The Basics: What Is DEI Anyway?

Who’s afraid of DEI? 

If you are, or if you have stakeholders raising concerns about it, I’m here to de-escalate the situation. 

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what DEI is and isn’t. Some are fueled by deliberate misinformation. Some by the anxiety of those who fear they will be left out or overlooked. 

At its heart, engaging in DEI in an organization is simply about investing in your people. Employees are an organization’s greatest asset. You want to make sure that they are well equipped to do their best work. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are key factors in achieving that goal. 

We start with the D for Diversity, because we want the best talent—and talent is distributed widely. It doesn’t exist in just one race or gender. It comes in all shapes and sizes. When you have a talented team that also brings different life experiences and perspectives, you get a bonus benefit. A wide range of studies have shown that diverse teams come up with more creative and effective solutions to complex problems. 

But the benefits of diversity won’t manifest on their own. Intentional efforts of Inclusion will help people feel welcomed and valued at work. It’s hard to do your best work if you feel you don’t belong—or worse, feel disrespected. Inclusion can start with a great onboarding system and a mentoring program that helps people learn about organizational norms. 

The E is for Equity. This means making sure people have access to what they need to do their work and to grow. Making sure your policies and processes are fair in practice (not just well-intentioned) fits in this category. So does accessibility, which is providing the resources that people need based on their specific needs—from a standing desk to help someone with back pain to a ramp for those with wheelchairs.

These investments may seem like special treatment that benefits only a certain group. But in reality, responding to the specific needs of each member of your team and creating a welcoming environment, in which everyone feels like they can be themselves and thereby do their best work, actually benefits everybody. 

Nothing to be afraid of. All employees benefit when an organization invests in DEI.