In this episode, Jamey tackles the confusion and challenges surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts—particularly in the context of recent executive orders and shifting federal climates. Jamey discusses the impact of these orders on federal agencies and government contractors, noting the chilling effect they've had on DEI programs nationwide. He highlights the widespread uncertainty they've created about which DEI initiatives are legally permissible, pushing many organizations to unnecessarily scale back their efforts out of caution or a perceived desire to comply with the current administration. Despite these challenges, Jamey reassures listeners that DEI programs remain legal and essential for organizational success.

The heart of the episode centers on diversity recruiting in this uncertain environment. Jamey lays out six actionable strategies for leaders to ensure their recruiting processes are both impactful and legally compliant. He emphasizes the importance of avoiding quotas, setting aspirational but realistic representation goals, broadening recruitment pipelines, and maintaining a strong commitment to non-discrimination. The discussion also covers the importance of articulating organizational values around DEI and ensuring fairness throughout the hiring and promotion process. Jamey closes by reminding listeners to tailor these recommendations with their legal teams and offers continued support for organizations striving to move DEI forward.

To learn more or connect with Jamey, visit: www.equity-at-work.com

Key Topics Discussed:

• Impact of Executive Orders on DEI Programs
• Legal Status and Misconceptions about DEI Initiatives
• The Administration’s Framing of DEI and Merit
• The Subjectivity of "Best Candidate” and Organizational Value of Diversity
• Six Strategies for Diversity Recruiting:
• Avoiding quotas
• Setting aspirational representation goals
• Articulating organizational values
• Commitment to non-discrimination
• Broadening recruitment pipelines
• Adjusting programs to comply with legal requirements
• The Importance of Recruiting from Untapped Talent Pipelines
• Legal Considerations in Internship and Broader Recruitment Programs
• The Need for Consistent Evaluation and Structured Interviews
• The Role of Legal Counsel in Implementing DEI Strategies
• Guidance for Ongoing DEI Work and How to Reach Out for Support

In this episode of the DEI Minute, Jamey addresses the impact of recent executive orders from the Trump administration on employee resource groups (ERGs) in the workplace. The discussion opens with an important legal update—a federal judge's preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks certain aspects of these orders, particularly as they pertain to investigations of organizations running DEI programs. Despite ongoing challenges, Jamey discusses how both DEI initiatives and ERGs remain legal and essential, offering practical advice for organizations striving to maintain these groups amid legal uncertainty.

The episode dives deep into how ERGs support organizational culture and employee well-being, highlighting their role in fostering inclusion, professional development, retention, and recruitment. Jamey outlines actionable steps for businesses to safeguard and structure their ERGs to ensure compliance with current and potential future regulations. By clarifying ERG purposes, ensuring voluntary participation, and separating ERG activities from hiring or promotions, companies can uphold the immense value these groups provide.

To learn more or connect with Jamey, visit: www.equity-at-work.com

Key Topics Discussed:

• The origins and evolution of employee resource groups (ERGs)
• Difference between ERGs and affinity groups
• The value and impact of ERGs for individuals and organizations
• Current legality of DEI and ERGs in private companies and agencies
• Risks and misconceptions around ERGs and DEI compliance
• Actionable steps to keep ERGs both effective and compliant:
• Clear policies and definitions
• Voluntary and open participation
• Separation from hiring and promotion practices
• Professional behavior standards
• Legal responsibilities around harassment and discrimination
• The importance of informal peer connection spaces
• Importance of tailored legal guidance for organizations

In this episode, Michelle discusses what it means to create an inclusive and accessible workplace for everyone—particularly focusing on supporting employees with disabilities. Michelle highlights how organizations often approach disability accommodation from a compliance standpoint, waiting for requests rather than proactively designing accessible environments. She emphasizes the positive impact of being proactive—not only does this prepare the workplace for a diverse talent pool, but it also signals to candidates and current employees that inclusion and belonging are priorities from day one.

Michelle shares practical strategies for establishing accessible spaces, such as configurable workstations, quiet rooms, and making accommodations for both visible and invisible disabilities. She underlines the importance of individualized support, inclusive language, and normalizing the conversation around accommodations.

To find out more about and connect with Michelle, visit: www.Equity-at-work.com

Key Topics Discussed:

• Proactive vs reactive approaches to disability accommodation
• The hesitation employees feel in requesting accommodations
• How proactive accessibility supports recruitment and retention
• Examples of workplace accommodations (quiet rooms, adjustable workstations, etc.)
• The wide range of visible and invisible disabilities
• Temporary vs. permanent disabilities
• The importance of individualized support and active listening
• Using inclusive language and avoiding outdated or harmful terms
• Key statistics on disability prevalence, accommodation costs, and retention rates
• The role of flexibility and normalization in supporting employees

In this episode, Jamey tackles the crucial question of where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) should sit within an organization’s structure. Drawing on common pitfalls and practical recommendations, Jamey explains why embedding DEI as a secondary or split responsibility—often within HR—is a mistake that can undermine the initiative’s effectiveness. The episode highlights the difference between HR and DEI, emphasizing that DEI is not a compliance exercise but a strategic, culture-shaping function that deserves dedicated staffing and focus.

Jamey offers actionable advice, urging organizations to treat DEI as a core priority by assigning full-time staff and ideally establishing it as a standalone department. The discussion covers the importance of pairing passion with expertise in DEI leadership and why structural placement matters for long-term program success. For organizations not yet able to fully resource DEI, Jamey suggests ways to mitigate risks and set DEI leaders up for success as they work toward a more robust model.

To connect and learn more, visit: https://www.equity-at-work.com/

Key Topics Discussed:

• Common challenges in staffing and locating DEI within organizations
• Pitfalls of housing DEI within HR or making it a part-time responsibility
• The distinction between HR and DEI roles and focus
• The negative impact of treating DEI as a compliance exercise
• The importance of dedicated DEI staff and resources
• Recommendations for optimal DEI placement: standalone department or people experience/engagement team
• The need for DEI leaders with both passion and expertise
• Practical considerations for organizations with current resource constraints

In this episode, Michelle covers some of the top ways to drive lasting DEI change in your organization, providing actionable insights for leaders at every stage of their diversity, equity, and inclusion journey. Drawing from extensive experience, Michelle outlines broad, mindset-shaping principles essential to making DEI efforts effective and sustainable, rather than just a box-ticking exercise. She discusses that while tactical tips for program design or policy implementation are important, actual lasting change starts with thoughtful leadership, cultural alignment, and ongoing accountability.

She also talks about the critical importance of leading by listening, being honest about their DEI journey, grounding their strategies in their organization’s unique culture, and setting purposeful, measurable goals for both internal and external impact. Michelle also discusses the need for authenticity, stressing that performative actions can hinder efforts, and highlights how integrating DEI into the organization’s core DNA, backed by strong leadership and accountability, is key.

To learn more about Michelle, visit: https://www.equity-at-work.com/

Key Topics Discussed:

• Leading by listening and demonstrating empathy
• Honesty and transparency regarding DEI progress and setbacks
• Developing culture-specific DEI strategies and language
• Clarifying the purpose and goals of DEI work
• Balancing internal and external DEI goals
• Avoiding performative actions; being “real” or stepping back
• Operationalizing DEI so it becomes part of organizational DNA
• CEO and top executive leadership in DEI efforts
• Building clear accountability into every people leader’s role
• Grounding all DEI initiatives in change management techniques

In this episode, Jamey dives into the landscape of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) trainings, focusing on two common pitfalls organizations encounter when implementing DEI education. Jamey emphasizes that while education should be a foundational component of any effective DEI strategy, it is often mistakenly used as a one-size-fits-all solution. The episode highlights the importance of integrating education within a broader strategy that also addresses policies, procedures, and behaviors, rather than relying solely on training sessions to create real change.

Jamey also critiques the common practice of delivering mass, all-staff DEI trainings, arguing that these large group settings often hinder meaningful engagement, vulnerability, and participation. Instead, Jamey recommends a more intentional and tiered approach, such as delivering training in smaller groups and prioritizing leaders’ participation first. This method not only boosts the effectiveness of the trainings but also underscores DEI as an organizational priority and allows for a more tailored, impactful experience. The episode wraps up with actionable advice on making DEI education a more participatory and strategic part of organizational growth—reminding listeners that effective DEI work is multi-faceted and ongoing.

To find out more, visit: www.Equity-At-Work.com

Key Topics Discussed:

• The necessity of DEI education as part of a comprehensive DEI strategy
• The misconception of training as the sole solution to DEI challenges
• Drawbacks of conducting large, all-staff DEI trainings
• The benefits of small group training sessions for engagement and vulnerability
• Importance of sequential, tiered training (starting with leaders)
• Integrating education with policy and procedure changes
• Creating intentional groupings for maximum training impact
• Using education to facilitate genuine discussion, reflection, and organizational change
• Emphasizing DEI as an organizational, not merely individual, priority

In this episode, Michelle covers microaggressions in the workplace, offering a thoughtful exploration of what the term means, how microaggressions manifest, and their profound impact on individuals and organizational culture. Michelle explains that microaggressions are verbal or nonverbal slights, snubs, or insults—whether intentional or not—that communicate negative or hostile messages based on aspects of a person's identity, such as race, gender, age, or ability. She emphasizes that while these actions may seem minor or innocuous on the surface, their cumulative effect can be deeply harmful, eroding individuals’ sense of belonging and engagement at work.

Throughout the episode, Michelle outlines the different forms microaggressions can take, from repeatedly mispronouncing someone’s name to making assumptions about an employee’s abilities based on stereotypes. She discusses the heightened impact for individuals with intersectional identities and closes by providing listeners with practical questions to foster reflection and action: How do we enable timely and safe reporting, how do we ensure psychological safety in our responses, and what organizational norms can help prevent microaggressions?

To find out more and connect with Michelle and Jamey, visit: https://www.equity-at-work.com/

Key Topics Discussed:

• Definition and explanation of microaggressions
• Relationship between unconscious bias and microaggressions
• Verbal and nonverbal examples of microaggressions
• Impact on individuals, especially those with intersectional identities
• Common workplace examples of microaggressions
• Psychological and professional consequences for affected employees
• Barriers to reporting and addressing microaggressions
• Strategies and reflective questions for organizations to address microaggressions

In this episode, Jamey covers the crucial topic of analytics and tracking DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) metrics in the workplace. He addresses common challenges organizations face when attempting to measure the effectiveness of their DEI initiatives, highlighting frequent mistakes like tracking either too many or too few data points, neglecting to set clear goals, and falling prey to confirmation bias. Jamey talks about the importance of finding a balance in data collection—enough to track progress meaningfully, but not so much that it becomes overwhelming and counterproductive.

He also talks about how having the right metrics aligned with specific DEI initiatives allows organizations to track progress over time, celebrate successes, and identify areas needing improvement. Jamey also stresses the importance of communicating data effectively within organizations, catering to varying levels of data literacy among employees, and creating both high-level overviews and deeper dashboards for more detailed exploration. Ultimately, using data thoughtfully helps organizations move beyond surface-level engagement and make DEI a central, measurable business priority, fostering stronger leadership connections and more inclusive decision-making.

To find out more or connect with Jamey or Michelle, visit: https://www.equity-at-work.com/

Key Topics Discussed:

• The importance of tracking DEI metrics to determine program success
• Common pitfalls in DEI analytics (too much/too little data, lack of goals, confirmation bias)
• The balance between data collection and actionable insights
• The process of setting clear, initiative-aligned metrics
• The role of qualitative data, such as engagement surveys
• The need for company-specific data dashboards and visualizations
• Ways to communicate data effectively to different audiences within an organization
• The benefits of becoming more data-literate and data-driven in DEI work
• How data connects leadership more closely with organizational culture and well-being

At a time when it feels like DEI is no longer a priority, does the data share a different story?

In this episode, MIchelle talks about the truth in what employees are look dives into the latest research on employee and employer demand for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the workplace. She highlights compelling data from recent studies, revealing that employee interest in DEI programs is at an all-time high, matching the fervor seen in 2020, despite fluctuating headlines and changes within the federal government. Bogan walks listeners through data from leading organizations like Edelman and Bridge Partners, detailing how DEI efforts are not only being requested by employees but are also leading to tangible business benefits, such as increased retention, loyalty, and even improved financial performance.

The episode also discusses the specific DEI commitments companies are making, from outreach and hiring practices to professional development and supplier diversity. Bogan emphasizes the correlation between comprehensive DEI initiatives and employee satisfaction, trust, and retention, supporting her points with statistics and trends from reputable sources. The key takeaway is clear—investing in DEI is both a moral and business imperative, with employees seeking inclusive cultures and organizations significantly benefiting from such environments.

Key Topics Discussed:

- Recent spike in employee demand for DEI initiatives across all demographics

- Breakdown of Edelman’s Trust Barometer findings on DEI in the workplace

- Bridge Partners’ research on leadership investment in DEI

- Increasing company commitments to DEI in areas like pay equity, ERGs, mentoring, supplier diversity, and professional development

- Impact of DEI investment on employee loyalty and retention

- Quantifiable business benefits of DEI, including revenue, innovation, market expansion, and stock performance

- Debunking negative media narratives regarding DEI and focusing on what employees are truly asking for

In this episode, Jamey discusses the importance of knowing how to recruit diverse talent and highlights strategies that organizations typically consider, such as forming partnerships with HBCUs, HSIs, and other underrepresented groups.

Jamey also talks about the critical need to understand and improve the internal environment to support diverse employees. Addressing internal policies and practices is key to retaining and supporting diverse talent long-term, rather than just focusing on recruitment alone. Learn why starting with internal evaluation is essential for sustainable diversity and inclusion in your workplace.

If you're interested in the resources that Michelle discussed, visit: https://www.equity-at-work.com/

Key Topics Discussed:

• Significance of recruiting diverse talent
• Common strategies considered by organizations
• Importance of assessing internal organizational culture
• Challenges of quota systems
• Retaining diverse talent
• Building supportive and inclusive environments before recruitment
• The impact of existing employees' experiences
• Long-term strategic planning for DEI initiatives