How DIY DEI Can Hurt Your Organization

DIY DEI, or do-it-yourself diversity, equity, and inclusion, can be harmful to organizations and the individuals they employ and serve. There are hundreds of DIY DEI resources online to help guide you, including promises of cost efficiency, quick timelines, or other persuasive factors.

But DEI is a complex and nuanced field. We must consider unconscious bias, microaggressions, and systemic racism. It can be difficult to understand and address all these issues without the help of an experienced DEI professional.

What are the risks of DIY DEI?

• It can lead to a LACK of understanding. DEI is a complex and nuanced field, and an experienced DEI professional can help your organization understand the issues. If you DIY DEI, you may not have a deep understanding, which can lead to ineffective or even harmful solutions.
• It can lead to tokenism, which occurs when an organization makes superficial changes to appear inclusive but doesn't address the underlying issues. This can be harmful to the organization's reputation and can also be demoralizing for employees who feel like they are only being included as a token gesture.
• It can lead to burnout. DEI work can be emotionally and mentally demanding. If you DIY DEI, you may not have the support of a network of DEI practitioners, which can lead to burnout. Burnout can make it difficult to sustain your DEI efforts over time.

In addition, DIYers are oftentimes less aware of the latest trends and best practices in DEI and are more likely to make mistakes that could damage their organization’s reputation or elicit legal ramifications.

If you're serious about creating a more inclusive workplace, it's important to get help from an experienced DEI professional. They can help you understand the issues, develop a plan of action, and measure your progress.

You CAN lead your organization's intentional DEI efforts with the Institute for Diversity Certification (IDC)®! IDC® lays the foundational DEI bedrock, enabling you to build strong DEI strategies that can create a lasting impact in your organization and community.

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