear about it?

    Acquiring answers to these foundational questions ahead of time will arm you with a baseline of information that will inform more thoughtful conversations.

    Do: Allow Black colleagues to speak on their Juneteenth perspectives but don’t put the burden on them to educate everyone

    In 2023, it’s likely you work with a Black American or know one in your personal life. In the case of Juneteenth, don’t make the conversation a teacher-to-pupil dynamic. If a Black person in your life wishes to share their perspective or thoughts on Juneteenth, listen to them. Allow them to talk about their family traditions or how they choose to celebrate the day. You might even attend a Juneteenth celebration in your city and witness how Black folks express joy on the holiday. However, avoid targeting Black colleagues and acquaintances by asking them to educate you or expend mental energy to bring you up to speed. That’s your responsibility, not theirs. Strive for a friend-to-friend or colleague-to-colleague relationship on the topic of Juneteenth, not a teacher-to-pupil relationship.

    Do: Create a safer space for the conversation

    As I’ve shared in other posts, I don’t believe fully “safe” spaces exist. I do believe there are safer spaces where folks walk into a conversation with the best intentions and an open mind. If you choose to discuss Juneteenth in your workplace or institution, consider holding it in an intentional space with thoughtful touches.

    For example, if you’re hosting an in-person conversation, have you thought about including a facilitator or someone who can set some ground rules to maintain a cordial atmosphere while the conversation ensues? In addition, are you aware of the literal temperature of the room? Will it be a physically comfortable space, or will it be too hot or cold for the number of attendees in the space? Are there soothing beverages available like coffee or tea for moments when people could use a sip of something warm? Think about the seating arrangement. Is the room set up in a hierarchical way where all chairs are pointed in one direction in the teacher-to-pupil dynamic that I referred to earlier, or are the chairs set up in a circle so all attendees can be seen and heard?

    If you are choosing to send an email to your colleagues about Juneteenth, have you included a TL;DR or warning at the top of the email informing the recipients that the message they are about to receive contains information about Juneteenth and the history of slavery? As you can see, there are several ways to create a safer space that sets the foundation for a conversation that’s rich and enlightening as opposed to tense and uncomfortable.

    Related: Here’s How to Have the Most Powerful DEI Conversations

    Do: Propose to make Juneteenth a company holiday

    After your in-person or online conversations, consider making a case for why Juneteenth should be a company holiday. Perhaps you have several Black colleagues who would appreciate the day off or, if there is a multicultural coalition of people who also support the idea, come prepared to discuss with leadership or HR to request the holiday be a part of the company’s paid time off roster. Like Labor Day, the 4th of July, and other national holidays, Juneteenth marks a turning point in American history that affected not only Black folx but every American in the U.S. Why not make the case for Juneteenth to be celebrated in the workplace like other national holidays?

    Related: Don’t Phone It In for Black History Month: 5 Ways to Show You’ll Be Dialed In All Year

    Don’t: Make Juneteenth a one-day event

    Like other days involving Black history, companies, and individuals make the mistake of treating Juneteenth like a one-day event. The day comes and then it goes. But holidays like the 4th of July are celebrated over three or four days with an emphasis on pride and celebration. Juneteenth deserves the same acknowledgment. To enhance and elongate the holiday, give colleagues a runway of days during which to absorb historical information. For example, send an email about the history of Juneteenth one week ahead so people have time to absorb the content. You can also set up a small art exhibit or feature books and other historical information in a common space in the preceding month so people have time to reflect on the information. Host a book club featuring a Juneteenth-centered book so colleagues have a meaningful opportunity to be engaged in the history. In essence, preparing colleagues ahead of time will make the day that much richer–not just for your Black colleagues but for everyone involved.

    Don’t: Wear performative clothing to show that you’re “down” with the cause

    A common mistake companies and individuals make during Juneteenth is thinking that performative allyship is the way to celebrate and honor the holiday. That’s not true. Please avoid wearing dashikis or dawning red, green, and black colors on or around Juneteenth. For many Black people, it’s considered offensive and disingenuous. Avoid performative allyship at all costs, whether that’s your personal style choices or your company’s newest product promotion. The way to show Black folks and others who care about Juneteenth that you are engaged and want to pay your respects is by educating yourself, participating in meaningful conversations where you’re truly listening, and sharing this information with others in your life who may not know the history of Juneteenth. Those are steps towards allyship far more meaningful than wearing a dashiki.

    Related: How Brands Can Go From Performative Allyship to Actual Allies

    Final thoughts

    While the celebration of Black history is, in general, condensed into one month in February, Black History Month, we often forget that Black history is American history and that we should be celebrating it year-round. Not everyone does and that’s okay. What we can do is inspire more people to engage by having meaningful conversations about what happened on June 19, 1865, and the historical context in which the event occurred. Only when we can pull the veil off of Black history and see that these events are significant for all Americans do we begin to let down our guard and welcome the truth about our country: That we did some awful things, but we’re learning from them. This Juneteeth, make meaningful conversations a priority.

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    Nika White

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  • Students and Faculty Fear Tenure and DEI Bills Could ‘Destroy’ Texas Colleges

    Students and Faculty Fear Tenure and DEI Bills Could ‘Destroy’ Texas Colleges

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    As a law student at the University of Texas at Austin, Sam Jefferson worked in the school’s diversity office. Jefferson said he learned firsthand just how essential the offices are to the success of students from underrepresented groups.

    Now it’s on the brink of being eliminated by a Texas bill that would bar public colleges from having diversity offices or officers.

    “You’re talking about legislation that’s going to take away one of the only places that students can feel seen, heard, and acknowledged and helped,” said Jefferson, who just graduated.

    Monday marks the end of a Texas legislative session in which higher ed played a starring role. Lawmakers made substantial investments in public higher ed, boosting funding for community colleges and creating an endowment to support emerging research universities. Yet many lawmakers also disparaged colleges’ diversity programs and tenure policies, leading to marathon hearings in which students, faculty, and alumni protested vehemently.

    Over the weekend, Texas lawmakers passed final versions of Senate Bill 17, which would prohibit diversity offices starting in 2024, and SB 18, which would make changes in tenure. Both are sponsored by Sen. Charles Creighton, a Republican. The bills now await the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican.

    A spokeswoman for the University of Texas Board of Regents didn’t respond to a request for comment. Texas colleges, like other institutions across the country, have generally declined to comment on pending legislation.

    Proponents of banning DEI efforts say requiring students, faculty, and staff to sign diversity statements or participate in DEI programming produces a “chilling effect” on campus. “Many of these programs have been weaponized to compel speech instead of protecting free speech,” Creighton said in April. He didn’t respond to a request for comment.

    Tenure elimination has been a key point of emphasis for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, who said the institution allows professors to “live inside a bubble” in a statement last month. “Over the past year, it has become abundantly clear that some tenured faculty at Texas universities feel immune to oversight from the legislature and their respective board of regents,” Patrick said.

    The bills have undergone changes since being introduced in March. Senate Bill 18 originally proposed banning tenure entirely, and the Texas Senate endorsed that idea, but the drastic shift didn’t have traction in the House. Revisions in Senate Bill 17 carved out more exceptions that allow public colleges to describe efforts to serve diverse students if required by federal agencies or institutional accreditors.

    Still, many students and faculty in Texas say that the legislation remains harmful — and that even the deliberations about banning tenure and DEI this spring were damaging to their campuses.

    If Senate Bill 17 becomes law, diversity administrators will be out of a job in six months. Last week, one diversity officer announced her departure. Carol Sumner, vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Texas Tech University, will take a similar job at Northern Illinois University.

    “It’s not just that these things will have an impact on student life,” Jefferson, the law graduate, said. “It’s that they already have.”

    ‘Our Larger Campus Family’

    Banning DEI offices would affect not only students of color, but also veterans, LGBTQ+ students, and disabled students, four Texas students told The Chronicle.

    “DEI isn’t just about enrollment,” said Jordan Nellums, a graduate student at UT-Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. “It’s about OK, how can we make sure that this student group feels comfortable enough on this campus — that way they can become part of our larger campus family.”

    Kat Williams, another UT-Austin grad student, said she waited for over 14 hours to speak against the diversity-office ban in April. “I didn’t really have 14 hours to waste that day, but it happened anyway,” Williams said.

    Williams said she doesn’t believe diversity programs and policies make students feel uncomfortable speaking their minds in the classroom, as critics allege.

    “At least in my experience as an instructor, that’s not the case whatsoever,” Williams said. “If somebody has an unpopular opinion, they still get voiced quite frequently.”

    Alexander De Jesus-Colon, a senior at the University of Texas at Dallas, said he went to the campus’s Galerstein Gender Center as early as last year to discuss the situation on campus. He was told that the center was already preparing to shut down if the Texas Legislature voted to ban such offices.

    Since then, he has become involved in organizing against the legislation with the group Texas Students for DEI. He said legislators have refused to hear student voices.

    “Nobody wants to listen to us,” De Jesus-Colon said. “These legislators, they’re busy passing bills that they’re not even fully aware of the consequences of what they’re doing.”

    At least 34 bills have been introduced in 20 states that would curb colleges’ DEI efforts, according to The Chronicle’s DEI Legislation Tracker.

    For Jefferson, the legislation in Texas is reminiscent of strategies wielded by Florida legislators. This month, Florida became the first state in the country to bar public colleges from spending money on diversity efforts.

    “The whole Texas-Florida competition to see who can battle ‘wokeness’ is hilarious,” Jefferson said. “It’s not about the schools — it’s about these political forums.”

    Step Toward Eliminating Tenure

    While some on campuses say the tenure bill could have dealt a worse blow to higher ed, others remain worried.

    The final version, which would take effect in September if it becomes law, defines tenure in state law as “the entitlement of a faculty member of an institution of higher education to continue in the faculty member’s academic position unless dismissed by the institution for good.”

    The legislation also articulates reasons that tenured professors could be fired, such as “professional incompetence” and “violating university policies,” which some faculty members see as vague. What’s more, they see requiring performance evaluations every six years as a stepping stone to eliminating tenure entirely.

    The uncertainty around faculty-job protections is making life difficult for people like Daniel M. Brinks.

    The chair of the government department at UT-Austin, Brinks has had eight different job candidates turn down offers and cite the state’s political environment as a factor, he said.

    Brinks also said that junior faculty members are particularly worried about the future of tenure, while other professors have canceled upcoming courses because of the likelihood that they could come under scrutiny.

    “That bill alone could essentially destroy the notion of a national-level research university,” Brinks said of the tenure bill.

    Even though the legislation doesn’t ban tenure outright, Brinks said, many faculty members still fear that another bill is “right around the corner.”

    “It signals both a general willingness to interfere with the internal governance of public universities and maybe even, more importantly, hostility to the things that we do and the way that we do them,” Brinks said.

    Students are noticing those impacts, too. De Jesus-Colon said several professors have shared with him that they are preparing to face consequences for teaching topics that some Republican lawmakers don’t like.

    Williams, who teaches a course on rhetoric that covers concepts including Indigenous liberation, the Black prophetic tradition, queer pride, and fatphobia, worries that her class material could become a target.

    The bill banning diversity efforts states that it doesn’t apply to course instruction or research. But in recent months, public-college leaders have often played it safe in political climates that appear hostile toward courses about race and gender — directing professors to, for instance, “proceed cautiously” if teaching about reproductive health.

    Until she receives an order or instruction from a supervisor, chair, or dean, Williams said, she doesn’t plan to stop teaching the course because her students enjoy learning the material. The few that don’t, Williams noted, “still say what’s on their mind.”

    Should she be directed to stop or change her mode of instruction, Williams said, she isn’t sure how she would respond.

    “What would I even teach at that point?” Williams said. “If they can’t learn that at a public institution, where are they supposed to go?”

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  • We Need to Talk About Black Vernacular and Dialect Bias in The Workplace | Entrepreneur

    We Need to Talk About Black Vernacular and Dialect Bias in The Workplace | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), also known as Black Vernacular English (BVA) or ebonics, is a historic American English dialect that millions of people speak. It’s a part of our cultural DNA and is a blend of words and ways of speaking rooted in various African cultures as well as the English spoken in Southern U.S. states, with additional contributions from Creole.

    This way of speaking has long had negative connotations associated with it. People who speak AAVE are often seen as uneducated and not a cultural fit in workplaces managed by the dominant culture. Many Black people are penalized for a way of speaking that’s deeply rooted in this country and yet, despite their education, accomplishments and accolades, speaking AAVE can significantly diminish their professional prospects.

    This shouldn’t be the case. Speaking a different dialect should not negate the professional impact, skills and value that a worker brings. Companies that claim to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) while simultaneously discriminating against language or dialect should reconsider their stance on the topic.

    I am working to change that. I help organizations break barriers and integrate DEIB into their business frameworks with a human-centered approach. I will share how organizations like yours can be more conscious about language and dialect bias to do better on their DEI and inclusion goals.

    Hire for a culture “add,” not a culture “fit”

    Many individuals who speak AAVE are often dismissed in the job interview process because they don’t seem like a good cultural “fit.” I’ve discussed the dangers of hiring for culture fit before, but it’s worth noting that language or dialect should not invalidate a person’s ability to contribute, add value or participate in work life.

    Instead of assuming the status quo is the ideal culture in the company, consider the very real possibility that having folks who speak AAVE or another dialect or language on the team can truly “add” to the company culture. For example, perhaps someone speaking AAVE can bring a new perspective to company projects or dialogues. Or perhaps they can connect with diverse partners and stakeholders in a way that the dominant culture hasn’t previously found successful. Think outside the box about how someone’s language or dialect can actually enhance your company culture instead of “fit” into it.

    Related: Avoiding the Sea of Sameness: How Hiring for Culture Improves DEI

    Never judge a book by its cover

    Although people who speak AAVE are often described as “ghetto,” “loud,” or “aggressive,” it’s often a misconception. A prime example is Angel Reese, a Louisiana State University basketball player who has skyrocketed in popularity in recent weeks. She’s had to face dialect and gender bias in the public eye.

    Angel said, “I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. I don’t fit the narrative and I’m ok with that. I’m from Baltimore where you hoop and talk trash. If I was a boy, y’all wouldn’t be saying nun at all.” Angel was referring to a culture of basketball that has a double standard for women, specifically for women who speak like her. While some are considered “ladylike” in the sport, others are called something very different.

    Apply this same logic to the workplace. If a worker doesn’t speak exactly like another colleague who represents the norm of the workplace culture, will they still be accepted and feel a sense of belonging? Why should language or dialect stand in the way of someone belonging in the workplace or prevent them from getting hired at all?

    DEI extends beyond skin and gender. Dialect and language should not create a hostile atmosphere where Black workers are undervalued, demeaned or held down at lower rungs in the organization because of the way they speak.

    Related: Hire Like a Diversity Expert: 5 Key Qualities of Inclusive Employees

    Bias against people who speak AAVE hurts organizations, too

    Did you know the fastest-growing entrepreneurial demographic in the United States is Black women? Black women aren’t waiting for organizations that exhibit bias in their company culture to accept them — they’ve moved on to building their own empires.

    Organizations that consciously or unconsciously bias their employee pool based on the dialect of English the applicant speaks are losing out in the end. As mentioned, dialect does not equate to intelligence, talent or value. Choosing not to hire a qualified candidate because they speak AAVE only pushes them to take their talents elsewhere which can often leave organizations at a deficit in terms of intellect, innovation and growth.

    In this sense, bias not only hurts the person who experiences it, but it hurts organizations, too. This type of bias holds everyone back. So, why not remove the barrier to access, create more empathy and understanding of the various cultures that live within the United States, and see candidates through the lens of value, character and contribution?

    Related: 5 Qualities of Black Excellence Overlooked in the Workplace

    Final thoughts

    Organizations are losing out every time they pass over a candidate that speaks a dialect of English that is not the cultural norm. Race, gender, ability and other identifiers are all seen as important parts of DEI that add to organizational growth and innovation. But why are dialect and language left out?

    The people who experience some of the most bias are those who don’t look or speak like those in the dominant culture. Sticking to the norm is not always the best or only way. I invite organizations to expand their definition of belonging and value and to create increased awareness around dialect bias.

    Human Resources and other groups involved in the hiring process and people management functions should put into place bias guardrails that push on hiring managers who may be discriminating against potential employees based on their dialect of English. The financial and cultural costs are too high to ignore. AAVE is English and should be valued and seen as such within institutions.

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    Nika White

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  • How to Close Your Wage Gap and Open Equity at Work | Entrepreneur

    How to Close Your Wage Gap and Open Equity at Work | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The wage gap might seem like old news, but things aren’t improving. For some populations, the wage gap has even widened since the pandemic.

    Women and people of color were disproportionately impacted by unemployment and more likely to experience an “earnings penalty” when returning to work. According to Payscale’s 2023 State of the Gender Pay Gap Report, women of color in particular experience the widest pay gap. For every dollar white men earn, American Indian women make 72 cents, Hispanic women make 79 cents, and Black women make 80 cents.

    This means that women of color are more likely to occupy lower-paying jobs or be paid less, even if their experience levels are identical. They’re also more likely to face hiring biases and become targets of discrimination, racially driven prejudice and reduced advancement opportunities. Is it any wonder that women have been exiting the workforce so much more than men?

    Pay equity is a key approach in combating how people are treated differently at work. You must first address any wage gaps to progress your diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Without pay equity, DEI goals are unreachable because old systems will limit the people you’re trying to help. That’s why 63% of organizations surveyed by Payscale are planning a pay equity analysis in 2023.

    By identifying and solving unfair salary distribution, your organization will become a more welcoming place with fewer barriers to attracting and retaining diverse talent. Here’s how you can close your wage gap:

    Related: 5 Ways Women Can Fight the Gender Pay Gap (Besides Asking for More Money)

    1. Acknowledge the reality of conscious and unconscious bias

    Even today, a lot of bias exists. This is especially true in recruitment. Many women and people of color are still overlooked for jobs and promotions. Case in point, from the Payscale report: Women are systematically penalized for résumé gaps (a common phenomenon among working mothers). They’re also less likely to get the chance to climb the corporate ladder as they age.

    Any kind of bias will present a roadblock to pay equity. Therefore, talking about bias and pinpointing instances of concern is essential. Listening to your employees is the first step in discovering where biases and inequities exist.

    Give employees a platform to provide anonymous feedback and ask questions to determine if and where they see growth opportunities. What is the company doing to support and uplift employees seeking upward mobility? Does everyone have equal access to those resources? Some biases may not be as clear depending on your position within the company. A good first step is asking the right questions.

    2. Undergo an annual pay equity analysis

    A pay equity audit compares how benefits and salary packages line up with outside industries across similar job roles and expectations. It’s impossible to have any pay equity impact if you don’t know your pay gap numbers. That’s why organizations conducting a yearly pay equity analysis are better positioned to measure and close their pay gaps.

    Unfortunately, only 47% of companies that conduct gender wage gap analyses release information about their performance, according to JUST Capital. Microsoft, for example, recently announced that it added to its pay equity analyses to review pay for women in its five biggest markets outside the United States. The company now reports salary ratios of 1.001 (with 1.00 being perfect parity).

    Remember that wage gaps aren’t just a pay discrimination issue; they’re an inclusive workforce issue. Being transparent about and resolving pay equity concerns enables your company to level out the playing field.

    Related: From Meta to McDonald’s, Here’s How Major Companies are Working to Close the Gender Pay Gap

    3. Encourage pay transparency to close existing pay gaps

    After noting where pay gaps and other barriers exist, you’ll want to address them. Not only does this take an investment of resources, but it also requires dedication. Shifting long-standing workforce cultures can be daunting. However, leaning into your DEI initiatives can help break the workplace biases stemming from long-held beliefs that no longer fit the current climate.

    You can better align yourself with the changing marketplace by encouraging people to talk about their pay. Although salary has long been treated as a taboo subject, being open about salaries can break down pay gaps by exposing pay inequity. It can also make your company more appealing to Gen Z.

    According to Beqom, seven of 10 Gen Zers say pay transparency is important enough to consider switching jobs. It’s nearly impossible for companies to ignore a glaring pay gap if everyone speaks up, which is one of the benefits of pay transparency.

    4. Normalize talking about pay gaps and pay equity

    When interviewing potential candidates, don’t shy away from talking about salary expectations. It’s only fair for candidates to advocate for a salary based on their years of experience, job function, broader market conditions and the regional cost of living. Embracing these early conversations will help you improve pay equity. And if you can’t meet a candidate’s expectations, you can explain why and develop a plan to reach their goal through measurable milestones.

    If you have direct reports, examine their salaries regularly, and alert your HR department if there’s a wage gap. The more motivated you are to be a champion for your team, the more you’ll influence others to follow your lead. Ultimately, you’ll help foster a diverse culture where no one fears retaliation or criticism when discussing wages.

    The wage gap is a real issue today, presenting roadblocks to achieving DEI success. However, if you work to achieve pay equity, you can make your organization a better place for all.

    Related: How to Drive Concrete Change in a World Where Unequal Pay Is Still the Norm

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    Claire Anderson

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  • DiversityInc Announces Its 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity

    DiversityInc Announces Its 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity

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    NEW YORK, May 4, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    DiversityInc, the preeminent source of human capital metrics, has released its 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list. The list recognizes large U.S. employers that model fairness in their talent strategy, workplace and supplier diversity practices and philanthropic engagement. The announcement was made live on May 2, 2023, at Cipriani Wall Street to more than 700 in-person and 1,300 virtual attendees. 

    Since 2001, DiversityInc has been assessing companies across a broad range of metrics, including leadership accountability, human capital metrics, talent programs, workplace practices, supplier diversity and philanthropy. The Top 50 list results are derived exclusively from survey submissions from employers with at least 750 employees in the United States. Companies are evaluated within the context of their own industries and on verified policies, practices and procedures. DiversityInc then uses subsets of the same data to determine its Specialty Lists of business verticals, population affinities and more.  

    “The DiversityInc Top 50 survey has become the go-to external validator for large U.S. employers that are committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Carolynn Johnson, CEO of DiversityInc. “These rankings represent evidence-based, superior human capital outcomes that are achieved only by data transparency and an unwavering commitment to workplace fairness for everyone.”

    Taking the top spot on this year’s list is Mastercard, followed by Medtronic, The Hershey Company, Toyota North America, and Eli Lilly & Company. 

    “A recognition like this is priceless. It reminds us as a company that we have a DEI strategy that’s on the right path and we have what it takes to move the needle. But there’s much more work to be done. Tomorrow we’ll jump back in the game to do what it takes to further strengthen our systems, our policies, and practices so that everyone who touches our company feels valued and respected and reaches their greatest potential,” said Randall Tucker, Chief Inclusion Officer at Mastercard.

    One hundred and fifty-seven employers, with roughly 8.3 million U.S. employees, submitted data to earn a spot on one of the lists. The entire Top 50 and other specialty lists can be viewed at https://www.fair360.com/top-50-list/2023/ or by following the conversation at #DITop50.

    The announcement event featured remarks from executives at Medtronic, Toyota, The Cigna Group, Mastercard, KPMG, The Hershey Company, Sysco Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly & Company, and more. Roy Wood Jr. served as the emcee, and Deon Cole was featured as the afterparty entertainment.

    About DiversityInc: DiversityInc’s mission is to educate the workforce and bring clarity to the business benefits of workplace fairness, equity, and inclusion. The organization has evolved to become the preeminent source of human capital data, education, and advice. DiversityInc is a VA-certified and veteran-owned business. The organization is led by a Black woman CEO. For more information, visit https://www.fair360.com/.

    For information about the Top 50 overall model with a Cronbach Alpha Reliability score of .93, visit https://www.fair360.com/methodology-for-diversityincs-top-companies-rankings/.

    Source: DiversityInc

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  • 5 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Are Privileged | Entrepreneur

    5 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Are Privileged | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As a Black woman entrepreneur, I’ve managed to run a successful diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) consultancy for the past six years. But I promise, it wasn’t easy. For me, becoming an entrepreneur looked like getting a doctorate in organizational leadership and working my way to owning a business. Despite the years I dedicated to my entrepreneurial journey, I still benefited from a level of privilege that many don’t share when it comes to entrepreneurship.

    I’ve talked for years about how Black women don’t receive the support or mentorship they need in the workplace to succeed as well as about the many ways Black entrepreneurs struggle in this space. But we should talk about the privilege that those of us who do succeed in business have. We should also talk about the reasons why people in marginalized communities start businesses from the beginning and how their entrepreneurial endeavors can be long-lasting and successful.

    The complexities of privilege in entrepreneurship are vast but worth discussing. We have to peel back the layers to discover how more entrepreneurs from marginalized communities can lift themselves out of poverty and into prosperity.

    Related: 18 Business Leaders on Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Society

    1. Having start-up funding is a privilege

    How will I fund my business? This question looms over many entrepreneurs. When 66% of them use their own money to start a business and another 33% start with less than $5,000, it’s a perfectly valid concern. This means that if they aren’t born with a silver spoon in their mouths, some folks have to look beyond their personal bank accounts to kickstart their businesses.

    Venture capitalists, friends, family or bank loans are funding options, but most of these come with serious strings attached. It’s a privilege to have access to these resources in the first place, but it can feel oppressive to have to ask, in general. Knowing that the loan you used to start your business will double, triple, or quadruple your personal debt is a daunting realization.

    I was fortunate enough that when I started my DEI consultancy, I didn’t have to struggle for funding. I had the privilege of having a husband who was ahead of me on his entrepreneurial journey. His business endeavors gave me the freedom to build my consultancy without the pressure of needing to contribute to our household income. Not everybody has that opportunity. Equitable access to funding for a business isn’t easy to find and every entrepreneur falls into a different place on the spectrum of privilege and oppression when it comes to funding.

    Related: 6 Ways to Offer Allyship to Black Entrepreneurs

    2. Having other entrepreneurs to look up to is a privilege

    Whether it’s a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, having someone in the family who is an entrepreneur helps make the dream of starting a business of your own feel more achievable.

    I didn’t have an entrepreneur in my family, but my husband did. His dad was the example that inspired a ripple effect of entrepreneurs in the family. Seeing his family members start, grow and scale businesses was inspiring to witness. As we all know, representation matters. Watching entrepreneurs who look like us experience the ups and downs of business helps us know our dreams are possible.

    However, if we have never seen entrepreneurs like us, it’s harder to imagine how starting and growing our businesses would be possible. For some of us, having access to a successful entrepreneur in our lives is a privilege that likely impacts the success of the businesses we hope to create.

    3. Having a college education before starting a business is a privilege

    As someone who received her doctorate, I’m in the minority of entrepreneurs: 62% of entrepreneurs have at least a bachelor’s degree while 7% have a doctorate or other degree. I also reap additional financial benefits as a result of my educational privilege. It turns out entrepreneurs with doctoral degrees earn 35% more than those with high school diplomas.

    But not all entrepreneurs have the privilege of going to college. Many people choose entrepreneurship because of the seemingly unlimited earning potential it promises, even those with only a high school diploma. For many marginalized folks who didn’t have access to college or university, entrepreneurship may feel like the only way to pull themselves out of their economic situation and into a brighter future.

    4. Having a business that lasts more than three years is a privilege

    Despite Black women being one of the fastest-growing demographics of entrepreneurs in the U.S., CNBC reported that eight out of 10 Black-owned businesses fail in the first 18 months. Having a great business idea and some funding to boost your journey will help; however, maintaining a business for more than five years is a rarity. Around 49% of women-owned businesses are less than five years old and as they approach the six to 10 year window, that number shrinks to 17.5%.

    There are many reasons why the privilege of business longevity isn’t afforded to all. Funding runs out, an unexpected business emergency shows up or the entrepreneur simply has a change of heart about their venture. Regardless of the reason, having a business that lasts decades is a privilege that some marginalized entrepreneurs only dream of.

    Related: 10 Reasons Why 7 Out of 10 Businesses Fail Within 10 Years

    5. Starting your own business can actually create privilege

    In light of the recent layoffs nationwide across many industries, now is one of the best times to try entrepreneurship. The main motivators for becoming an entrepreneur are the numerous ways it can grow and expand our financial and personal futures. Research shows that women who start their own businesses do so because they are ready to chase their passions and work for themselves.

    Entrepreneurs of color are starting businesses for similar reasons. Dissatisfaction with their boss and the lack of diversity, equity and inclusion in corporate America cause many to start their own businesses.

    Most importantly, for many entrepreneurs, their salary ambitions can reach whole new heights. While the average woman earns 82 cents for every dollar a man earns, the average woman entrepreneur earns 91 cents. Although a one-to-one earning ratio would be the best-case scenario, it’s clear that for many women, starting their own business helps them close the pay gap.

    The lifestyle and flexibility perks of entrepreneurship cannot be overstated either, such as working from home with hours that fit your schedule. The ability to parent or become a caregiver to someone you love or simply being able to avoid microaggressions, pay disparities and unequal treatment at work are all new privileges afforded by starting your own business. For many marginalized folks, this kind of economic and personal freedom is a dream that can only come true with entrepreneurship.

    Related: Why Paying Women An Equal Wage Helps — Not Hurts — Your Business

    Final thoughts

    As marginalized folks balance the pros and cons of becoming an entrepreneur, those of us who have already found success in this space should ask ourselves: What can we do to lift up more entrepreneurs from marginalized communities? How can we leverage our privilege and power to be sensitive to the issues that arise for new entrepreneurs? How can we fund and support them in the most critical stages of their business?

    In my opinion, successful entrepreneurs have an obligation to share their privilege with others and help more folks confidently enter into the entrepreneurial space. Say the names of new entrepreneurs in rooms that matter. Offer a loan or donate capital to entrepreneurs in marginalized communities. Mentor new entrepreneurs and flatten their learning curve so they can be more likely to thrive beyond the five-year mark.

    Sharing entrepreneurial wisdom and offering resources when available can help more women, folks with disabilities, queer and people of color reach entrepreneurial success and grow their careers beyond imagination.

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    Nika White

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  • College DEI Bans Are Showing Up in Republicans’ State Budgets. Not Everyone Is on Board.

    College DEI Bans Are Showing Up in Republicans’ State Budgets. Not Everyone Is on Board.

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    Each spring, Missouri’s legislature goes through the familiar ritual of passing a new state budget. This year, Republican lawmakers have mostly wrangled over just one thing related to higher ed: a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion spending by public colleges and other state institutions.

    The Missouri House wants to bar funding for DEI. The Missouri Senate does not. Both houses are controlled by Republicans.

    The House approved a budget amendment in March that would prohibit funding for “staffing, vendors, consultants, or programs” associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion. But similar language was unsuccessful in the Senate, after hours of debate that lasted until 3 a.m.

    The Senate proposal would have prohibited funding “for intradepartmental ‘diversity, equity, inclusion,’” as well as for “‘diversity, inclusion, belonging’” training, programs, staffing, and hiring. But key Senate Republicans said a DEI ban could have unintended consequences.

    The two chambers are scheduled to meet this week to hash out a compromise. Missouri’s legislative session ends on Friday.

    Legislatures in 20 states have proposed bills this year that seek to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on college campuses, according to The Chronicle’s DEI Legislation Tracker.

    Simultaneously, some lawmakers have tried a different tactic: leveraging the budgeting process to enact DEI bans.

    It’s not a new approach. Lawmakers often lobby to have their priorities wrapped into sweeping budget bills.

    The budget is the one must-pass item each session, and legislators may find it easier to tack on policy riders than to try to pass separate bills, said Robert Kelchen, a professor of higher education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

    More lawmakers have used this strategy in recent years, however, said Michael Harris, a higher-education professor at Southern Methodist University.

    “If you’re in a red state, your legislature is either doing this or they’re seriously thinking about doing this — that’s just the reality today,” Harris said.

    A ‘Job Killer’

    In several states, Republican-backed budget provisions that would curtail college DEI spending are facing opposition — including from other Republicans.

    Nearly 200 organizations voiced opposition to the Missouri House’s amendment in an open letter, citing “wide-ranging consequences” from economic concerns to health and economic disparities. “The budget language would jeopardize licensing and accreditation of programs critical to both the well-being of Missourians and our state’s economic competitiveness,” the letter states. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce called the proposal a “job killer.”

    State Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Republican who chairs the Missouri Senate’s Committee on Appropriations, has expressed concern that the DEI provision could “jeopardize” federal funding, as well as state agreements with some contractors and vendors. The ban’s vagueness creates uncertainty, Hough said last week.

    In Kansas, Republican lawmakers added a provision in the state’s budget bill that would have restricted public colleges from asking job applicants about diversity, equity, and inclusion. But the language didn’t make the final cut.

    Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, used a line-item veto to strike the DEI language on April 21. The Kansas House tried and failed last week to override her decision on that measure.

    South Carolina Republicans also considered, and ultimately voted down, a series of budget amendments that would have banned DEI spending at public colleges.

    While some conservative legislators argued that colleges shouldn’t be using taxpayer dollars to support diversity measures, others expressed concern that a blanket cut in funding would harm students by leading colleges to raise tuition. One lawmaker suggested that the state budget was not the right vehicle for targeting campus diversity programs.

    The Texas House and Senate have both approved anti-DEI language in their respective state-budget proposals, though the provisions differ slightly.

    The House plan would bar public colleges from using state funds for “unconstitutional” DEI programs. The Senate’s would prohibit spending money on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs or trainings.

    The Texas chambers will have to reconcile their proposals before May 29, when the legislative session ends. In addition, at least seven bills have been introduced in the state that would affect diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on college campuses, according to The Chronicle’s tracker.

    At the same time, Texas lawmakers plan to increase funding for other higher-ed priorities. Community colleges are slated to potentially see a $305-million increase, and another bill would support research efforts at institutions of higher education.

    “There’s a real dichotomy between these efforts to restrict DEI and also substantial increases in funding,” Kelchen said.

    Chilling and Demoralizing

    Even if the DEI spending ban doesn’t end up in Missouri’s final state budget, other legislation could target campus diversity efforts in the state.

    One bill would prohibit institutions from “enforcing a ‘discriminatory ideology’” that “promotes the differential treatment of any individual or group of individuals based on immutable characteristics of race, color, religion, sex, gender ethnicity, national origin, or ancestry” through requiring the submission of diversity, equity, and inclusion statements. Another would ban the instruction of “diversity-equity-inclusion ideologies or materials.”

    A representative from the University of Missouri’s Board of Curators declined to comment on pending legislation.

    The sheer volume of legislative proposals that would affect diversity, equity, and inclusion this year is overwhelming for colleges to keep track of and mitigate behind the scenes, Harris said.

    “It feels like you’re fighting this war on every single front — it’s attacking DEI, it’s attacking tenure, it’s attacking autonomy,” Harris said. “It’s so chilling and it’s so demoralizing, and what’s almost worse is that I think that’s the point.”

    As legislative debates continue this month, Harris said, it’s important to remember that many institutions have begun proactively making changes in diversity and inclusion programs in order to be risk averse — even if legislation doesn’t end up going into effect.

    “If that’s the case, then it almost feels like we don’t quite have our eye on the ball,” Harris said. “We‘re watching the crazy legislation, but if institutions are essentially voluntarily complying, well then it doesn’t matter if the bill didn’t pass.”

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    Eva Surovell

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  • Why Companies Are Failing in Their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts | Entrepreneur

    Why Companies Are Failing in Their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Companies care about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) because they know that a diverse workforce leads to greater innovation, creativity and overall success. However, despite this knowledge, many companies struggle to effectively implement DEI initiatives. In difficult economic times, it’s easy for companies to cut costs and put DEI efforts on the back burner. However, this can lead to consequences such as a lack of diverse perspectives and diminished employee engagement.

    Let’s explore why it’s crucial for companies to prioritize the success of their DEI leaders and equip them with the necessary resources and authority to foster an inclusive workplace. By doing so, companies can unlock the full potential of a diverse and empowered workforce. Our takeaways will provide practical steps that companies can implement to develop a successful DEI strategy that not only benefits the business but also supports the well-being and satisfaction of its employees.

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    Clair Kim

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  • Why Diversity and Inclusion Is So Important for Startups | Entrepreneur

    Why Diversity and Inclusion Is So Important for Startups | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Diversity and inclusion are essential components of a successful workplace in any organization. When it comes to startups, the importance of diversity and inclusion cannot be overstated. Startups need to be innovative, adaptable and flexible to succeed, and having a diverse workforce can help to achieve these goals.

    Diversity generally refers to the range of differences that exist among people. These differences can include race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion, education and culture, among others. Inclusion refers to an environment where all individuals feel valued, supported and included, regardless of their differences.

    For startups, diversity and inclusion involve creating a work environment in which everyone feels very comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas and perspectives without fear of discrimination or exclusion.

    Related: Why You Need Diversity on Your Team, and 8 Ways To Build It

    Benefits of diversity and inclusion in startups

    1. Better decision-making:

    A diverse workforce brings multiple perspectives, experiences and ideas to the table. This diversity of thought can lead to more creative solutions and better decision-making. When a team is composed of individuals with different backgrounds and experiences, they are better equipped to identify challenges and opportunities and develop innovative solutions catering to a broader range of customers.

    2. Increased innovation:

    Startups need to be innovative to succeed. A diverse workforce can generate new ideas and aids to create products and services that cater to a diverse customer base. When individuals from different backgrounds and experiences come together, they can combine their unique perspectives and expertise to develop innovative solutions.

    3. Better customer understanding:

    Businesses need to understand their customers to develop products and services that meet their needs. A diverse workforce can help startups to better understand their customers and cater to a broader range of people. A team of individuals with different backgrounds can bring unique perspectives on customer preferences, cultural nuances and societal dynamics. This can lead to products and services that are better tailored to customers’ needs.

    4. Better problem-solving:

    A diverse team is better equipped to identify challenges and develop solutions that cater to a wider range of people. Startups must be agile and adaptable; a diverse team is better suited to this task. By leveraging a team’s diverse experiences and perspectives, startups can develop solutions that cater to the unique needs and preferences of diverse customers.

    5. Improved employee engagement:

    A diverse workforce that feels valued and included is more likely to be engaged and committed to their jobs. When employees feel like they belong and that their contributions are valued, they are very likely to be productive and motivated to help the company succeed. This can lead to better morale and higher employee retention rates.

    6. Enhanced creativity:

    Diversity and inclusion help to create an environment that respects and embraces different perspectives, cultures and ideas. This can spur creativity and innovation, resulting in a wider range of ideas and solutions that may not have been generated through a homogeneous work environment. A diverse and inclusive workforce can open up a world of possibilities for startups, helping them to solve problems and face challenges in new and imaginative ways.

    7. Competitive advantage:

    Companies that embrace diversity and inclusion are very well positioned to attract and retain top talent. A diverse workforce that values different perspectives and experiences can help businesses to tap into new markets and cater to emerging customer needs. This can ultimately translate into a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

    8. Improved reputation:

    When startups prioritize diversity and inclusion, it can positively impact their reputation within the industry and in the eyes of potential customers. Companies seen as socially responsible and inclusive may be more attractive to consumers and can help build a positive brand image.

    9. Mitigating risk:

    Diversity and inclusion can help mitigate workplace risk by reducing bias and promoting fairness. When teams are composed of individuals from different backgrounds and experiences, there is less risk of groupthink, which can lead to poor decision-making. Additionally, promoting diversity and inclusion can reduce the risk of costly legal battles resulting from discriminatory workplace practices.

    Related: Diverse Teams Drive Innovation in Ways Homogeneous Teams Just Can’t

    Strategies for promoting diversity and inclusion in startups

    1. Embrace diversity in hiring:

    Startups must embrace diversity in recruiting and hiring to build a diverse workforce. This means looking beyond traditional recruiting methods and expanding the search for talent to include diverse communities. By recruiting from a wider range of backgrounds, startups can build a stronger team with diverse perspectives and experiences.

    2. Train employees on diversity and inclusion:

    Training is essential in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Startups should regularly train employees on diversity and inclusion best practices, including unconscious bias training. Employees should understand the importance of embracing diversity and creating an inclusive work environment.

    3. Create a culture of inclusion:

    Creating a culture of inclusion involves valuing and respecting all employees and fostering an environment where everyone feels very comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. Startups can achieve this by promoting transparency and open communication, providing opportunities for feedback and recognizing and celebrating diversity.

    4. Establish diversity goals:

    Startups should establish diversity and inclusion goals and measure progress against them regularly. By setting goals and tracking progress, startups can ensure that they are making progress toward creating a diverse and inclusive work environment.

    Overall, diversity and inclusion are essential components of a successful workplace in startups. A diverse workforce brings new perspectives, experiences and ideas to the table, leading to increased innovation, better problem-solving and a better understanding of customers. By promoting diversity and inclusion in recruiting, training and culture, startups can build teams that are better equipped to counter the challenges of an ever-changing business landscape.

    Related: Diverse Hiring and Inclusive Leadership Is How Startups Thrive

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    Chris Kille

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  • Hundreds of Students, Faculty, and Administrators Speak Out Against Ohio’s Proposal to Reform Public Colleges

    Hundreds of Students, Faculty, and Administrators Speak Out Against Ohio’s Proposal to Reform Public Colleges

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    Florida and Texas have drawn much of the national attention over lawmakers’ efforts to reform higher ed this year. But Ohio’s legislature hosted a dramatic, seven-hour committee hearing on Wednesday — in which hundreds of students, faculty, and administrators sought to articulate the consequences of lawmakers’ sweeping proposed changes to public colleges in the state.

    Introduced in the Ohio Senate last month, the 39-page SB 83 would ban mandatory diversity training, prohibit the use of diversity statements in hiring or admissions, and prevent higher-ed employees from striking. It could also have the effect of preventing institutions from funding diversity offices.

    SB 83 would also prevent institutions from accepting donations from individuals or institutions based in China, as well as require colleges to institute new post-tenure-review policies; use specific, state-mandated language in their mission statements; and post all course syllabi on their websites.

    The hearing, held by the state Senate’s Workforce and Higher Education Committee, drew over 100 professors and over 90 students, most of them undergraduates, and most of them testifying in opposition to the bill.

    A dozen college staff members and administrators voiced opposition, including the dean of Ohio State University’s College of Public Health. The Ohio School Psychologists Association argued that the legislation could cause all school-psychologist training programs in the state to lose their accreditation.

    Six people testified in support of the bill.

    Bobby McAlpine, undergraduate student-body president at Ohio State, said he commissioned a survey of almost 1,600 undergraduates, with 82 percent responding that they “do not believe that Ohio State faculty, staff, or administration seek to impose certain political beliefs on them.” Ohio State has about 47,000 undergraduates.

    According to McAlpine, 86 percent of student respondents said Ohio State’s DEI efforts were meaningful in some way. One respondent who answered that such efforts were not meaningful wrote: “Why should we have to learn about them anyway? They don’t even deserve to be here. Senate Bill 83 should be passed.”

    Such a statement shows that the legislation is having an impact on campus, McAlpine said. “We’re already seeing, in this huge survey size of people, that the language of this bill is clearly making students already speak out against people that look like me, against people that have marginalized identities,” he said.

    Potential Impacts

    At Wednesday’s hearing, Republican lawmakers spoke of the bill as a way to level the academic playing field for conservative students who, they said, are often scared to speak up in class or face retaliation for their opinions when they do.

    State Rep. Josh Williams, a Republican and proponent of the bill, said he had that experience while pursuing a law degree at the University of Toledo. During a class, he said, he expressed the opinion that the United States shouldn’t adopt an open-border policy. Later, Williams said, a law professor commented on one of Williams’s Facebook posts, saying that his views reminded him of the Nazi Party. Williams said he was also harassed by fellow students, both online and in class.

    On another occasion while attending law school, Williams said, a student with opposing views deliberately signed up to be his note taker (a disability accommodation enabled Williams to get notes taken for days he missed). But Williams said the student refused to take notes for him on the days he missed class. After he reported the student to the university, the note taker would copy down the law cases discussed in class only as they appeared in the textbook. An investigation was eventually opened into the notetaking, according to Williams.

    “I have personally been warned that I would be blocked for advancement in the space of higher education for expressing opinions widely accepted outside of academia,” Williams said.

    Students and others who opposed the bill expressed concern with its language surrounding “controversial beliefs or policies,” which some said could be construed to prevent factual scientific concepts, like climate change, from being taught.

    SB 83 would require faculty and staff to “allow and encourage students to reach their own conclusions about all controversial matters and shall not seek to inculcate any social, political, or religious point of view.”

    The bill defines “controversial beliefs and policies” as “any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate change, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.”

    It is unclear what would happen to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs if SB 83 is passed. The bill states: “No state institution shall fund, facilitate, or provide any support to any position, material benefit, policy, program, and activity that advantages or disadvantages faculty, staff, or students by any group identity, except that the institution may advantage citizens of the United States or this state.” (The Chronicle has included SB 83 in our interactive tracker of DEI legislation across the states.)

    A fiscal note on the bill’s financial impact — written by the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, a nonpartisan group that provides financial and policy analysis to the Ohio General Assembly — said that while passage of the bill could result in some cost savings for universities, it could also significantly increase costs.

    “Some of these provisions may marginally increase administrative costs for state institutions, while others will increase administrative costs more substantially. When taken as a whole, however, administrative costs may increase significantly, potentially resulting in the need to hire additional staff to handle the increased workload,” reads the analysis.

    The analysis also said that SB 83 would raise costs for the Ohio Department of Higher Education, which is funded by the state.

    Some students who testified against the bill said they are deliberately choosing to attend graduate school outside the state, and they believe other students will follow suit if SB 83 passes.

    “I applied to five of the best schools in the entire nation for my graduate field, and I got into every single one of them with funding to boot. All not in Ohio, because I am intimately familiar that this bill might actually impact my graduate education, and therefore, I am choosing to go elsewhere,” said Lalitha Pamidigantam.

    At Wednesday’s hearing, Sen. Jerry C. Cirino, a Republican and the bill’s primary sponsor, said SB 83 does not attack or weaken tenure.

    “I’ve had lots of dialogue with our university presidents about this subject, and they have made a strong case that eliminating tenure would be very disadvantageous for the state of Ohio, so this bill does not do that,” Cirino said.

    He was also adamant that the bill would not eliminate DEI programs.

    “DEI is not outlawed in SB 83. The mandatory nature of it would be,” Cirino said. He later added, “I’ve had a lot of questions from people who obviously haven’t read the bill, because” DEI is “not prohibited in SB 83. I’d just like to clear that up.”

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    Kate Marijolovic

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  • Does DEI Training Work? It Depends How Proactive It Is. | Entrepreneur

    Does DEI Training Work? It Depends How Proactive It Is. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The key question leaders are asking is: Does diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training work?

    The answer is not a simple “yes” or “no.” It depends on how the work is being positioned inside the organization.

    • Is it intentional?
    • Is it consistent?
    • Is it fully supported by senior leadership?

    DEI is ineffective when it is forced, the progress isn’t measured and it is not supported by senior leadership. However, when the commitment is intentional and consistent by leadership and measured over time, organizations experience results. They see higher rates of innovation, improved decision making and higher profitability than their industry peers.

    When DEI work fluctuates with the news cycle or DEI training is done as a check-the-box one-time approach, it can do more harm than good. DEI is not a short-term endeavor. Organizations that are proactive with DEI, weaving it into their strategy, addressing systemic issues and measuring outcomes see better results over time.

    Let’s compare the different approaches of two organizations that launched DEI initiatives.

    Related: Is Diversity Work Actually Helping or Hurting Businesses? The Answer Is Complex.

    Organization A: Reactive

    Reacting to events in the news cycle, they immediately sprang into action. Although timely, they overshadowed their efforts by making bold statements and donations to charitable causes aligned with newsworthy topics. The quick response and unclear messaging confused employees about why, suddenly, they were being forced to participate in DEI training and for what purpose.

    Organization A’s initiative backfired because the employees sensed that the organization was performing an empty, “check-the-box” initiative to tout that they were promoting DEI; without the intention to actually create an equitable workplace culture. They didn’t have the organizational baseline data necessary to build a strategic plan and measure the impact over time. Naturally, events in the news cycle faded — and so did the organization’s efforts. This led to a decrease in employee engagement and, unfortunately, resistance from employees to participate in future DEI endeavors.

    Organization B: Proactive

    In this case, members of the leadership team were intentional with their efforts. They surveyed the entire organization to uncover current perceptions of DEI (established a baseline), utilized a dashboard to measure impact over time, conducted listening sessions to garner support, and used all collected data to inform their initiatives. Organization B then built a strategic DEI communication program that featured consistent, “bite-sized” communications and monthly touchpoints for managers. Their outcome was successful and led to an increase, year over year, in DEI metrics, higher retention and promotion rates of employees in marginalized groups.

    From both case studies, reactive and proactive, we can surmise that reactive responses to news cycles or haphazardly assembled, performative initiatives designed to create an outward appearance of an organization being DEI compliant, fail to land and create further division, confusion and frustration with employees. Proactive planning and organizational leadership that presents a consistent and united front with their messaging are necessary for a successful DEI initiative.

    Related: How to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Your Workplace

    How to be proactive

    1. Be intentional

    DEI training needs to be tied to the overall strategy and embedded in the organizational culture. A strong DEI strategy answers what it means at our organization and why it matters here, now and ongoing. Get a baseline assessment of where you are at on the DEI journey and utilize the feedback to draft a mission statement that will drive the common purpose within the entire organization.

    2. Be consistent

    Once a clear mission statement has been crafted it should be prominent in every communication about DEI. By including it in all DEI-related communications over time, employees that may be skeptical or may not see the value in DEI will start to see how it shapes the employee experience. Often, the smaller bite-sized communications can meet people where they are at and build momentum for addressing systemic issues like pay equity and bias in hiring and performance processes.

    3. Gain full leadership support

    When leading DEI work, encourage everyone to fully participate on a consistent basis, especially senior leadership. Make participation highly encouraged or expected so that people feel psychologically safe joining and not forced. Involve folks in the process to gain buy-in early and often.

    Leadership should be clear, consistent, and united in their communications regarding DEI. Employees should have a crystal-clear understanding of the importance of the DEI initiative to the organization, what is expected of them, and why their participation is essential. The clarity in this message will also be a deterrent to anyone adamantly opposed to participating in DEI, as there is no room for dissension when the purpose is clear.

    Related: Is This Diversity and Inclusion Concept the Missing Link for Real Change?

    DEI training does work when it is intentional, consistent and fully supported by senior leadership. Yet, when it is reactive, and only done opportunistically as a part of the news cycle, it can be detrimental. Leadership that is proactive with DEI work wins over time.

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    Julie Kratz

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