Advocating for DEI in Your Employee Relations: From Policy to Practice

It’s Monday morning. Your inbox is overflowing, your coffee’s gone cold, and your Slack just pinged with a thread titled, “Diversity in the office, what’s next?” You glance around and feel a lack of energy, connection, and maybe even purpose. DEI, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, isn’t just the week’s buzzword. It’s a real movement. A shift in how workplaces are meant to feel, not just function.

If your employee relations strategy hasn’t caught up yet, you’re not just lagging but might be missing the opportunity to create a workplace in which people genuinely want to be part.

So, what does it truly mean to advocate for DEI? And how can communicators like us help connect the dots between policy and people? Pull up a chair, sip your latte, and let’s walk through it together.

Let’s be honest: Where are we?

We’ve all seen it. The social media posts in June, the rainbow flags, the trending hashtags declaring solidarity, even the occasional land acknowledgment. These gestures may look good on the surface, but in all honesty and seriousness, good intentions without real action don’t build trust. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can’t be just a box to check or a one-time campaign. It’s a long-term commitment and a daily conscious choice to support every single person in the room.

And there’s solid data to back that up. A McKinsey report found that companies with greater ethnic and cultural diversity are 36% more likely to outperform their competitors. Companies in the top quartile for both gender and ethnic diversity in executive teams are on average nine per cent more likely to outperform their peers. Meanwhile, those in the bottom quartile for both are 66 per cent less likely to outperform financially on average, indicating that lack of diversity may be getting more expensive. These numbers are a strong business case for creating workplaces that look and feel like the real world outside our office walls.

What baffles me the most is that despite all the data, many organizations still treat DEI as a side project. Maybe it’s a one-off training video. Maybe it’s a single employee resource group (ERG) trying to do it all with limited funding and even less visibility. This kind of approach highlights that inclusion is optional, and this is a serious problem.

The other side of this? We can do so much better, together!

It’s time to rethink what DEI really means, and imperative to shift it from being a task on a to-do list to a mindset that shapes how we lead, hire, collaborate, and grow. This shift won’t happen overnight, but it starts with honesty and a willingness to go beyond performative gestures.

Step 1: Rewriting the playbook

Think of your employee relations policy as the behind-the-scenes guide to how people are truly treated in your company. It might not be posted on the walls, but it quietly shapes the day-to-day experience of every employee. So, think about this, are we asking the right questions?

Are your policies truly built around the diverse lives your employees lead?

Does parental leave extend to all kinds of families, not just the traditional mould?

Can a transgender employee look at your benefits plan and feel seen and supported?

If any of those questions make you hesitate, then it’s probably time to take a closer look at your foundation.

One simple but powerful step is to bring a variety of voices into the review process. Invite employees with different backgrounds and life experiences to go through your policies. You might uncover blind spots you didn’t even realize were there. More importantly, you’ll show your team that their perspectives aren’t just welcomed but important.

People over policies: Real culture lives in the everyday

Sure, policies help set the stage, but let’s be honest here, culture shows up in everyday moments. It lives in how feedback is given and received, how conversations unfold in meetings, and who gets credit when good ideas land on the table.

Psychological safety is at the heart of it all. Do people genuinely feel like they can speak up without looking over their shoulder? That kind of trust doesn’t come from a handbook. It comes from how we treat each other, moment to moment, conversation to conversation.

And this is where communicators have real power. The words we choose can either open doors or quietly close them. Try this: instead of “mandatory training,” how about calling it a “growth opportunity”? Swap out “grievance” for something as simple and respectful as “feedback.” These subtle shifts aren’t just about tone, but they’re signals. Signals that say: you belong here, and your voice matters.

Representation matters more than you think

There’s something powerful about seeing someone who looks like you, leads like you, or lives like you in a position of real influence. Not just sitting at the table, but being heard and driving change.

Representation isn’t about checking off diversity boxes. It’s about building teams that reflect the real world and the many identities that come with it. When people feel seen, they feel safe. And when they feel safe, they speak up, lean in, and stick around.

Look at Disney. When faced with pressure to back away from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, they didn’t fold. They stood their ground and reaffirmed their support. This is a strong representation and real leadership with a backbone.

You don’t need to be Disney to start making a difference. Begin by amplifying voices within your own walls. Share real stories from real employees. Launch a “Day in the Life” series. Give people a platform. Because inclusion isn’t just shown – it’s built, story by story, voice by voice.

Handling conflict with care

Let’s be real. Conflict is part of the process. When you’re shifting culture and addressing bias, tough conversations are bound to happen. But that’s not a sign of failure. It usually means people care enough to speak up, and that’s something to honor and not fear.

What really matters is how your company responds in those moments. Do employees feel safe bringing up concerns? Are their voices met with defensiveness, or with curiosity and care?

This is where thoughtful tools make a difference. Trauma-informed reporting systems, access to neutral mediators, and workshops on active listening are the real proof here. Proof that your organization takes people seriously, especially when it’s hard.

And when it comes to communication, ditch the robotic corporate lingo. Speak with clarity, compassion, and a little heart. Because in moments of tension, people don’t need policies. What they need is humanity.

DEI is what you do, not just what you say

Being a true advocate for DEI in employee relations means showing up, and not just when it’s convenient or trending, but every single day. It’s about creating space for real, unfiltered conversations. It’s about questioning your own assumptions before pointing fingers. And most importantly, it’s about following through on your promises.

This is not a smooth process, nor is growth. But it will all be worth it because people stay when they feel seen. They stay when they feel heard and when they know they matter.

That’s the kind of workplace people build their lives around.

And that’s where the real magic begins.