Window Dressing in DEI

How much of the work, effort and dollars spent in the world of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has actually produced real systemic change, leading to greater representation and diverse voices in the rooms where it counts most?

George Floyd was murdered one year ago this week. Since then, corporate America has issued more public statements, donated more money to social justice initiatives, read and researched more about racism, and created more platforms to discuss the challenges in the Black community than perhaps in its entire collective history prior to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. While the initial energy for progress in social justice and reform in society was inspiring, I have often questioned how much progress has continued as time has moved forward.

I have witnessed this progress firsthand. Recently, a potential client reached out asking how to attract more entry-level Black employees into their organization — one currently consisting of more than 95% white males, most of whom boast resumes featuring education from the best business schools in the nation and experience working in top-tier consulting firms. However, my delight was quickly tempered after I emphasized the need for creating an inclusive workplace — one where diversity is championed and supported- and sadly discovered the interest to put forth that type of effort was just not there. It became clear that this potential client was hoping for a simple blueprint, one outlining the path of least resistance to improve their public image. Their ideal scenario was essentially to make a showy point of holding a mass diversity hiring effort, pulling in just enough entry-level persons of color to boost their overall demographic profile by 3rd quarter.

As a DEI professional and a Black man, I can no longer be satisfied with or placated by self-congratulatory acts of window dressing like this. To legitimately make a lasting impact on equality and equity in the workplace, we must call out organizations that put forth good external statements but are not willing to answer the hard questions or truly get their hands dirty. We should no longer give organizations a gold star just for delivering a one-time tweet offering vague support, never to be followed up on. How can we challenge companies to take an honest look at if they are making a real impact through their DEI efforts, such as by asking:

• Are more POC moving into more middle and upper management positions, and are they gaining mentors and the relevant experiences to aid their career trajectory?
• Are White leaders pursuing one-on-one, authentic relationships with minority employees, becoming true sponsors and advocates who help provide greater access to professional opportunities?
• Are corporations truly listening when they are presented with established barriers, both large and small, that keep minorities from staying and succeeding in corporate America, and then taking specific actions to eliminate or counteract those barriers accordingly?

Not that there isn’t still a need for it, but perhaps there is too much of a sole focus on initiatives that make people feel heard. While overlooking the all important follow up of ensuring our voices lead to changes in policies, attitudes, decisions and actions that redefine the narrative and the reality. The protests connected to the Black Lives Matter movement prompted companies of all sizes to finally hear us say, “This is not fair. This is not equal.” Assuming that companies are still committed to social justice today, what will it take to begin fixing the problem? How many companies have truly defined the problems that they are trying to solve with a solid goal in mind?

Over the last 365 days, I lost count of the number of recruiters and senior executives of organizations who have reached out, asking for help to “make things right.” Yet, as I engaged in these dialogues, I was struck by how many companies had not given any thought to envisioning the change they wanted to achieve, or, like my potential client, they enacted surface level improvements — for example, hiring more minorities, but in roles too junior to have influence on senior management, organizational policies and practices, or a legitimate seat at the table.

Today, if you are a DEI service provider, it is likely that your calendars have been booked with endless staff trainings, strategy sessions, and consulting services for corporations and non-profits of all sizes. But, as DEI professionals, let’s take the brave step of doing a self-audit of the work that we are doing and ask ourselves, are we truly changing the landscape with our efforts, or are we happy to just collect a paycheck and recommend activities our clients find the most easily digestible, but that will ultimately leave them in the same shape a year from now?

As a DEI professional, be on the lookout for these potential signs of DEI window dressing:

• ERGs and BRGs with a limited role. Employee groups are often viewed as the first solution to DEI challenges. However, rarely are the companies’ decision makers allowing these groups the authority and power to enact change that leads to greater representation in roles that can help address the racial (or gender, sexual orientation, religious, or other identity) disparities. In addition, most people in positions of power (demographically still predominantly White, heterosexual males) are not engaged in these groups beyond executive sponsorship. We should also call out that employees in these groups are typically not compensated for the work and effort that they produce on behalf of supporting and building a better and more inclusive workplace culture.
• Unconscious Bias trainings that features great dialogue, but with no real action steps as follow up to make the ideas discussed a reality.
• Discussion circles or anti-racism book clubs that lack a call for action and a process to implement change.
• Mass hiring of director- and manager-level DEI leadership by corporations and organizations to put a band-aid on the issue (often without the power, authority, support or respect from other colleagues to impact change).
• Writing and presenting the “big” check — Is the company’s financial investment in support of external marginalized/oppressed communities greater than what’s reflected in their internal efforts? This is not to say that donations to external communities is not a positive contribution; however, if this is done in lieu of the company doing its own internal work then it could be window dressing in an effort to look like they are doing something without having to do the hard work themselves..
• DEI(B/J) is HR and not the business. I recently heard the statement from a mid-level manager that “this DEI stuff is an HR fad” that will eventually go away. In my personal experience, this is unfortunately not an uncommon point of view.
• Belief that hiring diverse people alone solves the problem. Hiring alone creates the potential for a revolving door of lost diverse talent if the workplace environment fails to be authentically supportive and inclusive.
• The lack of transparent OKRs, KPIs and other objective measurements of the current state of diversity, equity and inclusion in the company and a declared desired future state so that progress (or lack thereof) can be evaluated.

For companies, to paraphrase Hamilton, here are 10 things you need to know (not to mention, see and do in any worthwhile diversity initiative):

1. Designate more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) as people managers in decision-making roles within the organization. Invest in the development and advancement of your diverse employees with programs that provide them access to the skills, knowledge and actions needed to advance to higher level roles.
2. Give your DEI leader a seat at the table to make decisions — which means not just access to, but being a direct report of the CEO or a member of the senior management team with equitable compensation and decision-making power comparable to other senior leaders.
3. Invest in DEI coaching for senior management teams to support both their understanding of their employees’ personal journeys and their own commitment to doing the work that truly demonstrates support and impacts change..
4. LISTEN TO THE OTHER VOICES with an appreciative and empathetic ear — perhaps the perspective that makes you feel uncomfortable or ignorant is the one you need to hear, reflect on and embrace most.
5. Develop 1:1 relationships (not mentor/mentee) between senior leaders and minority mid-level employees to help improve mutual understanding and advocacy.
6. Stop patting yourself on the back for attending a training, hosting a discussion or reading a book. The training, discussion or book is a timewaster unless you implement what you read or heard.
7. Spread the wealth — no, literally — in who has stock, board seats or vested interest in your business. Also invest in minority-owned startups, vendors and contract workers.
8. Stop the double standard — just as you give White men the opportunity to grow into new roles for which they may not have all the experience needed, do the same or have the same attitude for others as well.
9. Stop creating job descriptions for C-level candidates that rule out diversity through the “qualifications” or overly specific required experience that 99% of ethnic minorities or women in your industry lack.
10. Create structures that get people out of their cultural identity silos to better connect, understand, learn from and support one another.

Biggest lesson of them all: If you are a DEI professional or a company, don’t take the job or begin a superficial effort if the company and its leadership are not willing to do the work and make the required changes. I was interviewed by another potential employer last fall for a newly created role to oversee diversity efforts. As I spoke with the CEO, COO, and CFO, they came to realize that they were simply not ready for the work and commitment required to make the change needed. While not exactly the ideal result of a job interview, I respected and appreciated their candor and self-awareness. Their honesty was a refreshing change from the tacky window dressing I see way too often.

Do you have other ideas of how to make a real impact in DEI? Please share your comments or send your thoughts to comments@creativeoutreachllc.com