One critical factor influencing the effectiveness of DEI initiatives is how employees respond to them. In this Harvard Business Review Article, Rouven Kanitz and colleagues describe how traditionally, employee responses have been overly simplified as “resistors,” who complicate or hinder DEI initiatives, or “supporters” of DEI, who facilitate their implementation. Instead, embracing the complexity of employee responses, including any ambivalent responses, is key to effectively navigating DEI initiatives.
In their research, they identified a typology of how employees respond to DEI initiatives. Across three separate online studies with more than 1,600 employees, they surveyed individuals who had experienced a diversity initiative in their company within the last six months.
They measured how employees think about the initiatives in terms of benefits and required efforts, how they felt about the initiative, with feelings ranging from very positive (excitement) to very negative (sadness), and how they behaved in response to the initiative, including active support and active resistance as well as behaviours falling in between those extremes.
From the data, they identified four distinct response profiles:
Excited supporters look forward to new DEI initiatives and are actively engaged with DEI recruitment practices. They volunteer to lead DEI workshops, eagerly participate in cultural awareness events, and actively mentor colleagues from underrepresented backgrounds.
Calm compliers are generally supportive of DEI initiatives but less active than excited supporters. For example, they might take a new anti-bias training and comply with attending diversity meetings but refrain from taking a leading role or advocating for further measures.
Torn shapers are “on the fence” — they might support the rationale behind DEI, but have issues with their company’s initiatives or execution. For example, they might feel frustrated with how the DEI training sessions are conducted, believing they are too generic or not impactful. Or they may attend DEI events but feel that the company’s motives are more about public image and pacifying employees than a genuine commitment to change.
Discontented opponents arefundamentally opposed to the idea of DEI initiatives and may use both covert and open protest or criticism, including refusing to participate in any related activities, and openly challenging the value of DEI efforts during meetings.
Implications for organisations
Using the typology, leaders can segment their employees, effectively understanding the range of responses, and tailor specific interventions to address them. For example:
- Excited supporters can be deployed as catalysts for change and be invited to participate in steering committees or lead projects. Their enthusiasm can help engage and motivate others.
- Calm compliers should be kept well-informed and engaged through regular updates and educational opportunities. Leaders can also make emotional appeals to facilitate the transition from a calm complier to an excited supporter.
- Torn shapers should be engaged in dialogue so that they can express their concerns. This can be facilitated through forums or roundtable discussions, where torn shapers can discuss their views openly, helping to alleviate any hesitations and possibly transforming them into more active supporters. Moreover, learning from the torn shapers may provide important pointers on how to address the more deep-seated concerns of the discontent opponents group.
- Discontented opponents can be engaged through perspective-taking. Finding common ground, such as agreeing on the importance of fairness in the workplace and aligning it with organizational values, can help address sources of resistance.
Tailoring interventions based on employee responses can lead to more effective implementation of DEI initiatives, furthering the goal of striving for an inclusive workplace.
You can access the full article here.
