Inclusive, Not Performative: What DEI Looks Like IRL
Let’s talk about the elephant in the Zoom room: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is having a moment.
Between headline-grabbing rollbacks, legal challenges, and loud opinions on every side, DEI has gone from a meaningful internal effort to a buzzword some companies are afraid to say out loud. While some big brands are walking back their commitments, many smaller, values-driven businesses are saying: we’re not going anywhere.
At ConsciousHR, we believe DEI isn’t a political statement. It’s about how you treat people. Period. And for small teams, it’s not about PR or programs - it’s about building everyday practices that help real humans thrive at work.
So let’s cut through the noise. Here’s how to approach DEI like a small business boss: with clarity, care, and no drama.
1. Bias in Hiring & Promotion: Name It So You Can Change It
You don’t have to be “bad at hiring” to be biased. Bias is sneaky. It shows up as:
“They just feel like a good fit”
Promoting the loudest or most visible employee instead of the most capable
Only tapping into personal networks for referrals
Small teams are especially prone to bias because decisions often happen fast and informally. That’s fixable.
Try this:
Use structured interview questions and scorecards
Make promotion criteria transparent and consistent
Track who’s being hired, promoted, and passed over. Look at the patterns.
You can’t fix what you’re not paying attention to.
2. Inclusive Language: Say What You Mean (Without Excluding People)
If your language assumes everyone is the same or relies on outdated jokes, you're leaving folks out. Language reflects culture, and even small shifts matter.
Try this:
Use job titles like "team member" or "sales associate" that focus on the role, not the type of person you picture doing it. Skip descriptors that hint at a preferred gender, age, or background.
Encourage a culture where people can respectfully call each other when language misses the mark.
Focus on creating a workplace where more people actually feel welcome and want to stay.
3. Equitable Pay: It’s Not Just About What You Think Is Fair
If your pay practices rely on vibes, last-minute guesses, or who negotiates the hardest… there’s work to do.
Pay equity doesn’t mean everyone makes the same amount. It means people doing similar work at similar levels are paid fairly, regardless of who they are.
Here’s what helps:
Set and share clear salary ranges for roles
Document your raise and promotion process
Audit compensation data at least annually for race, gender, and role gaps
People talk about pay - especially when it’s not fair. So get ahead of the whispers with transparency and consistency.
4. Measuring DEI: Track Something (Even If It’s Not Fancy)
You don’t need a DEI dashboard with real-time charts and elaborate graphs (though that sounds fun to us data lovers). But you do need to measure something.
Start small:
Who’s applying, interviewing, getting hired, promoted, and leaving?
How do people feel about inclusion and safety at work?
Are different teams or locations experiencing culture differently?
Even a spreadsheet and a two-question survey can start to show where your culture is thriving, and where it’s… not.
Final Thoughts: No Drama. Just Better Practices.
DEI has become a lightning rod for controversy. But at the core, it’s about treating people right.
It’s about creating a workplace where your team wants to show up, grow, and contribute. That won’t be curated with a marketing plan— it requires action.
Small teams actually have an advantage here. You’re agile. You know your people. And you don’t need permission from 15 departments to make a meaningful change.
So forget the drama. Build fair, inclusive, people-first practices that reflect your values and your vision for what good work can look like.
Need help figuring out where to start? Our EyesOpen community gives you access to real HR experts (with hearts and brains), templates that don’t suck, and support for building more equitable workplaces.
