Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives have faced numerous challenges, yet they remain a vital part of the employee experience. Despite legislative setbacks and a reduction in dedicated DEIB roles, many organizations continue to prioritize these efforts, recognizing their importance in fostering an inclusive workplace culture. In this article, I want to examine the persistence of DEIB, referencing key research and expert insights to underscore its enduring relevance.
Several states have enacted anti-DEIB bills, leading to significant changes in how colleges and universities design and execute DEIB programs. This legislation has resulted in the loss of jobs and the closure of multicultural and LGBTQ+ centers, among other impacts. Even though this is just one of many industry sectors, it bears noting because many think that anti-DEIB legislation targeting state universities (and other aspects of state government) is leading private corporations to question the implications, costs, and even legal repercussions of DEIB work in their organizations as well.
However, Perceptyx's benchmark data shows the persistence and expansion of DEIB efforts, despite legislative challenges, highlighting the importance that many organizations and institutions place on fostering inclusive environments. This phase of DEIB will succeed if it expands beyond legal compliance to address long-term organizational improvement and culture — which is what the best organizations remain committed to doing.
According to our benchmark data, there has been a notable increase in the number of organizations measuring key DEI sentiments. This trend reflects a growing recognition of the importance of understanding and improving employee experiences related to diversity and inclusion.
As seen in the above figure, our benchmark data highlights several positive trendsin organizational measurement:
Sense of Belonging: 5-point increase
Authentic Self at Work: 6-point increase
Valuing Diversity: 4-point increase
Fair Treatment Sentiments: Remained stable
Organizations continue to measure DEIB sentiments for several reasons. One major factor is the continued importance of DEIB to Gen Z employees. As we have noted here previously, Gen Z places a high value on working in inclusive environments — making it essential for companies to measure and address these sentiments to attract and retain young talent. Additionally, insights from Perceptyx's research indicate that DEIB remains a top theme for organizations. Regular measurement of DEIB sentiments helps organizations stay attuned to employee needs and expectations, ensuring that their DEIB strategies are relevant and effective.
In addition to the increase in item usage, discussions with customers reveal that DEIB remains a focus area for many, though it is evolving. Some organizations are transitioning their DEI strategies into broader "belonging" efforts, while others are folding DEI investments under the larger umbrella of "Engagement and Culture." This shift reflects a broader trend in which organizations are placing less emphasis on representation and diversity metrics, due to proposed legal implications, and more emphasis on the broader employee experience. This approach can still help to identify potential concerns, biases, and areas for improvement without directly confronting what some may perceive as contentious diversity or equity issues.
As terms like "Diversity" develop a more negative connotation for some groups, shifting to an overall Belonging strategy allows organizations to continue their DEI work while ensuring inclusivity. This change in nomenclature has been helpful for some organizations in maintaining broad support. However, it's crucial to reinforce that this isn't a "cop out" and the underlying mission remains: to help employees succeed, feel connected, and show up as their best, most authentic selves.
Belonging tends to be a prerequisite for employee engagement, making it natural for organizations to measure these sentiments in their listening strategies. Perceptyx data has shown that belonging is a top driver of engagement, reinforcing the importance of fostering a sense of belonging to create an engaged and connected organization. This focus on belonging helps organizations address potential areas of concern, biases in processes, and the need for standardization or reform.
Our data is clear: organizations committed to regular DEIB measurement and data-driven action planning are seeing tangible benefits. Understanding sentiments around DEIB remains critical for organizations that aim to enhance the employee experience regardless of whether DEIB rebranding efforts have been mandated from above. To ensure DEIB work remains effective, it must be deeply woven into the fabric of the organization, making it "too embedded to fail." This involves several strategic actions:
Avoid Isolated DEIB Departments: Organizations should avoid creating isolated DEIB departments staffed by a few employees who are solely responsible for all DEI initiatives. Instead, DEIB efforts should be integrated across all departments, fostering accountability and ensuring that every team contributes to moving initiatives forward. This integration helps embed DEIB principles into the daily operations and culture of the organization, rather than treating them as peripheral activities.
Utilize Company Culture as the Foundation: The company's culture should serve as the bedrock for its DEIB strategy. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to DEIB, and the most successful strategies are those tailored to meet the unique needs and core values of the organization. By aligning DEIB efforts with the company's cultural values and getting executive buy-in, organizations can create more relevant and impactful initiatives that resonate with employees.
Track Progress and Align with Business Outcomes: Tracking progress is essential for ensuring the effectiveness of DEIB programs. Organizations should regularly measure key DEIB metrics to evaluate the impact of their initiatives. This tracking not only demonstrates the efficacy of the programs but also provides valuable insights into which initiatives are working and which need to be refined or changed. Moreover, aligning DEIB programs with broader business outcomes ensures that these efforts contribute to the overall success of the organization, reinforcing their importance and sustainability.
A complete strategy spells out goals, actions, owners, timelines, and metrics for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Common steps include inclusive job postings, fair-pay audits, bias training, employee resource groups, and routine sentiment surveys that show progress over time.
Collect a comprehensive DEIB survey every 12 months, then follow up with brief pulse surveys each quarter. The annual survey gives a full view; the pulses track progress and surface new issues quickly.
Use survey items on acceptance, authenticity, and perceived value of diversity. Pair the survey data with turnover, promotion, and resource-group participation rates for a full picture of belonging.
Compare DEIB scores with metrics like engagement, retention, safety incidents, or customer satisfaction. When belonging scores improve and turnover falls, you can show a clear business impact and secure continued investment.
Partner with legal advisors, frame initiatives around equal opportunity and belonging, and link each action to measurable business goals. Review programs quarterly to adjust language or practices that new regulations affect.
By continuing to prioritize DEIB and integrating it into all aspects of their operations, organizations can create workplaces where all employees feel valued, included, and empowered to be their authentic selves. An experienced listening partner like Perceptyx can help you craft a strategy to measure DEIB and easily track the right metrics while developing a thorough understanding of what drivers of engagement will improve them over time. To learn more, schedule a meeting with a member of our team.