Current events are tumultuous, and they have proven polarizing in the workforce. People are passionate about topics such as their political views, racial injustice, socioeconomic disparities in communities, and environmental sustainability. Historically, however, organizational leaders avoided conversations about these types of issues in the workplace, because they can quickly become divisive. That is no longer true because most current events today are integrated with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As a result, there is significant pushback against DEI programs and initiatives forming, because employees with perspectives on one side of the current events believe DEI principles are being forced on them and perceive them as threats. As organizations encourage people to bring their whole selves to work, in fact they are also encouraging them to bring their perspectives, concerns, and beliefs. Managers must develop communication skills that enable holding difficult conversations with employees in a way that is non-threatening but engaging, with the intention of increasing learning about the importance of DEI to fairness, social justice, and the long-term success of the company. Utilizing authentic DEI stories is one way to promote learning based on people’s lived experiences.
DEI Pushback is an Opportunity for Honest Conversations
Trisha Rai and Caitlin Dutkiewicz at Gartner, the global consulting and research firm, named two perceived threats that lead to DEI pushback. One is the threat to individual identity because people from the dominant group feel like they are being shamed and made to feel responsible for all the inequities in society and the workplace. They naturally get defensive. The second perceived threat is to social identity. Employees get a positive sense of self from their belonging in groups, and threats to a dominant group of any kind can lead to DEI pushback, due to fear of a loss of privilege and power. Pushback may lead to charges of reverse discrimination or being unfairly targeted for their identity. Though the Gartner authors wrote this in May 2022, their assessment is proving correct, as people in the dominant groups (including some corporate leaders) rethink DEI and begin to get defensive or find ways to pull back.
Holding conversations about DEI is not easy because they are conversations about identity, social inequality, lack of opportunities for certain people, and politics. The Civic Health Project report Depolarizing America: Promising Paths Forward discusses toxic political polarization and negative partisanship in society, and the issues are the same in the business environment. People harbor strong negative feelings towards those who are different, and prejudice leads to dislike or a desire to wish harm on those who are different. The researchers recommend a Four E’s Framework of expose, engage, educate, and elevate. Expose people to diverse information and perspectives, engage people across differences, educate people on how and why they have become polarized, and elevate how people see themselves and others beyond confining identities.
Login Here