I'm so upset about all the anti-DEI rhetoric in some of the other bowls I'm part of. Would you be as comfortable eliminating DEI if you knew it could impact you personally? DEI protections cover veterans, women, people with disabilities, and older professionals too. If we start stripping away protections, who’s next?
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-is-the-latest-tech-giant-to-move-away-from-dei-as-it-weighs-implications-for-federal-contracts-bbfac486
I'm afraid this is all just aligned with the selfishness of modern life. People used to have a sense of the public good, and people would vote for what was best for the country. Somewhere along the way it became all about ourselves. And people get incredibly resentful if someone else might catch a break. People really want to have an American workforce with as little diversity as possible, and the selfish people who think they'll benefit are celebrating that.
SAME. And none of the anti-DEI folks understand what DEI work actually entails.
So true. I truly believe that without DEI, many of us would be at a disadvantage. It’s not just about ticking boxes; it’s about ensuring opportunities for everyone. If we start eliminating those protections, we risk going backward.
I am torn - agree most dei programs haven’t been “effective” if we look at pure outcomes so they are low hanging fruit to target for elimination. But I know micro aggressions are constantly happening (and can’t prove it but am certain the same forces are at work leading to “outcomes”)… also I want to be in a culture where we are at least acknowledging there is bias in the system. I am horrified by the comments I see and wonder how much it’s that resistance that rendered the dei programs ineffective in the first place.
Agree with all these sentiments.
DEI is smart business strategy, beyond just good ethics. It’s not about affirmative action or forcing arbitrary goal results. Bringing diverse perspectives and experiences and making people feel valued and respected is how you attract and retain the best people. My company has a robust DEI program and overall strong culture, with generally happy employees. It’s really just as simple as that.
It's unfortunate that the willful ignorance of white women helped get us where we are now ... Make them say the words out loud ... Call it what it is: Diversity, Equal and Inclusive... If you make them say the words...what do those words mean? (White woman here, btw)
Bottom line is that it’s expensive to promote and implement DEI initiatives. Why not just recruit the best talent, period? I’m a woman over 40, protected class twice over, and I wholeheartedly believe in diverse recruitment and retention, but I also think many have lost sight of the bigger picture of hiring the best qualified person for the job. I have heard conversations where the “diversity hire” is qualified but not the most qualified. There are many other legitimate reasons to still hire that person, such as lower initial compensation, longer term retention opportunity, higher growth potential, etc. but the decision included their demographic. Alas, one only has to look at RSM’s leadership team and Board to see that diversity isn’t really a priority here though 😂