Last week, we gathered senior communication leaders for a virtual roundtable discussion to explore how their organisations are navigating the so-called ‘backlash’ against DE&I. While we assumed that, beyond terminology, not much had changed, we discovered a more nuanced story. Semantic changes are indeed a significant piece of the puzzle, but organisations are also making substantial practical changes – and using this as an opportunity to reset, moving away from tokenistic initiatives in favour of a more authentic approach.
Below, we’ve unpacked the key points from the discussion to give you further insight. Plus, we’ve distilled the most transferable takeaways into actionable tips to help you navigate this timely challenge.
Legal considerations come first
As federal contractors in the US, leaders shared that they’ve made several practical adjustments to comply with new federal rules, which have restricted the use of DE&I language and programmes. While stressing their ongoing commitment to the principles and values of DE&I, they have had no choice but to make concrete changes to avoid legal jeopardy. These have included no longer reporting on certain DE&I metrics and removing official status from some employee resource groups. Leaders also shared that they have adjusted DE&I titles, not simply because of legal and political pressure, but because individuals holding those titles had been worried for their personal safety.
It’s not just a change of language, but an approach, because of the executive order.
From diversity to inclusion
Across the board, leaders shared that they have shifted their language and messaging. Many have stopped using ‘diversity’ in favour of ‘inclusion’, or even broader terms like ‘people and culture’. Notably, these shifts have largely taken place quietly, without announcements internally or externally, although some leaders acknowledged that they might need to start being more vocal. Interestingly, some leaders reported that customers had asked them to make these semantic changes. Others shared that these shifts had taken place long before Trump’s executive order at the start of the year, suggesting a longer-term trend rather than a knee-jerk response.
We’ve removed the D word.
(Some) employees get it
Leaders shared that the reaction from employees has varied significantly by region. In the US, leaders acknowledged that employees ‘get it’, particularly when changes are made by the business to protect job roles. However, for companies in Europe, or with a significant headcount in Europe, employees perceive these changes to be a betrayal and a step backwards. Navigating the different regulatory landscapes and employee sentiment across the Atlantic will be an ongoing challenge for leaders.
Americans get it, but the Europeans are furious. They feel it’s a step back on our values.
A moment to reset
Whilst many of these changes have been forced upon businesses, most leaders shared that they are embracing this moment as a reset. Whilst their commitments and values remain steadfast, they see it as an opportunity to move away from some of the tokenistic activities and symbolic gestures that had become inauthentic. The focus is now on substantive actions and genuine impact, emphasising the need to better integrate inclusion with business strategy and ensure all employees feel truly heard. As one leader put it, “A business is a business, and maybe that’s ok!”
It forced us to have questions we probably should have asked before. It’s acted as a corrective.
Here to last
Underlying the discussion was an awareness that all of this could change again very soon and is in constant evolution. However, while political movements come and go, the priority for organisations and their communication leaders is to “find a way to stay true to company values.”
Insight to action: Practical steps you can take
We’re sure many of these points will resonate with your own experiences. To help you navigate the challenge, we’ve pulled together the insights that we feel are most transferable. We hope these tips will help you move forward.
- Bring the outside in: Help your employees understand how the evolving political and legislative climate is impacting the business and its people. This is especially important for staff who are outside the US and, therefore, more removed from the situation. Ultimately, it’s about helping them understand how external pressures are playing out internally.
- The power of targeted conversations: Instead of broadcast messages, consider whether you need to have more focused and targeted conversations with specific employee groups. Are there individuals, teams or groups who are feeling disillusioned by what’s going on? As one leader stressed, “It’s important to ensure people feel heard.”
- Anticipate whistleblower risks: Be aware of the increased likelihood of whistleblowing from employees who might interpret inclusion efforts as non-compliant with the law. As one leader shared, “Those that are anti-DEI have been emboldened.”
- Prioritise genuine impact: Use this time to take stock of how you are promoting and celebrating DE&I values and commitments. Are there activities that feel tokenistic and inauthentic? Are they achieving what you want them to achieve, or are they simply symbolic gestures? What could you be doing instead that is more genuine and aligned with your company’s strategy and values?
Want to join the next leader exchange and hear directly from your peers? Discover more about Kademy membership and how you can tap into the benefits or email hello@kademygroup.com
