DEI work continues - if covertly - people managers emphasize

"A conversation among leading HR executives at a recent dinner gathering in New York - hosted by WorkLife and sponsored by the employee coaching and development platform BetterUp - revealed both the challenges and creative adaptations organizations are making in response to new regulatory environments. At the event, Chatham House Rules applied, meaning that participants agreed to speak on the condition they would not be identified by name or company."

"The change has been swift and dramatic. "The moment the executive order was signed, we had someone who had to physically go in and scrub one of our government accounts," shared one executive, describing the immediate operational impact. The personal toll on employees has been significant. In one case, an African American employee was tasked with removing diversity-focused content from a military recruitment account - work that directly contradicted their personal values and the very communities they were meant to serve."

Rapid legal changes have forced organizations to alter DEI operations and navigate new compliance realities while seeking to maintain inclusive workplaces. HR executives are attempting to preserve the core of DEI work under changed circumstances. Confidential conversations among senior HR leaders revealed operational disruptions, including immediate removal of diversity content from government accounts after an executive order. Employees have faced significant personal and ethical strain when asked to delete content that contradicts their values. Many organizations are renaming roles and reframing terminology—shifting DEI, inclusion, and belonging titles to labels like 'inclusion and impact.' Practitioners report mixed reactions, with concerns that renaming diminishes long-term work.

Read at Digiday