Mythbusting Time: Let’s Talk About Merit and DEI Ah, yes, the age-old refrain: "We need to focus on merit and skills not just hiring people because they're diverse! ??" For those cheering recent corporate decisions to "move away from DEI," I’d love to clear up some common misconceptions. Here’s the truth: DEI is about merit and skills. Always has been. Diversity, equity, and inclusion isn’t about hiring people just because they’re from diverse backgrounds. It’s about making sure the right people with the right skills aren’t excluded from opportunities because of outdated, biased systems or barriers baked into hiring processes. For example: Job descriptions: Are they full of gendered or biased language that unintentionally discourages qualified applicants? Interview questions: Are they designed to be fair and assess skills, not cultural proximity? Recruiting practices: Are we putting opportunities in front of a wide, qualified pool—or just fishing in the same small pond? DEI ensures these systems are equitable, so when someone is hired, it’s based on their abilities—not because they look like everyone else already in the room. Another thing to remember: It’s against the law to set quotas or hire people purely based on their diversity. The focus isn’t on “hitting numbers” but ensuring the workplace is safe and welcoming for everyone. Tokenism helps no one. Real inclusion ensures people feel valued, respected, and safe enough to do their best work. So, for those claiming DEI is anti-merit? It’s quite the opposite. And if you have a problem with systems being fair, well...we all know what the real issue is. What do you think? Let’s talk about it.
You are amazing, my friend. Such wonderful insights. Thank you for sharing this - it’s so important ??
Ex-Logitech/Ex-1Password. Multi-faceted senior UX writer/content designer & marketing copywriter. I ?? B2B & B2C tech, hardware &SaaS. Data-driven everything. Ask me about my dogs. ????
3 个月Thank you for laying it out so clearly Noelle. Saving this for when these conversations come up in future roles. ??