Encouraging diversity while avoiding divisiveness

Employer focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), however well intentioned, needs to be handled properly, or it may have a detrimental effect on the workforce. While many employers promote DEI as “the right thing to do,” it’s essential for DEI success and acceptance that the right thing isn’t done the wrong way.

Factors to consider

First, it’s important to think about diversity as more extensive than a focus on protected classes. The enrichment within a diverse workforce is more than the primary areas of focus—race, gender, and sexual orientation/identity. Expand your thinking of what’s considered diverse to include interests, education, political beliefs, family background—in essence, the great variety of personal experiences that help to enrich the workplace.

Next, be careful of making specific goal targets based on protected classes. There are two primary reasons for this. First, it may signal to others in the workplace that those selected were chosen to meet the goal and not because of their qualifications. Specific goals may create the impression that promotions and other workplace opportunities aren’t awarded based on merit. Creating goals based on protected class may also give the impression that those selected couldn’t achieve that opportunity on their own merit. This has been referred to as “the soft bigotry of low expectations.”