The Death of DEI and the Quiet Undoing of Workplace Inclusion

"We need more masculine energy at work."

The first time I heard that statement, I had to pause. Not because I didn’t understand what it meant—but because I did.

A few years ago, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) was everywhere. Companies proudly announced their commitment to diverse hiring, workplace inclusion, and psychological safety. They ran training sessions, formed committees, and posted about it relentlessly on LinkedIn.

And then, almost overnight, it is disappearing.

Or rather, it was made to disappear.

From Boardroom Buzzword to Afterthought

Remember Lean In? Sheryl Sandberg’s 2010 TED Talk sparked a movement that told women: sit at the table, find a real partner, and don’t leave before you leave. It was a moment of collective realization—many of us had been that woman sitting on the outer row of the meeting room, uncertain if we truly belonged.

Fast forward to 2025, and the very company where Sandberg once reigned as the “adult in the room” is now making headlines for rolling back its DEI initiatives. A top executive at Meta (formerly Facebook) casually suggested that we need more masculinity at work. No subtlety, no nuance—just a direct rollback of years of effort.

Let’s call this what it is: a message.

A message that says: We’re done with inclusion. We tried it, it was nice for a while, but it’s time to get back to “real” work.

And this isn’t just a Silicon Valley problem.

Closer home, we hear Indian leaders proudly advocating for 70-hour workweeks (or wait, was it 90?) and wondering aloud why people even need Sundays off. When asked about DEI, many shrug and say, "We don’t have time for that anymore."

When exactly did overwork become the new badge of honor, and inclusion become a liability?

Was DEI Ever Real?

The uncomfortable truth is that DEI was never fully woven into the fabric of how companies operate. For many organizations, it was a checkbox, a side project, an initiative that looked good on paper.

True diversity is messy. It’s uncomfortable. It requires real change, real accountability.

And real work.

It means asking: What are the structures, policies, and biases that prevent workplaces from being truly inclusive?

Not just in gender, but across age, disability, caste, and every other axis of privilege we pretend doesn’t exist.

The Fragility of Power

So why are we here? Why this sudden urge to reinstate “masculine energy”?

Simple: Fear.

We’ve all seen the headlines: layoffs, cost-cutting, economic uncertainty. And when companies feel like they’re losing control, they revert to old, familiar power structures.

The easiest way to do that? Make workplaces hostile again.

By rolling back DEI, the message is clear:

• You are welcome here—as long as you don’t expect change.
• Work harder, say less, don’t ask for fairness.
• If you don’t like it, leave.

And it’s working.

People are quiet quitting not because they don’t want to work, but because they don’t see the point in fighting a system designed to exclude them.

So, What Now?

I’ll admit—I’m frustrated.

Not just by the backpedaling, but by the silence.

Where is the pushback? Where are the voices calling this out for what it is? Sandberg’s own absence in this conversation is particularly loud.

And yet, I refuse to believe that DEI is dead.

Because real inclusion isn’t about policies—it’s about people.

• It’s about the bosses who make space at the table, regardless of what corporate memos say.
• It’s about calling out bias when it happens, even if it’s inconvenient.
• It’s about not apologizing for wanting a workplace that values people over productivity metrics.

DEI isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s the difference between a workplace where people thrive and one where they barely survive.

So if you’re reading this, and you’re tired of the performative talk, tired of waiting for leadership to step up—this is your permission to speak up.

Not just in big moments, but in the small ones.

Because that’s where real change happens.

What’s Next?

?? Has your workplace quietly rolled back DEI? What does inclusion look like for you in 2025? Hit reply, drop a comment, or let’s keep the conversation going.

?? Watch the full episode here → https://youtu.be/NV_UDm6qF-I

#SmallTalk #WorkPlayBuild #DEI #FutureOfWork #InclusionMatters Hasita Krishna