| | FEBRUARY 2025MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM9change when it comes to DEI. They are closest to employees who need to engage in DEI initiatives. Further, managers are responsible for creating psychological safety to support employee action.Creating a thaw: Manager supportManager efficacy in a DEI journey starts with communication. Senior leaders must ensure that managers not only understand the firm's DEI vision and purpose but are also supplied with a clear plan of execution.That's important because managers are often asked to lead DEI initiatives. For this reason, a manager's role and responsibilities in the firm's DEI initiatives must be made crystal clear. Otherwise, managers are left wondering what they're supposed to do. Help them understand how DEI fits into their core job function, what skill sets to build, and which behaviors to model so they can help create an inclusive workplace for employees.With respect to modeling behavior, compassion is critical. Ensure managers feel free to speak up, as they're often the first to identify problems and offer solutions. Showing middle managers compassion is modeling the behavior they should replicate with their employees.Finally, give managers the tools to help transform the organization's culture. Whether that means written tips, conversation guides to address sensitive topics, or targeted training, in many cases, managers need more resources than they have currently, which can leave them feeling overwhelmed and stuck. Recognize that managers need specific skill sets and actionable training. Rather than ask them to be culturally aware and empathetic leaders, ensure they learn the specific behaviors and action steps to take with their teams.Fortunately, it seems that managers are becoming more aware of the importance of DEI to an organization's success. In a study done by Nicsa's Diversity Project North America, while 23% of managers felt DEI-related performance metrics were important in 2021, that number jumped to 33% in 2023.Though organizational change typically starts at the top, its momentum and success rely on what happens in the middle. Managers are a firm's culture carriers and often the most important DEI champions. Keeping their efforts warm and flowing can make the difference between derailed DEI efforts and an inclusive, productive workplace. Managers are a firm's culture carriers and often the most important DEI champions. Keeping their efforts warm and flowing can make the difference between derailed DEI efforts and an inclusive, productive workplace
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