Ep. 12. Are we all racist - or is DEI weird about ethnicity?

On both sides of the Atlantic, we’ve faced a reckoning on race in the last five years. But have employers’ efforts to address racial discrimination and reduce tensions made things better or worse? 

‘Am I racist?’ – the new film by the American provocateur Matt Walsh – asks whether we have over-corrected, to the point where too many employers now centre race in a way that can feel divisive, crass, offensive and, frankly, a bit strange.

Is it time to talk about whether our approach is working – or whether we’ve over-egged it? And, if pretending we are ‘colourblind’ feels odd too, what is the solution?

In the second half of this conversation with the writer and commentator James Esses, we discuss race and more, including:

- Does some DEI training have a quasi-religious vibe? Are all attendees really welcome to ask questions, or are these sessions only a ‘safe space’ for those with the ‘right’ views?

- Just because a DEI tweak is lawful, does that mean it’s ethical? For example, can longer application windows for hard-to-reach groups be justified, when others get less time? Is James right to ask ‘Where do we draw the line?’

- Were employers wrong to trust that the @CIPD’s trans inclusion guide was legally sound? Was it right to suggest that employers should provide two security badges and email addresses for staff who identify as gender fluid, and time off for trans women to attend hair removal appointments – or is it fair for HR professionals to ask whether such requests are reasonable? 

- Does wellbeing belong under DEI – and it is fair for employers to expect staff to look after each other’s mental health at work?

- Is it hypocritical for Conservative politicians to claim to be ‘anti-DEI’ when David Cameron’s 2005 ‘A-list’ boosted their party’s own demographic diversity – an achievement they seem to be proud of?

Enjoy the episode!

#DEI #EDI #podcast #business #hr 

Watch/listen on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://linktr.ee/thisisntworking

Find James on X @JamesEsses https://x.com/JamesEsses
Read James's investigations on Matt Goodwin's Substack https://www.mattgoodwin.org/s/james-esses