“When DEI Dies: The Impact on Workers in Global Organizations”

Abstract: Global organizations face a challenge around their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) approaches. Though DEI initiatives can boost innovation and employee engagement, political pressure in the U.S. is compelling many organizations to cease their formal DEI work. Yet global companies with offices both inside and outside of the US may face conflicting cultural and social demands that impede efforts to develop one consistent policy around these initiatives. Using the tech industry as a case study, we combine surveys and interview data to examine how firms with offices in the US and UK are restructuring their approaches to DEI and the impact these changes have on workers. Our findings reveal significant differences between how nonblack and Black tech workers in the UK view DEI rollbacks, with Black workers more affected by these changes. Yet the effects are seemingly contradictory, with UK Black workers reporting both heightened career aspirations and concerns about exploitation. We theorize that local culture plays a key role in shaping workers’ responses to these restrictions, and suggest that for Black workers, declining organizational resources may be mitigated through strategies that leverage local cultural values.