The other week, I found myself in a room with a group of senior DE&I leaders, and the energy was… complicated. There was passion, yes, but also a palpable sense of fatigue. As we shared our experiences, a common thread emerged: Many of us are feeling the weight of shifting organisational priorities and growing resistance to DE&I initiatives.
From corporate star to controversial topic
It’s no secret that DE&I is facing some serious headwinds. Some leaders are losing interest, bumping it down their priority lists. There’s a growing undercurrent of resistance, with concerns that DE&I efforts might be creating new problems or amplifying existing ones.
With all this pushback, it’s easy to wonder: Is DE&I work coming to an end?
Here’s the thing, though: People still care – a lot! Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, made headlines for his public defence DE&I efforts: “There is nothing wrong with acknowledging and trying to bridge social and economic gaps, whether they be around wealth or health,” he wrote in a 2024 letter to shareholders. “We would like to provide a fair chance for everyone to succeed — regardless of their background. And we want to make sure everyone who works at our company feels welcome.”
And as NYU Law professors Kenji Yoshino and David Glasgow wrote for Harvard Business Review, “Too many people in too many major institutions – from corporations to government to academia – are committed to DE&I for it to simply disappear.”
DE&I’s infinite playlist: New tracks keep dropping
If we agree that the focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion is still incredibly important because we have not yet made the progress that we need to, the next question perhaps is, “When will we finally get there?”
As a DE&I leader, I’d love to put myself out of a job, but I don’t think that’s happening in my lifetime. Why? Because DE&I work isn’t just about moving a static needle – the entire landscape is constantly shifting.
Think about it – 20 years ago, we weren’t having conversations about neurodiversity or mental health in the workplace. When I started this work, LGBTQIA+ was just LGBT. And now we’re in one of the most generationally diverse workforces in modern history, with five-plus generation workplaces.
And just as our workplaces are becoming more diverse than ever, we are also becoming more disconnected than ever. Technology has replaced in-person conversations, political polarisation has eroded empathy and understanding, and an individualistic mindset has put the focus on nuclear families rather than communities. Human beings are thirsting for meaningful connection; in 2023, the US Surgeon General declared loneliness to be an epidemic, one that began even before the Covid-19 pandemic.
In this landscape, creating cultures of inclusion and belonging in the workplace is not just a nice-to-have, it is critical for employees and businesses to thrive. Leaders must be mindful not to roll back their progress on DE&I to its past state, or they will find themselves ill-prepared for the future. As long as humanity continues to evolve, so will our work in creating inclusive spaces for everyone.
Culture and strategy: The twin engines of success
We know that some DE&I pushback is political, and some comes from risk, but perhaps an even bigger challenge comes from, let’s call it… impatient disinterest. In some C-suites, the question seems to be, “If this is the furthest we’ve gotten, why are we still doing this?”
It’s true that we’re dealing with deep-rooted systemic issues, and change can feel painfully slow. But here’s where I think many organisations are missing the mark: They’re focusing on strategy without giving enough attention to culture.
Remember Peter Drucker’s famous quote? “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Let me break this down with a couple of examples:
- Recruiting underrepresented talent: Many companies have poured resources into diversifying their recruiting strategies. They’re partnering with historically diverse institutions, attending job fairs hosted by underrepresented groups, and broadening their candidate pools.
That’s great! But here’s the catch: If you bring in all this underrepresented talent and they don’t feel like they can be their authentic selves at work, guess what? They’re going to leave. All that effort you put into recruiting goes right out the window.
- Diversifying leadership: Another common focus is on diversifying boards and other leadership positions. Companies are implementing diverse candidate slates and revamping succession planning.
Again, this is important work. But let’s say you promote women and other underrepresented groups into these leadership roles. If they’re the only one in the room, if they don’t feel like they have a voice, if they’re not supported – they’re not going to be successful. You’ve checked a box, but you haven’t created lasting inclusion.
The power of inclusive culture
This is why the culture piece is so crucial. To make DE&I efforts truly sustainable, you need a culture that supports and nurtures the diversity you’re trying to cultivate. It’s not enough to bring diverse voices to the table – you need to create an environment where those voices feel empowered to speak up and are genuinely heard.
Building this kind of inclusive culture requires ongoing effort and a willingness to challenge assumptions. But it’s more than just training or adding to leadership to-do lists. True inclusivity means weaving DE&I principles into everyday operations – from hiring practices to decision-making processes. This systemic approach is what makes DE&I efforts stick in the long run.
The road ahead
Yes, the path forward for DE&I work is challenging. Yes, we’re facing resistance and setbacks. But the need for this work isn’t going away – if anything, it’s becoming more crucial as our workplaces become increasingly globalised and diverse.
So to my fellow DE&I advocates feeling discouraged: I see you. I feel your frustration. This is long haul work. But we know our work matters, and it’s shaping a better, more inclusive future for everyone. Keep pushing, keep learning, and remember that true change – the kind that lasts – takes time.
We’re not just moving needles here. We’re reshaping the very fabric of our workplaces and our society. And that, my friends, is worth every ounce of effort we put in.
