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Fast Company
2 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
5 habits that are making you a worse leader
Being an effective leader requires a matrix of skills and abilities working in tandem. The ability to foster hope, cultivate trust, and motivate people to action can make a difference in its ability function effectively and retain employees— 80% of employees responded that they'd stay in a job because they have a manager they trust. And no small part of the ability to lead is executive or leadership presence. A well-publicized study by Coqual (formerly the Center for Talent Innovation) found 'executive presence'—looking and acting the part of a leader—makes up 26% of what it takes to ascend to top jobs. 'If I was to boil everything down, the two fundamental core principles of good, successful, solid leadership is strong and unquestionable authenticity and trust,' says executive and leadership development coach Serena Palmer. However, there are some common behaviors and habits that undermine those leadership essentials. Palmer and other experts say being aware of them is the first step to correcting them. Shifting from 'me' to 'we' Some leaders—especially those who are new to their roles and may be feeling insecure—have trouble shifting from individual contributors who need to toot their own horns to get ahead to being a leader and responsible for a team's performance, says leadership expert and coach Emily Walton. This can take a few forms, she says, including emphasizing your own importance in a situation, micromanaging, and failing to give credit to others for the team's success, she adds. 'Sometimes, people will take these actions because they might be feeling insecure about themselves in their role or [about] their contributions,' she says. 'When you shift into leadership, it's a 'we' thing, and you want to do that because it strengthens your network, and it also strengthens the trust that people have in you: that you're going to speak up for them, whether they're in the room or not, and that you're honest and authentic.' Avoiding the tough parts The Coqual survey found that 'gravitas' was the number 1 factor in leadership presence, according to 67% of respondents. Key components of gravitas include exuding confidence, showing grace under pressure, and speaking the truth, even when it's difficult. One of the quickest ways to erode the trust of your team, Watson says, is people-pleasing, especially when it comes to making tough decisions and standing up for your team. 'If you're constantly trying to please everyone else, it's going to frustrate your team, and it's also going to frustrate your colleagues, because they're not going to know where you stand, and you're no longer dependable,' she says. Another version of this behavior Palmer calls, 'don't shoot the messenger.' In other words, when difficult decisions are made or bad news surfaces, the leader abdicates responsibility for the decision or news, saying it was someone else's to make, she says. In other cases, the leader just avoids making a decision, such as allowing bad behavior on a team to continue rather than addressing it head-on. Both 'undermine authenticity of the leader, and again, you will lose people that way,' she says. Being busy without impact Wearing 'busyness' as a badge of honor without making a significant impact is another action that will erode the trust and confidence of teams in their leaders, says personal branding expert Nicole Hart. When someone is proclaiming how busy they are and the results of that work aren't evident, 'the people around you or your superiors are going to be like, 'Oh, I don't have the faith that I can put more on their plate,' she says. 'And so, it kind of decreases faith for leaders when I think people are actually trying to do the opposite.' Hart adds that insecure leaders may do this to this to try to solidify their place as 'necessary' to a company or organization. However, effective leaders know how to prioritize where their efforts are best devoted. Spewing negativity Chronic negativity can also wear on a leader's presence, Hart says. Bringing up negative personal issues when they're not relevant, being cruel or overly negative when giving feedback, and even being negative about your own ideas as you pitch them, all damage credibility and relationships with the team. 'Leadership requires vision. Vision requires the ability to see untapped, positive opportunity. Negative leaders can't inspire innovation or loyalty,' Hart says. Avoiding vulnerability Walton says that communication issues like being a know-it-all and an inability to apologize can also undermine leadership presence. Similarly, an inability to show vulnerability can do the same, says Palmer. 'By not doing that, you don't give permission for people in your team to be able to have a safe space to share whatever it is that they're having difficulties with,' she says. Leaders who feel like they may be undermining their own leadership presence should try to get to the root of why trust is being lost, Walton says. Own up to it and then, 'outline what you're going to do differently and then actually do it,' she says. 'Otherwise, it's just lip service, and that's not going to change how people feel.'
Forbes
3 days ago
- General
- Forbes
Allyship Is Leadership: Why People With Power Are An Untapped Resource
Flat vector illustration. Coqual, a research firm focused on inclusion, published the 'What Majority Men Really Think About Diversity and Inclusion' report to help understand how dominant group members felt about diversity and inclusion. Their report revealed an interesting finding. In response to the question, 'How important is diversity and inclusion to you at work?' only 10% said it was not important at all, 48% responded not very or somewhat important, with 42% saying very or extremely important. Coqual labeled these groups accordingly: 10% detractors, 48% persuadables, and 42% true believers. Based on this data, dominant group members appear to be open to diversity and inclusion, despite the perceptions of backlash and corporate retreat. The motivator for these persuadables: leaders who buy into the value proposition of diversity, inclusion, and the core tenets of allyship are 62% more likely to occupy the C-suite. Coqual's findings are consistent with qualitative data my team has gathered in listening sessions or focus groups. We have facilitated these sessions with middle management in organizations to help understand their perceptions of diversity and inclusion. The primary barrier for allyship is the lack of time or prioritization by the organization for them to attend allyship training or Employee Resource Group inclusion programs, followed by a lack of clear direction on what to say or do, resulting in inaction. These hopeful allies often want to be inclusive yet struggle to prioritize the time necessary to educate themselves and show up intentionally and consistently. Allyship Benefits As a social species, humans feel pressure to conform to social expectations, to be helpful and valued by the community. It was and still is necessary for our survival. We have evolved through being in groups and cannot survive alone; we need each other. Allyship principles hit this deep primal need to be relevant to others, to belong, to be a part of something bigger than us. Mental Health America's research indicates 'that those who consistently help other people experience less depression, greater calm, fewer pains, and better health. They may even live longer.' If you want to be happier and live longer, start with relationships. Try being a better ally. The benefits of allyship come in two primary forms, the human case and the business case, or research-backed evidence that diversity and inclusion lead to better outcomes. The human case is more emotional and stickier. It starts by examining your core values, your personal and professional relationships, and your own experiences with people of different backgrounds and lived experiences. In Potentia Talent Consulting Limited's February 2025 Male Allyship survey, they found the primary benefits of allyship were increased trust, connections, and ability to work across different cultures. In a fast-paced global economy, these skills are revered. In my allyship workshops, I usually share my ally why as an example. Allyship is personal for me. As a mother of a child with autism and an LGBTQ+ child and mental health issues present in my family, allyship is a way of life. I want the world to be fairer and more inclusive for my family. I also share a story about my daughter drawing a picture of her playing with a friend. It was the summer of 2020, the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, and we had just gotten a box of the new culturally diverse skin tone crayons. Jane, six years old at the time, drew a child of color asking them to be her friend, unprompted. When I inquired about the drawing, she simply replied, 'I want friends that are different from me.' Allyship in principle is so simple, children get it intuitively. It's as we age that we unlearn our curiosity and this deeply primal need for connection. As you reflect on your personal ally why, consider both the human case and the business case. I find that both are critically important to center in your allyship journey. One of my clients, Forté Foundation, an organization that promotes gender equality and allyship in higher education, has led a men as allies program since 2016. One of the first activities they recommend to senior male executives is conducting an interview with someone with different identities from themselves. Hundreds of alumni over the years have validated that this activity was most impactful for them as an ally. In their program, Forté recommends that the man ask a woman in their life about their personal experiences with their gender identity through a series of semi-structured open-ended questions that start with what or how. Consider facilitating a conversation with someone different from yourself by asking: A strong word of caution here. Please do not interview someone you have not already built trust with; it may have a negative effect on the relationship. Also, do not only talk to your children, especially your daughters. Having a daughter is one reason to be an ally, but it needs to go deeper than that. The business case for diversity and inclusion is strong. McKinsey & Company is best known for their bi-annual Diversity Matters report. Since 2015, they have reported significantly higher probabilities of higher profitability associated with diversity and inclusion. Their 2024 report found a 39% higher chance of profitability with a gender and ethnically diverse leadership team compared to industry peers. What other opportunity in business could give you this type of return? The caveat is that diverse representation is not enough to achieve these outcomes. The organization also needs to have an inclusive environment to fully feel this impact. Diversity does not work without inclusion. Thus, the need for allies. Boston Consulting Group's study on How Diverse Teams Boost Innovation's biggest takeaway is a 'statistically significant correlation between the diversity of management teams and overall innovation. Companies that reported above-average diversity on their management teams also reported innovation revenue that was 19% higher than that of companies with below-average leadership diversity: 45% of total revenue versus just 26%.' In a hypercompetitive world where it is easy to copy a product, service, or price overnight, an inclusive culture is much more of a sustainable competitive advantage. It takes time to build and maintain an inclusive culture, making it difficult for a competitor to copy quickly. Perhaps the strongest evidence we have for the business case for diversity and inclusion is the newest generation entering the workforce: Generation Z. Born 1997 to 2012, Gen Z is unlike previous generations that were less likely to question authority and abide by workplace norms. They were raised in a much different environment. Growing up in the height of immigration in the United States, there is no majority race for Gen Z and they increasingly see gender as fluid or a continuum rather than a binary. The world is not black or white or women or men to them. I teach a class on inclusive leadership at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, and my students teach me that they were raised in a diverse environment and expect inclusion of differences. That is an important distinction for leaders who hope to be relevant to future consumers and employees. study validates this with 83% of Gen Z prioritizing diversity and inclusion when deciding where to apply for employment. Allyship is about relevance. There is also a misperception that diversity and inclusion is costly and only benefits certain groups. More often, what works better for some people works better for all people. When curb cuts went into effect in 1990 with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, bikeriders, stroller users, and small children also benefited, not just people in wheelchairs. Closed captions for people with hearing disabilities also benefit others who are visual learners. Texting was initially intended for people with hearing disabilities and now is a widely used form of communication we all benefit from. Despite its lack of popularity and the Supreme Court overturning affirmative action in 2023, white women benefited the most from affirmative action, receiving 63% of diversity and inclusion leadership roles over the time period it was administered. Inclusion rarely impacts a small group of people; it often benefits dominant groups too. Oppression hurts everyone, not just historically marginalized groups. Citigroup found racism costs $16T due to systemic issues of redlining affecting lending, wages, and housing. This hurts everyone when some groups are not able to fully participate in society. Making environments more neuroinclusive also benefits neurotypical people who also experience sensory overload. Homophobia and transphobia limit the ability to serve a $1T LGBTQ+ market. Just because you may not agree with or even fully understand someone else's identities should not prevent you from trying to be an ally. I will forever be an ally in training, as someone who has studied and taught inclusion for over ten years. Allyship SWOT Analysis At this point, I realize I have made a big assumption that you are ready to be an ally. If you have processed your fears and acknowledged that your power is a way for you to be helpful, you are likely ready for allyship. If you still are harboring fears or are unconvinced of the power you hold, maybe hit pause before moving forward. Performative allyship often creates more harm than good. Ally is not a perfect term. To act as an ally, you do not need to call yourself an ally. In fact, it is ill-advised to self-proclaim to be an ally. Allyship is in the eye of the beholder. Consider labeling yourself as an aspiring ally to help marginalized communities know you are open to support and sharing your power. There is no consensus on what we call people who are helpful to others who are different from themselves. I have conducted two informal polls on LinkedIn with this question in mind, what do we call people who help others different from themselves, in 2017 and 2025 and got mixed results both times. There is no one preferred word, with the most votes going to call them nothing at all or simple terms like 'good human.' People also prefer manbassador, accomplice, femannist, or advocate, yet there is no consensus on the word we use. I'm indifferent on what we call it, but we do need language to describe this behavior. If allyship was more common, I would agree we wouldn't need a word for it. The reality is we need language to describe these concepts. Without language, meaning is lost. Leadership has been well researched and studied. In 2016, Deloitte coined the six signature traits of inclusive leadership: cognizance or self-awareness, curiosity, cultural intelligence, commitment, courage, and collaboration. Rarely are leaders effective at all of these trades. Usually, there's a basket of strengths and those that you might choose to develop. In fact, self-awareness is shockingly low for leaders, with 85% of people claiming to be self-aware and only 15% have achieved that status, according to research by Dr. Tasha Eurich, an organizational psychologist and author. The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) measures cultural competency using five stages of development for inclusive leadership or allyship. Reflect on this continuum and be honest about where you might be now. Most people progress through these cultural competencies at their own pace. For some, the human case and business case can accelerate the process through denial and polarization. That is where fear and refusal to acknowledge power live. Having a strong why is essential before doing the work of acceptance and adaptation. Be honest about the stage that you are currently occupying, and remember you may occupy different stages in considering different identities or lived experiences of others. There are no shortcuts or fast forward buttons, as allyship is a practice. 'Success' might be considered not naming yourself as an ally, but rather being called an ally by someone in a community you want to impact. It's important to acknowledge each phase as a chance to be in an ally and realize that people can move toward greater skill, and move back to learning mode again, when they encounter challenges. The agility, humility, and curiosity of the aspiring inclusive leader is the key. One of my favorite exercises to facilitate as a part of an allyship program is what I call an allyship SWOT analysis. Like business, the S stands for your personal strengths, W represents your personal weaknesses, O's are opportunities to leverage your strengths, and T's are threats you need to mitigate for your weaknesses. Reflect on previous chapters, thinking about your fears as your weaknesses and access points to power as your strengths. Complete your allyship SWOT with guiding questions below: We know that with exposure to diversity, an inclusive mindset usually follows. Psychologists call this 'exposure therapy,' where they attempt to get their patients to increase their exposure to experiences they are fearful of to help lower their fear and anxiety through exposure over time. For diversity, this can also work when done intentionally, consistently, and gradually over time. For many Americans, university or their first job is their first experience with diversity. For me, that was my first corporate job working as a warehouse supervisor. For the first time, I was working with people from vastly different backgrounds, racially, culturally, and socioeconomically. At first, I felt those differences viscerally. I was anxious and fearful. Over time, as I got to know people as humans, I learned to embrace those differences. It made our team stronger. We ultimately won the coveted chairman's award for our team's engagement, a 95% score where industry averages hovered around 70%, an achievement that we would not have had without a diverse and inclusive workforce. Employee engagement is highly correlated with business performance. Highly engaged teams are 21% more profitable than organizations with low levels of engagement. Engaged companies grow profits up to three times faster than their competitors. As an ally, lean into your strengths and try to overcome your weaknesses. Expose yourself proactively to people and experiences that are different. It will make you a better ally, and a more effective leader. Allyship Is Leadership Reflect when you have been a part of a diverse and inclusive team, weren't the outcomes better? If you are unsure, this is what it looks like when you have a diverse and inclusive group: Allyship is leadership. There is no shortage of leadership books. Most focus on the importance of being self-aware and leading by example, self-awareness about understanding our lived experiences and biases. Because most of us have affinity bias ('like me' bias), we also have networks that are like us. Ninety five percent of people have like-me networks and 90% of people hire people from their networks, according to HubSpot research. Hiring managers are more likely to choose people they would like to have lunch with versus objectively qualified for the job. This is an opportunity for improved leadership through allyship. This reinforces the need for allies to broaden networks and grant equitable access to power and resources. The time is now to address this most certain business problem. Inclusion is non-negotiable for Generation Z. I have frequent conversations with my business school students and can tell you with certainty that younger generations were raised to care about and discuss social issues, and that does not stop in the workplace. Like a cake that has already been baked, inclusive values are inside Generation Z; there is no removing it. If you want to be relevant to future generations as a leader, consider this your call to action to allyship. What small step will you take today to share your power? August 8 is International Allyship Day. Celebrate and engage people with power in allyship and inclusion.
Forbes
29-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
DEI Is Still a Business Advantage—Here's Why It Matters
Concept of treatment and adjustment of DNA molecule. Despite public backlash and perception, DEI work persists because most teams are global, and firms don't want to lose out on the international market. Understanding diversity, equity, and inclusion issues is essential for team excellence. In my interview with Melissa Ng Goldner, the Head of Strategy at Coqual, she leads the organization's enterprise-wide approach to embedding equity, inclusion, and belonging into systems that drive business outcomes, she cited that 84% of their members are still doing DEI. Ng Goldner sees organizations shifting their language, realigning DEI to business outcomes, and measuring the impact rather than withdrawing altogether. She recommends leaders think about how to weave DEI into the DNA of your organization, embedding it into the culture, versus making it a standalone entity that is much easier to dismantle. Language Shifts, Meaning Does Not Common language shifts Ng Goldner sees are calling renaming DEI activities essential leadership skills, talent strategy, retention, and innovation. DEI was always about skill development to attract and retain the best talent to stay relevant and innovative. This reframe is not diluting the work; it speaks to the impact of the work. 'DEI is not the problem, it just has a branding problem,' Ng Goldner said. These subtle pivots in language bring more allies into the conversation. They speak to the issues that matter to them and incentivize behavior to support them instead of polarizing them. Align to Business Outcomes With more precise language around business outcomes, DEI can further be woven into the DNA of the firm. Common business outcomes that organizations experience with DEI are higher revenues, improved decision-making, and profitability. Yet, the clear connection to DEI is not always clear. By eliminating bias in your hiring processes, the organization was able to broaden the talent pool for open opportunities and hire more robust talent. What is that worth to the organization? Or, perhaps your team conducted an inclusive leadership program for high-potential employees and was able to promote several into senior leadership roles, saving onboarding time and equipping them with the skills to be successful. How could you quantify the impact on the organization? Measure the Impact Ng Goldner recommends that organizations gather data on proactive measures of inclusion instead of reactive metrics. Organizations can measure psychological safety data as a precursor to inclusion. What is the comfort level with feedback or candid conversations, for example? This can be more helpful than measuring lagging high-level data like retention, hiring, and promotions. 'Look for the smoke signals that warrant investigation. For example, who leaves after the performance reviews? These are indicators that a process, person, or team might need support,' Ng Goldner asserted. Rather than bold proclamations, little speed bumps or pivots can often be more impactful. Ng Goldner asks leaders to challenge bias in decision-making frameworks. Pause decisions to reflect on: who benefits, who is burdened, and who might be missing. Make it a requirement to ask these reflection questions before making big decisions like new policies, products or services, or processes. Look for where the data shows the biggest gaps. What voices are heard in decision making, who fills the high visibility roles, and who are you developing and designing for? 'DEI is not a stand-alone event. It needs to be baked into every decision-making process. When DEI is baked into the DNA of your firm, it is like gum in your hair; you cannot remove it,' Ng Goldner cited. DEI work continues despite public backlash, as most teams are global and firms aim to maintain access to international markets. Organizations are shifting language, realigning DEI to business outcomes, and measuring impact to weave it into their core operations rather than treating it as a separate initiative.
Forbes
11-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Stealth Mode DEI: The New Normal in Workplace Inclusion?
Stealth Fighter Jet Aircraft Flying Low Overcast Day 3d illustration 3d render 2025 has seen a wild swing in sentiment on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work. To learn more about where DEI is, I spoke with Dr. Poornima Luthra, professor at the Copenhagen Business School. Dr. Luthra calls herself a 'realistic optimist' about the future of DEI. 'When America sneezes, the world catches a cold,' Dr. Luthra said. During this decade, she has seen the pendulum swing from active and transparent participation in corporate diversity, equity and inclusion activities to quieter, more 'stealth mode' participation. Stealth mode, known best in the gaming industry, is about not being noticed, or purposely being secretive, until deciding when or if to become more visible. The stealth mode for DEI can mean doing the work quietly, often without drawing unnecessary attention to it. Littler's research also confirmed that the biggest action corporate leaders were taking in DEI in 2025 was to minimize their public facing messages. Coqual recently published a report, 'What Majority Men Really Think About D&I,' where they found that the majority of men are persuadable on issues of diversity and inclusion (48%) and only 10% were detractors (or naysayers). This means that most of our allies are in the moveable middle, where they are open to issues of inclusion. Stealth mode helps us meet this moveable middle where they are at, covertly doing impactful DEI work. Dr. Luthra says stealth mode DEI is about embedding DEI into the full employee experience from hiring to onboarding to performance to marketing. Dr. Luthra recommends reviewing language in job postings and descriptions to remove bias, casting the net wider on different job sites and only listing genuine requirements for the job. Dr. Luthra contests, 'we tend to focus on what has made people successful in the past, which are nice to have. Focus on the must haves. If you have hired someone without these qualifications, it is not a qualification. To embed DEI stealth mode style, consider anonymizing your short-list candidates, and preempt bias in interviews with diverse slates of interviewers. Neurodiversity affects nearly 20% of job candidates. The question leaders need to ask is how can we make it more hiring more neuro-inclusive? For example, Dr. Luthra works with organizations that interview while doing Legos together or walking interviews for those that do not prefer eye contact. When in doubt, ask for input on how the interview is done. The candidate will perform better if they feel comfortable, which is a win-win for both the organization and individual. DEI stealth mode could also look like embedding inclusion principles in onboarding. First impressions are critical to reducing turnover and promoting long-term careers at the organization. If you are diversifying where you are sourcing talent, you need to think about onboarding differently too. Dr. Luthra suggests organizations extend onboarding for those individuals from different industries or those with different backgrounds than traditional employees. There may be implied assumptions that center on the industry or dominant group thinking. Be sure to explain the implied culture or norms in practical terms and be clear on expectations at the 30-60-90 day marks. Pretend you were learning about your industry or organization for the first time: What would you want to know? In Europe, where Dr. Luthra practices, organizations regularly analyze pay equity data and correct any gaps. There is pay inequity beyond gender, which is also important to consider if you have self-identification at your organization. As for performance, having objective criteria for evaluations and promotions is another stealth mode DEI practice. Oftentimes, there is biased or different feedback for historically marginalized groups. For example, women tend to get more performative feedback on appearance or personality, whereas men are more likely to get constructive feedback on their performance, which helps them improve over time. Make pay equitable, and performance objective and feedback fair. It helps everyone do a better job, and this is legal DEI. This is where the lack of DEI can be costly. Making a big mistake by being unintentionally non-inclusive has severe, lasting consequences. I worked with a client that was a baby formula startup. As they started to scale, they made marketing decisions very quickly to adapt to shifting consumer needs, often without consulting a diverse array of people first. On one occasion, they had a photo shoot set up with cotton overtly featured in the background which can be triggering for Black people or people whose ancestors were enslaved. Luckily, someone commented on the problem and it was fixed before the shoot. Mistakes like this can harm a brand's reputation long term. Diverse voices involved in decision-making are good for business. Dr. Luthra also recommends stealth mode DEI through inclusive design. 'The reality is that customers are diverse. We are all designing for a breadth of customers. It would be silly to not include them in the process.' If you are pivoting to stealth mode DEI, you are not alone. Dr. Luthra also recommends pivoting to meritocracy. Despite its embrace by conservatives, DEI has always been meant to ensure merit-based decisions. She recommends asking, 'What would it take to design a process to ensure there is merit?' Whether we enter a new normal of stealth mode DEI or the pendulum swings back to bold proclamations, be sure your work is genuine, consistent and intentional. The world is diverse. It needs inclusion and equity as the goal.
CNN
05-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
How your private-sector workplace may change under Trump's anti-DEI directives
Private-sector employers have spent the past six weeks trying to parse the clear-as-mud implications of an executive order from President Donald Trump deriding what he classifies as 'illegal' diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) 'discrimination and preferences' — as well as a memo from US Attorney General Pam Bondi that 'encourage(s)' companies to 'end' such 'illegal' practices upon threat of being investigated. On top of that, companies now have to factor in the implications of a February 21 preliminary injunction that blocks three provisions in the administration's DEI directives. What all of this will mean practically for you as a private-sector employee or job seeker is not entirely settled, nor will it be uniform across employers. Much will depend on the position that leaders in your company take and the laws in your state governing DEI-related issues. But here is a look at some of what has started to happen and what further changes you might expect, especially at employers that have federal contracts with the government. No one knows exactly what the Trump administration is referring to when it warns it won't tolerate 'illegal' DEI efforts, since many things that are mistakenly conflated with DEI — like quotas — are already illegal. And neither Trump's order, nor Bondi's memo, change existing anti-discrimination laws. As 16 attorneys general from blue states put it in a guidance letter to businesses operating in their states, Trump's order 'conflates valid and legal programs and practices supporting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility with unlawful preferences in hiring and promotion.' Nevertheless, employers have already started making moves in anticipation of possible scrutiny from the administration. For instance, rather than using the term DEI, you will hear employers instead discuss their desire to foster 'inclusion' and talk about how an inclusive culture is an integral part of their 'talent strategy.' And, experts say, when the topic of diversity comes up, employers are likely to discuss it in the broadest terms. So it won't just be about legal protections from employment discrimination on the basis of certain characteristics — for example, race, national origin and gender — but also things like neurodiversity and geographic diversity. 'Diversity is about how do I make sure my policies and practices are opening doors (for people) and not closing them. Whether you call it DEI or not, it's just good leadership,' said Jennie Glazer, CEO of Coqual, a firm that does research and advises companies on how to create inclusive workplaces. 'The words may change, but the work is still happening.' If that is the case, however, companies might need to convey that very clearly to their staff. A survey taken in January by SHRM, the leading HR association, found that among respondents who had indicated that their employer had scaled back on DEI, 63% said it has affected their confidence in their employer's commitment to it. After Trump was elected, and especially after he signed his DEI executive order, some employers closed their DEI programs and laid off the employees working on them. Going forward, companies are less likely to hire for jobs with DEI titles. But for those with professional DEI experience looking for work, that doesn't mean your talents aren't still needed. DEI may no longer be a separate department, but companies are aware that fostering diversity gives them a competitive edge. 'The workforce is highly diverse,' said Anuradha Hebbar, president of CEO Action for Inclusion and Diversity at SHRM. So without a diverse (staff), she added, 'you're not getting your fair share of talent.' That's one reason why those with DEI experience can market their skills as an asset to a company's integral business strategy, said Kendra Williams, a DEI expert and adviser at The Muse, a career advice and jobs site, which is also the parent company of Fairygodboss, an online career community for women. 'Employees and job seekers need to position themselves as valuable thought leaders in multiple areas, including talent attraction and acquisition, employer brand, employee engagement, compliance and organizational change.' Pew Research found that more than 70% of LGBTQ American adults expect that the Trump administration will have a negative impact on people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. At the moment, the most pointed concern is for transgender employees. Particular to the workplace, the new acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — Andrea Lucas — put out a statement indicating that she wants the agency to rescind its harassment guidance and stressing her opposition to pursuing cases alleging harassment for not acknowledging an employee's preferred pronouns or a request to use a given gender's bathroom. 'Sex is binary (male and female) and immutable. It is not harassment to acknowledge these truths — or to use language like pronouns that flow from these realities, even repeatedly,' she said. Employers are taking note of the trans-related public positions taken by the Trump administration, coupled with restrictive laws in some states, Glazer said. And some already have policies that will let an employee relocate to a new office for safety and health care benefits if they or their families feel at risk where they are currently located. (Pertaining to other EEOC-related matters, employer-side law firm Fisher Phillips also expects that the finalized rules of the 2024 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act may be rescinded, and that there will be 'overall reduced EEOC enforcement and outreach.') For compliance and other reasons, many US employees are required to view videos about federal and state workplace laws dealing with harassment, how to spot unconscious bias and how to better support colleagues who may be subject to bias because of various characteristics, such as race, gender or sexual orientation. Will those persist in the Trump era? It's hard to say because there are state and local laws that employers will still need to comply with. It's also possible that some employers might start to incorporate them into leadership development programs. 'You'll see it embedded, instead of bolted on the side,' Glazer said. But, she noted, don't assume if your company isn't requiring everyone to periodically do online training that sexual harassment and discrimination are now okay. They are still illegal. If your company has employee resource groups geared toward addressing specific concerns of a given cohort — e.g., women or Hispanic or LGBTQ colleagues — those groups won't be disbanded necessarily. But the employer is likely to expect two things: Any group should be open to all employees who want to join. And the aim of the group should be to advance business goals, Glazer said. That can mean recruiting top talent, engaging in reverse mentoring, bringing in senior management for an open discussion, or developing a product line that speaks to a given demographic. 'We've seen companies think about ERGs less as a cohort of employees and more as a coalition of people who want to create community around a business objective,' she said. Translation: If an ERG is only getting together to organize parties to celebrate big dates, like Pride Month, that may be viewed as more performative, and therefore less likely to garner the company's support.
