Why DEI Programs Fail, And What You Can Do About It

Overcome DEI challenges and achieving success

What it means to create diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace continues to shift. Where it was once enough to simply create awareness, it’s now imperative to show real progress. And, as you strive to get there, you may have noticed that progress with DEI is not always a linear process. Sometimes, progress means taking a few steps back. And that does not have to mean failure — provided those setbacks are accompanied by learning, adjusting and evolving.

Let’s canvass the latest research on how organizations are committing to DEI, the progress we’ve made, and why we know there’s work that still needs to be done. And then let’s take a close look at why DEI programs fail and explore concrete steps you can take to overcome challenges and achieve success. 

 

Employees Want DEI, Companies Are Responding, and There Is Progress 

Recent research shows that a wide majority (72%) of employees want to work for a company that values diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) as well as belonging. And the good news is that companies are responding.

In the past few years, organizations have continued to double down on their commitment to DEI. According to the latest research from Gallup, 84% of CHROs say their organization’s investment in DEI is increasing. And some significant results are being achieved. Gallup also discovered that experiences related to DEI can have a significant positive impact on employees’ engagement, retention, well-being, and perceptions of their team members and employer. Specifically, their research showed that employees are more engaged at work when they feel that they are in an environment that makes them feel welcome, respected and valued.

But There’s More Work to Be Done

Recent research also shows evidence that employees feel that there is more work to be done to make DEI programs effective. A new survey from WebMD Health Services, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging: Uncovering What Employees are Offered, Want and Need, indicates that 62% of employees "do not believe their company is doing what it needs to do, to be truly committed to creating a workplace that promotes DEI&B.” And while “the wide majority say they would personally benefit from a DEI&B culture; half admit DEI&B has ‘failed them’ at one point or another. And, about half of employees “report they have personally experienced situations that are not consistent with a DEI&B culture.”

In arriving at this conclusion, it’s useful to look at how the researchers defined DEI&B:
 

• Diversity – Ensuring the organization has employees from various backgrounds
• Equity – Providing all employees access to the same opportunities
• Inclusion – Ensuring employees with different cultures, backgrounds and beliefs feel a part of the group
• Belonging – Making sure employees know they matter and that they are valued

Among the study’s findings for why DEI&B programs may be failing employees are that: employees are unsure about how to get support, opinions vary on who should be responsible (with managers or directors most often selected for that role), and a lack of accountability from leadership. Taken as a whole, these employee perspectives are symptomatic of larger issues that need to be addressed if organizations are to make their DEI programs more effective. Let’s look at six reasons why some DEI programs fail and explore the ways in which you can overcome these challenges.

6 Reasons Why DEI Programs Fail (and What You Can Do About it)

1. Lack of real strategic commitment
Launching a DEI program requires commitment from the highest levels. And that means it needs to be treated like other core value-generating opportunities. That means ensuring that leaders demonstrate vocal support and consistent follow-through. And, it requires an understanding that the rewards of DEI go far beyond short-term benefits for both employees and the organization. They extend to effective recruitment, retention, and improved organizational performance and resilience.

Solution: Engage leaders in consistently demonstrating a strategic, long-term commitment to DEI. Create accountability measures to support definitive progress.

2. Poor program design 
Every organization has its own unique circumstances when it comes to DEI. But there are some common missteps with DEI program design that can make your efforts less effective before they even have a chance to take hold. 

Unrealistic targets and expectations based on an organization’s starting point -- If you choose an overly ambitious approach to DEI that does not consider barriers that are specific to your organization, it may set you up for imminent failure. 

Solution: Consider the history and culture of your organization and create success through thoughtful incremental changes. Build grassroots support and enable honest feedback.

Not taking a comprehensive approach to education – While education and training are an essential part of DEI, there are some pitfalls to keep in mind. If the quality of the material is substandard (i.e., dated, cartoonish, or insensitive) or if the content shames/blames a particular group, it may put-off employees. Or if it’s simply done as a check-the-box, one-off effort, it won’t sink in enough to be effective.

Solution: Look for annually refreshed training that takes an intelligent and sensitive approach that provides guidance on how to address real-life work situations.

3. Managers are not part of the solution
Because managers are a critical conduit between employees, other managers and leaders, they are pivotal to DEI success. If managers are not included in creating the solution, right from the start, there’s little chance they will have any sense of ownership. Absent that sense of manager commitment and the entire DEI program effort may come apart.

Solution: Engage managers in ongoing communication and feedback. Provide them with practical guidance and tools that will enable them to be an integral part of the solution.

4. Failure to diagnose and address bias
We all hold some type of unconscious bias — an unsupported opinion in favor of or against someone or something — that we aren’t even aware of. It's a way of categorizing experiences into shorthand in order to make decisions more quickly. However, if left unaddressed, unconscious biases may manifest in behavior that can harm individuals—and companies. It might result in microaggressions (slights, barbs, demeaning comments, etc.) or “culture and success traps”, where the strong identitification of a dominant group creates a bias toward a certain profile that may impact recruitment, retention and promotion.

Solution: Listen closely to underrepresented groups and be cognizant of culture and success traps that may create bias. Educate teams and equip employees with practical tools to identify and address their own personal biases. 

5. Underestimated organizational resistance
While many employees are likely to embrace the idea of creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment, it’s not unusual for organizations to face some resistance for a variety of reasons. It may be because people feel that their identity is being questioned or even threatened, or it could be because managers and employees don't understand why DEI is worth their time and attention. 

Or perhaps employees feel that the type of programming provided is not helpful. Or it could be another reason that is specific to your organization’s history and culture. The bottom line is that if left unchecked resistance can and does derail DEI efforts.

Solution: Explain that DEI is meant to benefit all employees. The “I” is for inclusion, meaning everyone is included (not just certain groups). To help avoid backlash, provide programs that are thoughtful, practical and relatable for everyone. Support managers to feel qualified in handling sensitive topics. 

6. Not taking into account that change is hard
When it comes to creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment, creating change can be difficult. That’s because organizations and the people in them are often operating from a deep-seeded cultural context that may make change feel uncomfortable, especially for those who are enjoying the benefits of the status quo, despite the lack of equity that the current situation may be perpetuating.

Solution: Acknowledge where you are today and maintain commitment by keeping the end goal in mind. Don’t let the enormity of the effort prevent you from taking and celebrating positive steps, even if they are small to start.

Finally, don’t let politics or the media shape your opinion of DEI. Instead, stay true to what DEI really means — building respect, fairness and inclusion for everyone. Moreover, if your DEI effort is done the right way, everyone will feel like they have an opportunity to succeed. Remember that DEI success means looking ahead to what’s possible as you take incremental steps that build toward greater progress. And it’s only with that kind of longstanding commitment that the true benefits of DEI can be revealed.

Natasha Nicholson is the Editor of Kantola Quarterly. In her role, Natasha oversees content strategy, production and thought leadership. She also shares insights on topics such as talent management, inclusive workplace culture and DEI strategy. Her work has been featured in VentureBeat, HR Dive, HR.com, Talent Management and Chief Learning Officer.