Change The System, Not The Person – Common Attacks on DE&I and How We Can All Respond

Change The System, Not The Person – Common Attacks on DE&I and How We Can All Respond

In my last almost-5 years leading Diversity and Inclusion work at Coles Group, I have been working to hardwire diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) into the fabric of our values and workplace culture. No pressure!

It’s taken us a good few years of focus, and a village to get to a place where DEI is embedded in our values and culture, rather than an add-on or nice-to-have.

I was invited to speak at a D&I Summit recently, and there is a definite theme of tiredness and burnout in the air in this space.

I know many practitioners, me included, who are drained from the fight that was the Voice Referendum last year, and who are now, in global political instability and an economic downturn, fighting to hold onto resources, investment and focus in their organisation. The context we are in socially is more divisive than ever.

If you’re a DE&I practitioner (or a passionate supporter) and it’s taking intentional effort to navigate this current moment, I see you. It is not an easy time to fight the DE&I fight, nor is it simple to figure out the most useful way to step in.

Let's look at some of the arguments being used to shoot down diversity efforts.

We "hire on merit".

Merit assumes an objective definition and criteria, but who is actually the "best person for the job"?

In reality, the definition of merit shifts with the times and social values. In the ‘60s, merit favoured men over married women. In the ‘90s and 2000s, it often meant a certain degree from a certain university.

Merit is a great excuse to keep doing what we've always done. We hire people similar to ourselves, who have taken the ‘expected’ career path. This makes us lazy to the impacts of systemic disadvantages. A diverse candidate might have the capability but not the opportunity, thanks to a merit argument that reinforces the privilege and status quo.

You've likely heard excuses like "I can't find a qualified candidate of the target gender" or "Should I really hire someone subpar just to meet a target?"

In these situations, I find a mirror can often help. Ask things like:

●????? Is this a one-off? Do your hiring practices show good diversity? (The “it’s not them, it’s you” approach)

●????? What defines the "best" candidate? What’s really required in the job description versus what can be taught?


We are just reverse discriminating (aka "the woke defence")

We’ve all seen it: when the privileged claim they are targets of harassment or discrimination.

Twenty years ago, as a young professional, I saw the only woman in our leadership team start a monthly lunch for the other, more junior women. The men complained about discrimination.

Reverse discrimination is a myth because it ignores the power and privilege dynamics. It assumes a level playing field, which doesn’t exist.

(By the way, that lunch continued and became the foundation of a gender equity group at one of the world's largest professional services firms.)


Tokenism should not be confused with being the first


Another argument against diversity initiatives is that they can be perceived as tokenism.

Tokenism involves including individuals from underrepresented groups solely to appear diverse, without providing equal opportunities or meaningful inclusion. This often leads to a superficial approach to diversity, missing the nuance of intent. And if you’re a data nerd like me, you’ll probably experience the ‘diversity leaky bucket’ where a diversity hire walks in one door to the company then swiftly walks out the other, realising they’re not psychologically safe.


Tokenism isn't good. Being "the only" can feel like a diversity checkbox without real inclusion. However, tokenism shouldn't be confused with being first. Sometimes, people need to be the first to create genuine change and build momentum for others to follow.


If you're offered an opportunity based on positive discrimination or perceived as tokenistic, make your own decision. Don’t get caught up in anti-DE&I rhetoric that suggests you don't deserve it.


How to keep your head high

In a DE&I environment of declining resources, resistance and backlash, I’m the first to admit it can be incredibly challenging.

First, find your allies. It takes a village, so share the load, lean on experts, and enlist supporters.

For naysayers, be armed with facts, create an advocacy strategy, and speak out in a values-aligned way.

Don't keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Don't be in love with your own solution, it's time to fall back in love with the problem you're solving.

And always remember:


Data is your friend

I worked with a male-dominated function, and we used data to dismantle the argument that there was a ‘lack of talent in the market’. We could show, through data, that almost half our applicants were female, but were not being hired or those in the business weren’t being promoted, or were joining then leaving because it wasn't the place for them. Hard data allows you to challenge without emotion. The conversation quickly shifted to a solution-oriented one – we questioned the importance of experience versus capability and challenged our recruitment teams to provide balanced shortlists and interview panels. That function has progressively improved year on year in their diversity targets based on a balanced plan of career development, retention and acquisition.


Even if you have NOTHING else in your DE&I toolkit, ensure you have these:

  1. Data: Use it to tell a story that can't be argued with.
  2. System change: ?This is the only thing that is sustainable. You can't be a knight in shining armour, floating in to hire more diversely if it all stops the minute you look away.
  3. Governance: Use governance to implement policy and process changes, with KPIs and performance targets.


If these words sound boring and not the sexy work you imagined in DE&I, then DE&I might not be for you.

Over the last 4-5 years, having the privileged position to take action inside one of the country’s largest employers, I have fallen in love with data, system change and governance. This is what drives REAL DE&I work. And that makes it sexy - because impact and sustainable change are sexy.


Sarah Liu

Managing Director | DEI Consultant | Global Speaker | Industry Board Advisor UTS | 40 under 40: Most Influential Asian-Australians | Champion for Women in Leadership

5 个月

Really great article Katie Wyatt GAICD - couldn’t agree more!

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Rana Hussain

Thought Leader - Leadership, Culture, Belonging & Inclusion | Keynote Speaker | Writer | Broadcaster

5 个月

Love this so much! And totally here for data, governance and systemic change!!!

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Claire Wild

Working on Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Country | Strategy | Regeneration ??

5 个月

So well said Katie Wyatt GAICD! Thank you for putting these words out into the world. DE&I can be a spicy topic for a few of our clients and I'll definitely be whipping out your rationale and solutions next time we go down the 'hiring on merit' rabbit hole.

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Barbara Sheehy AAICD MAHRI

Director Indigenous Affairs - Sodexo Australia | Organisational Change & Transformation | Leadership Development & Talent Management | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategist

5 个月

Katie Wyatt GAICD fantastic article ?? sustainable impact love it!

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