Ross, Rachel and SHRM
Darren Sudman
Building strategic and innovative nonprofits. Promoting authentic and impactful companies. Award-Winning Social Impact Campaigns | Nonprofit CoFounder | Creator of Mission IQ | Lawyer | Author
If you are a fan of Friends, then you most certainly think of these five words when someone mentions Ross and Rachel: "We were on a break." Here’s the scene:
Rachel: I don’t know, I don’t know. Urrrgh! Look, maybe we should take a break.
Ross: Okay, okay, fine, you’re right. Let’s ah, let’s take a break, (goes to the door) let’s cool off, okay, let’s get some frozen yogurt or something... (opens the door)
Rachel: No. (Ross is standing in the doorway.) A break from us.
What did "a break from us" mean? Rachel meant she needed space. Ross heard they were over, and he was free. What came next? Six seasons of confusion and harm. Good for a sitcom, but destructive in real life.
Thanks to the dictionary, it is fairly easy to figure out the meaning of a word, unless you live with a Gen X’er from Philly who uses the word "jawn" to describe any person, place, or thing. So silly and so 1980’s Smurf. It is far more difficult to find consensus on expectation and perception. Herein lies the harm created by the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) recent announcement.
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This week, SHRM removed the word equity from its Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity (IE&D) policy. SHRM doesn’t do DEI like many organizations. President Johnny C. Taylor explained the reason inclusion comes first in an article published in December 2023. He said, “we stand now at a critical point in our country’s history, a time when we must choose if we will be a generation that embraces IE&D . . .."
Six months later, is SHRM deciding it is not part of this generation?
Am I overreacting? I don’t think so. SHRM downplays this move by suggesting equity will be integrated into inclusion. Impossible, these words have very different meanings and President Taylor knows this. He told us in his article six months ago. Here's an example. Inclusion is me adding you to the invitation list for my party. Equity is making sure that you can navigate the three flights of stairs when you get to my apartment. Unless, I believe that having you watch the party from outside the building is good enough.
SHRM’s change also defies expectations and creates a very bad perception. Many companies have already been rethinking, changing, or abandoning DEI work. In the past couple of weeks alone, CNN disbanded its race and equality reporting group. Microsoft eliminated its DEI team. Tractor Supply announced it would end its DEI and environmental practices entirely.
Now, the self-proclaimed “trusted authority on all things work” and “the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces” signals that equity is no longer worthy of mention? What should we conclude, SHRM? We cannot “create better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together” without equity, unless we believe the workplaces are only designed for specific people.
Don’t be like Ross. Don't take six seasons to rectify this situation. They weren’t on a break. Equity is not integrated into inclusion.
Helping the nation's TOP Social Capital CEOs share their ideas on how to do business better by respecting people.
2 个月The word “fairness” appeals to everyone, right? https://lnkd.in/g8qgnmRd #ceomindset, #equity, #dei, #people
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4 个月Let's not hide from the reason companies and SHRM are doing this. The politics of fear. One political party is relentlessly attacking DEI and companies are afraid of being caught up in this reactionary assault. There should be only one (summary) corporate measure for DEI, either it's good for business or it's not. Correct me if I'm wrong, but all the data I've seen says it's quite good for business. I'll also point out that Tractor Supply took a ton of sh*t on social media from long-time customers. Reacting in fear is not the way to go.
Wealth advisor to progressive clients who value just and thriving communities and a healthy planet
4 个月Great post Darren Sudman. SMH at SHRM and the hubris of companies like Microsoft gutting their entire DEI team and then making the vapid, word salad statement: “True systems-change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020... Our D&I commitments remain unchanged... Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritizing accountability, and continuing to focus on this work." Why would Microsoft focus on this important work that they deem no longer business critical or smart? Who will do the work and how will the executive team and board hold the rest of the empire accountable? DEI work is important to the long term health of any company's culture. It's not just for the benefit of Black or Brown people, or the wider array of employees and prospective employees who are othered and under resourced. DEI work benefits ALL employees, and also customers, vendors, communities and yes, ultimately corporate profits through improved risk management and customer experiences. Another instance of business leaders externalizing the cost of true systems change while reaping massive compensation for themselves.