How to recalibrate DEI for a new era

Companies aren’t ditching DEI; they’re adapting under pressure. In my conversations with senior leaders, I’ve noticed they’re becoming more strategic, embedding inclusion deeper into operations instead of spotlighting it with performative fanfare. 

Navigating the evolving landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is one of the most pressing challenges for HR professionals today.

This interview is from an article in BenefitsPro with Den Mondejar, Director of Enterprise and Talent Solutions at Aquent, a global work solutions company, and a leading expert in the field to discuss what these changes mean for your organization.

How have recent legal challenges and political debates impacted DEI efforts and what do you expect in the coming months/years?

I’ve seen a major shift—not a retreat, but a recalibration. Companies aren’t ditching DEI; they’re adapting under pressure. In my conversations with senior leaders, I’ve noticed they’re becoming more strategic, embedding inclusion deeper into operations instead of spotlighting it with performative fanfare. That evolution is necessary. Companies are reframing the language they use to talk about it. We're seeing terms like "belonging" and "inclusion" gain traction, and a lot less talk about diversity.I believe the next wave of DEI leadership will be defined not by volume, but by resolve. The organizations that quietly stay the course, even when the spotlight fades, will emerge stronger. The ones that cave to pressure may win the news cycle but lose talent, trust, and long-term credibility. The pendulum always swings back, and even faster nowadays.

How can organizations and benefits advisors who work with them navigate the complex and evolving legal landscape related to DEI?

I’ve always said DEI can’t sit in a silo if it’s going to survive. I’ve worked with organizations where legal, finance, and marketing now co-own pieces of inclusion work—and that’s a good thing. It strengthens the strategy and creates more resilience. Advisors and business leaders should stop thinking of DEI as a compliance checkbox and start viewing it as a risk-mitigation and innovation strategy.

How can the industry/employers/advisorsaddress the backlash against DEI initiatives? How can we reframe the conversation around DEI to emphasize its benefits for everyone?

When backlash happens, don’t panic — pivot. Language is a lever, not a surrender. I’ve coached leaders to stop leading with acronyms and instead focus on impact: culture, innovation, retention, etc. These are business imperatives. Once you get that foot in the door, the deeper work can follow. It’s not watering down the message—it’s focusing on the work rather than the words.

How can DEI drive better business outcomes, including increased profitability and market share? Are there any other reasons, other than doing the right thing, that make this a smart move for businesses?

Most leaders assume DEI is something you layer onto your business to drive outcomes, but I've learned it's actually about redesigning how you make decisions in the first place.I've worked with executive teams where every major decision gets filtered through the exact same set of experiences and assumptions. And I've watched those companies miss massive opportunities because they literally couldn't see what their customers were telling them. Not because they didn't have the data, but because they didn't have anyone in the room who could interpret what that data actually meant.I always tell my clients: your competitive advantage isn't just having diverse people on your team. It's building systems that actually amplify the dissenting voices and minority perspectives before they become mainstream market trends. The way I see it, you're making billion-dollar decisions through a narrow lens in an increasingly complex world. So the real question I ask leaders isn't whether DEI drives profitability—it's whether you can afford not to have diverse, competitive thinking informing your biggest strategic moves.

How can we build (and rebuild) trust with diverse communities and demonstrate our commitment to social responsibility?

I’ve learned that trust is built in the quiet moments, not the big campaigns. When companies pull back from headline-chasing and focus on how they show up day after day, that’s when employees and customers start to believe again.Other companies like McDonald’s are not necessarily rolling back their initiatives, but giving those initiatives more of a rebrand. The company sent out a memo to franchise owners saying they will introduce a new “‘Golden Rule’ - treating everyone with dignity, fairness and respect, always”. The note also said they are “evolving how we refer to our diversity team, which will now be the Global Inclusion Team. This name change is more fitting for McDonald’s in light of our inclusion value and better aligns with this team’s work.”

How can employers create inclusive workplaces where everyone feels valued and respected? How can employee benefits fit into this picture? 

I've learned that most companies are solving the wrong problem. They're obsessing over making everyone feel good instead of asking why certain people consistently feel excluded in the first place.Here's what I've noticed—the companies that actually crack this aren't focused on universal warm feelings. They're ruthlessly honest about their power structures. I worked with one organization that realized its "open door" policy was meaningless because people didn't feel safe walking through it. So instead of more inclusion training, they redesigned their feedback systems and decision-making processes.

Benefits are fascinating to me because they reveal what you actually value versus what you say you value. I've seen companies add fertility benefits and call it inclusive, but then wonder why their retention numbers don't move. The real question I ask leaders is: Are your benefits addressing systemic barriers or just surface-level comfort?The most inclusive workplaces I've studied don't make people feel valued; they make people feel essential.

Where do you think things stand now in terms of DEI in the workplace?

We’re at a fork in the road. I’ve seen DEI evolve into something quieter but more embedded. The flashy initiatives are fading, but the real work is digging in. Leaders are learning how to build inclusive systems that don't rely on one person or one department. That’s hard—but it’s necessary.This moment is revealing who’s doing DEI for the right reasons. The companies doubling down now are going to build trust and resilience that outlasts the political noise.

Where do you see DEI going?

I think we're heading into a period where DEI becomes a defining business battleground, whether companies want it or not.The current administration is taking aim at civil rights through policy, and people are paying attention. We’re seeing resistance—not just from advocacy groups, but from employees, consumers, and voters who understand that rights rolled back in one arena bleed into others.Business leaders who think they can distance themselves from “politics” are missing the plot. When your workforce is watching their rights get chipped away in real time, silence doesn’t feel like safety—it feels like betrayal.