2020 was a landmark year in many respects, particularly with regard to raising awareness around the urgency of DEI issues in the workplace. Many companies reacted to public sentiment on the topic by turning their focus inward, exploring the many opportunities where they themselves could improve. There is often uncertainty around the right way to approach improving culture and DEI, especially in traditionally white male environments like tech and finance. Here are some of the common missteps made when it comes to DEI and addressing the issues, along with best practices to create lasting change within an organization.

Common DEI missteps companies make

With the best of intentions, many companies unwittingly try to improve their culture in all the wrong ways. One common example is relying on under-represented team members to carry the burden of educating their colleagues solely — having them bear not only the emotional brunt but also forcing them to sink much of their own time into "solving the problem." In short, they're doing double-duty rather than the company taking on equal responsibility.