DEI is Broken. We Need to Reimagine the Process and Redefine Progress.

It's Black History Month. I’ve been thinking a lot about the word 'progress' when it comes to the reality of being a person of colour in the UK today. We hear it constantly when it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: "We've made great progress". Yet, as someone from mixed heritage, I can tell you that for many, DEI initiatives are failing them.

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While the intent behind many DEI programmes is good, the execution often feels soulless. It's become a game of box-ticking and good PR rather than a genuine driver of cultural change. This approach is treated like getting a prescription for an illness after an appointment with your GP. Not enough was done to prevent getting ill, and we take the medicine because someone has told us to. Instead, DEI needs to be seen as a fundamental part of a company’s core. It’s about morals and less about good business. 

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DEI has gained significant traction in boardrooms across the UK thanks to legislation such as the Equality Act of 2010, but sadly, it has been constantly under threat and questioning, and has most recently been affected by the "Woke" Capitalism and "Positive Action" debate.

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The "Woke Capitalism" argument sees it as an unnecessary cost or a distraction. For the sake of regulation and public image, however, it became a box to be ticked. This approach inadvertently weaponised the word ‘DEI,’ making people from minority backgrounds feel pointed at and ‘othered’. What we need is a greater focus on teaching people how to hold space for differences and build true understanding.

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What businesses often fail to understand is that minorities spend the majority of their lives trying to fit in, to be as acceptable and palatable as they can be. As a person of colour, you often realise it will never be good enough. That’s an exhausting reality. The very boxes being ticked have been created by people outside of the minorities they are trying to “help.” The real way to help is simple: listen to what is inside your employees' hearts and minds. It’s not that minorities cannot speak; it’s that all too often, no one really listens. Simply listening and acting on what you hear will drive a sustainable DEI model.

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Every person wants to feel respected, seen, and heard. They want to know that their concerns matter, and they want access to opportunities that make them feel valued. . A sense of community is crucial - no one wants to feel expendable.. You can have all the DEI meetings and policies you want, but if your employees don’t feel their importance, the entire exercise falls apart.

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The Reality of the Fragmented Workplace

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Are today’s  workplaces becoming more fragmented, rather than more united? Over two-thirds of all ethnic minority people in the UK have experienced some form of discrimination at work, or when applying for a new job. For Black people, that number is even higher:

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• 75% Black, Black British, Caribbean, or African people have faced discrimination at work or during the hiring process.
• The UK Government’s Race in The Workplace Report found that Caribbean employees report feeling that they have been overlooked for promotion because of their ethnicity

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This disproportionate outcome is reflected in the pay gap; for Black and Black British employees, there is a mean pay gap of 19.9% and a median pay gap of 23.3%, in favour of their White colleagues.

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While the statistics are important, the most crucial part of this is how people feel. There is nothing more demoralising than going into work and feeling like a token; of being spoken about and spoken for, but rarely being listened to. It’s the nagging worry that you’re seen as a "problem" to be managed instead of a person offering a valuable contribution.

This goes beyond race; it touches on our fundamental human need to be treated with dignity and to have a voice. When DEI is approached as a strict, top-down policy, it can unintentionally create an "us vs. them" dynamic. This makes people feel diminished, and when that happens, resentment builds and the entire effort backfires.

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The Path Forward

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So, what’s the answer? It’s not about abandoning the work that has already been done, but rather having honest conversations and reimagining it so it is fit for purpose. We need to shift away from treating diversity as a problem to be solved with policy, and start treating it as a fundamental part of our shared humanity and values in the workplace. Instead of more policies, the focus needs to be on building a culture of dialogue. This starts with leaders, but it’s a responsibility for every single person in an organisation. Businesses need to be more attentive and give their minority employees a safe and regular space to have open discussions about how their companies' approach to EDI places the needs of the minority group at the centre. Creating a  forum for meaningful change , by genuinely listening to colleagues without trying to predict what they'll say.

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True understanding starts by being brave enough to sit in those uncomfortable moments, to have difficult conversations without judgment, and to admit when we’ve got it wrong. That's the real starting point for understanding. Organisations need to stop silencing people. Creating a workplace where everyone feels safe to be their authentic selves is crucial. When people can speak up without fear of backlash, it unlocks their full potential.

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