Amid DEI Rollbacks, Champion Allyship

Many U.S. businesses are feeling pressured to retreat from years of effort they’ve spent creating welcoming and inclusive workplaces, in response to the Trump administration’s anti-DEI stance. But for most of us, rolling back inclusion and belonging policies doesn’t reflect who we are or who we want to be. In one study my research team conducted with 1,751 working adults, the vast majority of them — 76% — said they care about people who are marginalized and want to be allies to them. Managers who said they want to be better allies but don’t know how experienced worse mental health compared with those who felt more confident about their allyship.

Over the past several years, studies have shown that as a society, we’ve been growing increasingly cynical while at the same time becoming increasingly compassionate. Study after study has shown that people are deeply distressed when they see others suffer from discrimination — even more than when they themselves are the target of discrimination.

By now, many leaders and managers have seen the benefits of building a workforce with employees from a variety of backgrounds, and of creating a fair and welcoming work environment. It has enabled them to attract and retain better talent, promote trust and employee engagement, improve creativity and innovation, become more adaptable to change, and experience stronger business performance. Working in an environment where we feel like we belong is invaluable to all of us.

Consider what DEI programs, statements, and commitments achieve in the short term. At a minimum, they immediately signal to new talent and existing employees that their company cares about them; that people from all identities and backgrounds are welcome to bring their authentic selves to the workplace; that their contributions and achievements will be recognized and rewarded; and that the company is willing to invest resources to empower them to succeed and thrive. When promises