How DEI Initiatives Are Adapting To Pushback

Benefits PRO recently released a piece that highlights an interesting perspective on the likely influence and prevalence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in the year ahead.

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The article notes that there has been a significant reduction in the scope and number of DEI programs across US companies over the past 2 years - in part in response to the additional calls for oversight and negative attention coming from some policymakers and legislators, as we have covered in previous blog entries.

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Even beyond the direct action that has been taken in opposition to some DEI initiatives, the resulting uncertainty surrounding the legal foundation and limitations set on diversity-encouraging efforts has had a chilling effect that has likely discouraged additional DEI exploration and investment more than just staying in line with the letter of the law.

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The author’s premise, however, is that these dynamics have resulted in a gap in the market, which creates an opportunity for forward-looking companies to bolster their DEI efforts and potentially not only reap all the benefits that diverse thinking, experience, and representation can bring to cooperative problem-solving, but reimagined and reinvigorated DEI programs can better position your organization to attract and retain a more diverse and currently underserved talent pool.

How Will DEI Programs Evolve In 2024?

Three of the top ways that DEI initiatives are expected to adapt and change over the coming year are through an increased focus on inclusion and equity, better integration into the overall business in a way that can be apparent from both internal and external perspectives, and increased adoption of AI to open up enable more opportunities for people with disabilities.

• Focusing on Inclusion and Equity: Given that some of the more contentious backlash against some DEI efforts was largely specific to the diversity component, additional emphasis and building out the more inclusion and equity oriented aspects of these programs makes a lot of sense. Some companies are taking a look at their existing policies and looking for ways to expand them to cover additional, complementary services or employee groups who may not have been considered when the policy was originally envisioned and enacted - for example, broadening fertility benefits to include adoption support and/or to apply to same-sex couples. 
• Ingraining DEI Companywide: To optimize the return on investment that can be gained through well-executed DEI programs including the talent-pool-broadening effect, these DEI efforts must be built into the company culture and operations so that people both inside and outside the company can see that these efforts are a priority, which is a necessary first element in order to maximize their impact. 
• AI Further Enabling People With Disabilities: Artificial intelligence seems well positioned to impact just about every aspect of life and business in the relatively near future, but one less discussed opportunity that AI will afford is to both increase inclusion and broaden the talent pool by making a much wider range of tasks and roles accessible to disabled people.

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You can read more about DEI initiatives and which ones your company should be prioritizing here.