JOURNAL ARTICLE

Achieve DEI Goals Without DEI Programs.

  • Published In: Harvard Business Review, 2025, v. 103, n. 4. P. 76 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Dobbin, Frank; Kalev, Alexandra 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines how high-performance management practices at companies like Oracle, Walmart, IBM, Gap, and Amazon have unintentionally fostered workforce diversity amid the rollback of formal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. These practices—such as employee referral programs, skills training, mentoring, schedule flexibility, and performance-based retention—improve employee engagement and business outcomes while naturally increasing representation of women and people of color across various job levels. Research based on data from 800 firms shows that these performance-driven approaches often yield better inclusion results than traditional DEI initiatives and can sustain diversity even during layoffs. The findings suggest that integrating such management innovations broadly across all employees may offer a viable path to enhancing workplace diversity without provoking backlash against formal DEI efforts.

Additional Information

  • Source:Harvard Business Review. 2025/07, Vol. 103, Issue 4, p76
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Women's Studies and Feminism
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0017-8012
  • Accession Number:185880785
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