Diversity staffers are not limited to higher education. Following the death of George Floyd, corporate America went on a DEI hiring binge.
Now that the economy is less than great, many diversity workers are being let go. It seems the diversity boom is coming to an end.
NBC News reports:
Hamstrung by ‘golden handcuffs’: Diversity roles disappear 3 years after George Floyd’s murder inspired themDiversity, equity and inclusion leaders, who were hired in waves to help companies achieve an ethnically balanced workforce after George Floyd’s murder in 2020, are being phased out, surveys indicate, leaving experts in the field concerned that corporations’ talk of affecting change was just empty words.DEI roles increased by 55% following demands for broader racial equity and justice after Floyd’s murder, the Society for Human Resource Management reported in 2020. But instead of creating fair opportunities and a comfortable work culture for Black employees, a pair of recent reports indicate, DEI professionals are losing their jobs, as layoffs across the economy have gained momentum.The attrition rate for DEI roles was 33% at the end of 2022, compared to 21% for non-DEI roles. Amazon, Applebees and Twitter lead the way with DEI layoffs since July 2022, according to Revelio Labs, a New York-based company that uses data to analyze workforce dynamics and trends.Another survey showed that Black employees represent only 3.8% of chief diversity officers overall, with white people making up 76.1% of the roles. Those of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity make up 7.8% and those of Asian ethnicity make up 7.7%…DEI professional Nika White, author of the book, “Inclusion Uncomplicated,” said the studies also reveal “the harsh reality” of many companies’ commitments to diversity. “This is very disheartening, especially after so many of us were hopeful after George Floyd’s murder that organization leaders would be sensitized and committed to equity and inclusion.”
This trend has been building for some time now.
The Washington Times reported last week:
Diversity, equity and inclusion jobs on the chopping block in recent corporate layoffsDiversity, equity and inclusion workers across corporate America have found their positions on the chopping block in recent rounds of layoffs.At more than 600 companies that had laid off workers, the year-over-year attrition rate for DEI professionals has been higher than for other workers.Between December 2021 and December 2022, DEI workers had a 33% attrition rate, compared to 21% for non-DEI workers, according to data from workforce analytics company Revelio Labs.In the six months since July 2022, multiple companies have had sizable numbers of DEI employees with seniority leaving; 16 at Amazon, seven at Twitter, five at Nike, and four at Comcast, among other corporations.The small size of many diversity teams — the median being three — means that some companies have shuttered their entire diversity departments. Over 300 DEI professionals left their company in the measured time span, Revelio Labs indicated.
Diversity staffers seem like a good idea in a Trump-style economy when business is booming. That’s when a company can afford it. In a Biden-style economy, when you’re worried about the future? Not so much.
The other problem with diversity staffers is that they don’t build, market, or sell anything. What they do create is problems that then must be solved by the company. Not enough people of color at the company? Not enough LGBTQ people at the company? These are the issues that these workers are paid to notice and report.
You don’t need these problems if you’re a boss worried about meeting profit projections, payroll or rent.
Here’s a recent report from the FOX Business Network:
Featured image via YouTube.
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