Amid DEI Rollbacks, Champion Allyship
Abandoning DEI initiatives can harm both performance and workplace culture. Research shows that inclusive workplaces are better for all of us — and for our businesses.
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images
Many U.S. businesses are feeling pressured to retreat from years of effort they’ve spent creating welcoming and inclusive workplaces, in response to the Trump administration’s anti-DEI stance. But for most of us, rolling back inclusion and belonging policies doesn’t reflect who we are or who we want to be. In one study my research team conducted with 1,751 working adults, the vast majority of them — 76% — said they care about people who are marginalized and want to be allies to them. Managers who said they want to be better allies but don’t know how experienced worse mental health compared with those who felt more confident about their allyship.
Over the past several years, studies have shown that as a society, we’ve been growing increasingly cynical while at the same time becoming increasingly compassionate. Study after study has shown that people are deeply distressed when they see others suffer from discrimination — even more than when they themselves are the target of discrimination.
By now, many leaders and managers have seen the benefits of building a workforce with employees from a variety of backgrounds, and of creating a fair and welcoming work environment. It has enabled them to attract and retain better talent, promote trust and employee engagement, improve creativity and innovation, become more adaptable to change, and experience stronger business performance. Working in an environment where we feel like we belong is invaluable to all of us.
Consider what DEI programs, statements, and commitments achieve in the short term. At a minimum, they immediately signal to new talent and existing employees that their company cares about them; that people from all identities and backgrounds are welcome to bring their authentic selves to the workplace; that their contributions and achievements will be recognized and rewarded; and that the company is willing to invest resources to empower them to succeed and thrive. When promises around equity and inclusion are breached, surprisingly, it tends to affect the attitudes of majority groups (like White and/or male employees) toward their company more negatively than those of minority groups (such as people of color and women) because, unlike their minority peers, they aren’t accustomed to such hypocrisy and broken promises. When DEI commitments and programs are rolled back, marginalized employees and their many allies feel betrayed, breeding mistrust, fear, and isolation.
Rolling back DEI guidance and policies disempowers managers who want to reduce bias and preserve civility and camaraderie within their teams. It can also be practically confusing. Employees may wonder: Does this rollback give some people permission to mistreat others? Managers may worry: How am I supposed to lead employees from different backgrounds? How can we have respectful conversations about this on my team? My team’s research shows that a low-risk way to stop bias is to simply point to the organization’s anti-discrimination policy — a policy that fits the values of the organization. Referring to an established policy is not only effective but also minimizes the possibility of hostility. But, if such formal documentation is scrapped with DEI reversals, individual managers confronting these issues must think on the fly.
Over the past few years, many of us have learned so much about patterns of bias, discrimination, and disparities that we can’t now go back to pretending that they don’t exist. We have to find ways to preserve our values and bring our best selves into the workplace.
Practicing Strategic Allyship
In my team’s research, some study participants reported that they care about allyship but don’t feel the need to do much as workplace allies because their companies have strong anti-discrimination policies and programs in place. We are now learning that existing systems are in a precarious position, so it’s time to look to our strengths, build our own capacity for supporting others, and develop skills to be better allies. To create a workplace where everyone feels valued and welcomed, consider taking these actions.
1. Closely follow the evidence in your own organization. Evaluate the effectiveness of your diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging practices to develop their strengths and improve on any weaknesses. While not all DEI policies, programs, and initiatives deliver the best results, don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. Data-gathering is a worthy first step to decide whether programs need a few tweaks or a full-scale revamp. If the data within your organization shows that certain inclusive practices boost productivity, performance, creativity, retention, morale, or engagement, then advocate to preserve and integrate them into your organization’s operations.
2. At a time when employees from marginalized backgrounds feel like their competence, merit, excellence, and intelligence are being questioned, you can play a pivotal role: Loudly celebrate your colleagues’ strengths, talents, and achievements. My team’s research shows that when allies speak up about their colleagues’ strengths, it is highly effective in creating a sense of inclusion and improving the well-being of members of marginalized populations.
3. Check in on the well-being of colleagues who are members of groups that are being targeted by anti-DEI orders. My team’s research with 4,580 men from 103 countries found that among those who said they do care about equity, 93% — almost all of them — said they are willing to check in with and express their genuine care to colleagues. And our research has shown that such actions are effective in helping to increase people’s sense of inclusion, reduce feelings of isolation, and support coworkers’ well-being.
Whether you’re a senior leader, a midlevel manager, or a new employee, you can support colleagues in marginalized groups by ensuring that they get credit for their contributions. You can use whatever influence you have at your organization to advocate for them, actively listen to what they have to say, and brainstorm solutions together. Since a majority of us already care and want to be allies, we should do our best to rise in solidarity for a better future.