The power of ‘centering’: How to sustain DEI during economic downturn

This year, February’s Black History Month felt different – perhaps because of the recent rounds of layoffs that have gutted DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) departments and programs. Twitter’s DEI team shrunk from 30 people to two, confirming analysis from workforce data company Revelio Labs, finding a 33% churn rate for DEI-related roles in February, much higher than the 21% for non-DEI roles.

This isn’t the first, and won’t be the last, time that DEI is on the chopping block. But it raises a broader question: What could it look like to break this pattern? How can organizational leaders continue to pursue DEI in an economically-constrained environment?

One answer to that question is to center the needs of the group that tends to face the most barriers in the workplace. That tends to be women of color, and often Black women in particular. “Centering” reflects an idea from the economist Janelle Jones, who in 2020 coined an economic principle that she called “Black women best.”

Jones argues that if Black women, who historically have been the most exploited and excluded, are able to thrive in our economy, then everyone should be able to thrive. So, if our policies and processes support Black women, they should support everyone. The same is true inside our organizations.

What does centering look like?

Common forms of centering include providing mentoring or coaching, offering flexible work arrangements, or creating affinity groups or employee resource groups that cater to the needs of specific communities. It could, for example, take the form of a coaching program explicitly for emerging Black leaders.

One real life example comes from Erin L. Thomas, PhD, head of diversity, inclusion & belonging at Upwork, who told me during a conversation last year about her leadership development program, GlowUP. GlowUP is all about centering the needs of leaders of color, by cultivating a safe environment for talking openly about leadership challenges, as well as giving and receiving support from other members. They have also developed a program called “Our Place”, which is a membership community for Upwork’s most senior Black women to help them strengthen connections and identify growth opportunities.

How can I begin to practice centering in my organization?

First, actively listen to the employees of the group you’re centering. The key here is to approach conversations with curiosity, asking questions to understand their perspective and needs without assuming that you know. This can take the form of holding focus groups, conducting surveys, or simply having one-on-one conversations.

Next, carefully consider how a program that centers the needs of this group links back to your organizational objectives. You don’t just want to develop a great program for the short-term, but one that will sustain in the long-term. To do that, you need to connect it to organizational priorities from the start, articulating to senior leaders how investing resources in one group can create a better environment and outcomes for all.

Next, using the feedback you gathered from employee conversations, create a plan of how you will offer that group tailored support. Be sure that representatives of the community you’re centering are actively involved in giving feedback on whatever programs/initiatives you’re developing, as well as their managers, who play an outsize role in the success and wellbeing of employees from historically marginalized groups.

Finally, make sure your plan includes a strategy for measuring impact and success. How will you make sure you’re gathering data to demonstrate that your program is doing what it intends to? Or, if it isn’t, to show you how you might need to adapt it?

Related: 4 new models for embracing neurodiverse employees for a stronger workforce

By actively focusing on the experiences and perspectives of historically underrepresented groups, centering offers a powerful tool for pursuing DEI goals, even when budgets are cut.

Elizabeth Weingarten is the Head of Behavioral Science Insights at Torch, the people development platform that unlocks the potential of people, teams and organizations by making coaching more inclusive, integrated with strategy, and impactful for business.