Top DEI Strategies for 2025

🎧 Listen to the full episode on YouTube | Apple | Spotify

In today's episode of the HR Leaders Podcast, we welcome Joelle Emerson, CEO and co-founder of Paradigm , a company dedicated to helping organizations build inclusive cultures that unlock the full potential of their workforce.

Joelle dives deep into the complexities of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), exploring how businesses can create long-lasting, sustainable impact through thoughtful, fair processes rather than performative measures.

Watch the full episode by clicking below ⬇️

In this episode, Joelle discusses:

🌍 Navigating the DEI Backlash

→ Joelle explains the origins of the DEI backlash and how organizations can respond strategically, ensuring their initiatives are sustainable and impactful.

🔑 Building Inclusive Cultures that Last

→ Discover how creating fair processes and a sense of belonging can lead to high-performing teams and lasting cultural change.

🤖 The Role of AI in Shaping DEI Strategies

→ Learn how AI is transforming the way companies approach DEI, from data analysis to implementing real-time solutions for inclusion.

🎯 Psychological Safety as a Competitive Advantage

→ Joelle highlights the importance of psychological safety in building trust, innovation, and high engagement across diverse teams.

🔮 What advice Joelle had for future HR leaders:

"Progress, especially in civil rights, is a story of forward movement followed by backlash. We need to start from the assumption that we share common values and listen to one another to drive meaningful progress."

"To build inclusive cultures, focus on small, consistent actions that lead to big ripple effects. Real change happens not through grand gestures but by embedding fairness and inclusivity into everyday processes."

📊 How Belonging Drives Engagement and Innovation

1. Boost Psychological Safety Employees are 5x more likely to feel psychological safety when they experience a sense of belonging. This leads to higher engagement, more innovation, and better performance, as employees are more likely to share ideas and take risks.

2. Train Leaders on Inclusive Leadership 50% of companies currently train their managers on inclusive leadership, which helps foster a culture where employees feel valued and supported. Inclusive leadership is key to creating an environment where all employees can thrive.

3. Identify and Close Belonging Gaps Employees from underrepresented groups, including employees of color and non-binary individuals, often experience lower levels of belonging. Identifying these gaps and implementing practices to support these groups is crucial for creating an inclusive workplace.

4. Belonging Benefits Everyone Investing in belonging efforts leads to improved engagement for all employees. For example, focused belonging initiatives resulted in a 26-point improvement for Black employees, 19-point improvement for LGBTQ+ employees, and a 7-point overall increase across the entire workforce.

📚 You might be interested in:

This episode covered so many important topics, here's an additional resource for you to dive a bit deeper:

• Get proven ROI at every stage with the all-together hiring platform.

• (FREE Report) The Benefits of Belonging

• (Start for FREE) Get instant answers to any HR questions with the world's AI copilot for HR

• A recent episode of the HR Leaders podcast covering "How to Retain Your Top Talent in 2025" Check it out below ⬇

🙏 We couldn't do it without you!

Thank you to Joelle Emerson for sharing her time, expertise, and vision with our listeners.

Also our episode and series sponsor, Greenhouse and their brilliant team Daniel Chait, Carin Van Vuuren (she/her), Trenton Kenagy, and Robin Cornuelle and Kelsey Bernert at Daybreak Studio.

None of this would be possible without Shane Kemp James Elwell Rio André, Kenneth Browne and the team at HR Leaders and atlas copilot for bringing the podcast to life.

Thank you to our previous guests: Paaras Parker, Luke Wynne, Jon Stross, Larry Emond, Tony Buffum, Jennifer Moore, Matthew Hamilton, Debra Corey, Kalifa Oliver, Jeff Cates, Keith Sonderling, Jacob Morgan, Scott Domann, and many more.

⏭️ Join us at our next event:

1. How To Use Talent Intelligence To Build a Dynamic Workforce Strategy - 10 October

2. Global Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility Summit - 16 October

3. HR Leaders Innovation Roundtable at Merck - 21 October

P.S. If you like the HR Leaders podcast, help us grow the show by rating us on Apple or Spotify ⭐️, or share this with a friend or colleague ♻️.