Companies getting rid of DEI teams, Microsoft lays them all off

[Anonymous]

Microsoft has reportedly laid off a team devoted to diversity, equity and inclusion after pouring millions of dollars into the initiative — becoming the latest major company to ditch the policy.

But as companies including Zoom, Snap, Meta, Tesla, DoorDash, Lyft, Home Depot, and Wayfair cut DEI teams amid wider layoff plans, the Post said, diversity and inclusion executive numbers have been reduced by 50 percent or more.

https://nypost.com/2024/07/17/business/microsoft-fires-dei-team-becoming-latest-company-to-ditch-woke-policy-report/

https://www.inc.com/bruce-crumley/diversity-policy-backlash-drives-cuts-to-dei-staff.html

[Anonymous]

Companies do not DEI to diversify their workforce. They have other means to do so.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't cheer just yet

Some experts the Post interviewed said that the current reductions of teams responsible for orchestrating DEI policies may look more dramatic than they will prove in practice. The rush since 2020 to create those diversity programs may have resulted in large and overly specialized units that could prove just as effective in smaller, more integrated iterations.

Other analysts note many of those eliminated roles are now being outsourced to specialized agencies, which will maintain DEI efforts, while also affording businesses a buffer zone when facing critics of inclusion.

[Anonymous]

Maybe we are moving to a post DEI world? My workplace in particular already has demographics that match the US, including at higher levels.

[Anonymous]

thank god. about time!

[Anonymous]

Quelle surprise.

[Anonymous]

It was never needed IMO. My agency has a whole new office based on DEIA which the EEO office already touched on DEI.

A better way to tackle DEIA for perhaps having annual training but not an office devoted to that initiative. Seriously, how much work is possible for those employees anyway? Once a "quota" is reach then what? Create a new issue?

[Anonymous]

There’s a lot of tension with how many there are versus the actual program offices who can’t get more FTEs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:thank god. about time!

+1

[Anonymous]

It's time to stop funneling big money into these initiatives that don't hire qualified people to make meaningful differences. It's gotten out of hand in academia, where I work.

[Anonymous]

Why would you pay anyone 6 figure salaries to BS everyday and to make and send mass emails with some virtual stickers to celebrate X month? Does it really take a director of diversity making $200k to go out and buy some rainbow cupcakes and post rainbows in the lunch room during pride month? Just go send the friggin' intern making $14/h to go do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you pay anyone 6 figure salaries to BS everyday and to make and send mass emails with some virtual stickers to celebrate X month? Does it really take a director of diversity making $200k to go out and buy some rainbow cupcakes and post rainbows in the lunch room during pride month? Just go send the friggin' intern making $14/h to go do that.

+1. I erase all the diversity emails I receive because, while interesting, they are not relevant to my job. I spent my time reading emails about what I am actually paid for.

[Anonymous]

People are projecting their own narrative onto a mundane layoff aligned with post-Covid/ZIRP corporate trends across the entire employment base.


Microsoft laid off 2000 employees in gaming division this year. Is the XBox era over? No.

[Anonymous]

Will corporate profits take a dive now that the DEI office is gone? Surely they were providing value, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will corporate profits take a dive now that the DEI office is gone? Surely they were providing value, right?

No, profits will rise. DEI was divisive and set people against each other, creating a bad atmosphere and culture.