Challenging the Myth That DEI Is Only for Some

Abstract

Organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs have been widely criticized in recent years, particularly because of concerns that they benefit minoritized employees at the expense of majority group members. In this chapter, we challenge that notion by presenting examples of and evidence that, when designed well, DEI programs can benefit all employees. Specifically, we draw attention to the curb cut effect, or the tendency for efforts designed to increase equity, inclusion, or access for one group to have widespread positive impacts on other groups as well. We then present empirical evidence that employees who belong to majority groups do indeed benefit from the presence of organizational DEI programs. We conclude that DEI initiatives need not be a zero sum game in which some benefit while others do not and that they are intended to and actually do improve the workplace experiences of a broad swath of employees.