As HR leaders navigate the changing landscape of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, they must address numerous misconceptions and sources of resistance, according to a July 31 report from McLean & Co.

To do this, leaders can segment their employee experience data, uncover exclusion and hidden disparities, adopt inclusive workplace design and encourage continuous learning about DEI.

“Amid adversity, DEI leaders can sustain progress by focusing on the people most impacted by DEI challenges to achieve an inclusive future for all,” Elysca Fernandes, director of HR research and advisory services at McLean & Co., said in a statement.

The report noted six common types of resistance and how they show up in the workplace. First, people may perceive DEI progress through a zero-sum mindset and believe that progress comes at the expense of those who have historically benefited from existing systems or structures. They may perceive that opportunities are finite and limited, rather than expansive for all.

Workers may also have beliefs that fall under the “meritocracy myth,” where they don’t acknowledge the impact of systemic inequities on workplace outcomes.

People may misinterpret inclusion in one domain to justify exclusion in another aspect of the company. They may also believe that things are “good enough” and don’t need to change for others in the company, the report said.

Beyond that, workers may not recognize the indirect and long-term value of investing in DEI. As part of this, they may focus solely on perceptions and lose sight of the impact of DEI-related change.

To move forward, HR and DEI leaders should approach DEI with a focus on long-term cultural change, the report said, adding that DEI progress remains contextual and requires adaptations based on different environments and audiences.

At the moment, DEI faces a “delicate and uncomfortable environment,” several attorney panelists said at the Society for Human Resource Management’s annual conference in June. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s college admissions decision, public backlash has drawn tension between the business case for DEI and the country’s shifting dynamics, they said.

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