Shortly after his inauguration on January 20th, President Trump issued two executive orders intended to limit the impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the federal government. The first executive order essentially dismantles all DEI programs created by former President Joe Biden, as the Trump Administration currently regards all DEI programs, mandates, and policies as “illegal”. The second initiative order strictly prohibits any DEI activities that take place within the federal government, with federal government employees now mandated to report any employee they witness carrying out DEI efforts.
Due to Trump’s strong opposition to DEI, many companies have started to terminate their own DEI initiatives and policies. PBS, a prominent public television broadcasting network, has alarmingly closed its DEI office. Employees who were heavily involved in the PBS DEI office have now left the company altogether. Unlike public companies, private companies are currently unaffected by the DEI ban. However, President Trump is currently looking into ways to breach the private sector by enlisting the help of the attorney general’s office.
For many marginalized groups of people entering the workforce, DEI programs and initiatives are incredibly helpful in providing professional growth opportunities and breaking down systematic barriers. DEI can also be beneficial to companies, as when companies incorporate more diversity into a workplace, different employee perspectives can be shared, resulting in more innovation and creativity. Thus, the incorporation of DEI in companies not only creates a more positive and inclusive environment but also increases productivity. Overall, the destruction of DEI policies can negatively impact both people and organizations alike.
As mentioned in last week’s PRSSA DEI panel, it is now more crucial than ever to preserve DEI efforts and prevent discrimination and exclusion from occurring in the professional workforce. To do so, it is important to be able to identify a clear network of allies within your workplace that support the same ideas as you and are willing to push for a more inclusive agenda in order to be able to make small positive changes towards a greater goal.
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