So what does that actually look like?
Without DEI … hiring falls back on personal networks and "gut feelings." That means the same people hiring the same kinds of people they always have. That's not meritocracy. That's just bias dressed up with a nice-sounding label.
Without DEI … fewer women and people of color make it through the door, because the playing field was never level to begin with. The numbers prove this over and over again. And when leadership remains overwhelmingly white and male, it's not because others aren't "qualified"—it's because opportunity wasn't equally distributed.
Without DEI … LGBTQ+ employees face workplaces where they must hide who they are to feel safe or be taken seriously. Without protections, inclusive benefits, or a culture of belonging, many leave—or worse, stay and disengage. That’s bad for morale and business.
Without DEI … employees with disabilities face more barriers to entry and to success. Accessibility requires intention—without it, companies exclude talent and risk legal trouble.
Without DEI … companies lose out on diversity of thought. And if you don't think that matters, ask any CEO who's ever been blindsided by a problem no one in the room saw coming because everyone in the room thought the same way.
Without DEI … companies miss out on top talent. Here's a reality check: the best candidates want to work in inclusive environments. They're looking for places where they'll be valued and respected, not where they'll have to "fit in" to outdated norms.
Without DEI … businesses make more costly mistakes. Bias in hiring leads to bias in decision-making, which leads to lawsuits, PR nightmares, and lost customers. Just ask the companies that have been dragged for discrimination or harassment scandals.
Without DEI … retention suffers. High performers from underrepresented backgrounds leave when they don't see a path forward. And turnover costs money. A lot of it.
Yes, you can eliminate DEI programs. But if you do, don't be surprised when your hiring pool shrinks, your workforce stagnates, your innovation suffers, and your best employees start looking elsewhere.
DEI isn't about checking boxes or forced quotas. It's about building a workplace where the best people—of all backgrounds—want to be. If you can't compete for and retain that talent, don't blame DEI, blame yourself.